terrible gpa... chances of uc?

<p>Hello everyone! i'm a senior right now and pretty soon will be applying to colleges... I live in socal and would really like to go to a school like ucdavis or irvine, maybe even sd?? I'm sure that's reach but i'd love to be near the beach. My sophomore year i took honors english (B), alg 2 honors (B), a one sem honors history class (B), chem h (B). i think i got around a 3.3 unweighted with chinese? Lots of B's as you can see. Junior year I believe i had a very low 3 first semester and second semester i got a 2.8 :( I was taking AP comp sci (got a B in the class, a 1 on the ap exam LOL i realize now i learned nothing) AP chem, got a B then a C (3 on the ap exam please dont judge me haha) What really killed me was pre calc honors. Its basically math analysis in one semester and calc A the second. I got a C, wanted to drop but stuck it out pretty much because my mom forced me to, and then I got an F. Totally bombed, mostly my fault. The summer after junior year i took math analysis during the summer.. was surprised that i knew everything in the textbook and didn't have to study at all.. passed with an A+. Since the two math classes arent the same class, my counselor said my math analysis grade wouldnt replace my precalc grade. my sat score ( just took it once dont want to retake) was 2020, i believe highest in math, then cr, then writing. math wasnt that great i think really low 700 or high 600? im going to take the act in october without prep (pray for me), hopefully im one of those people who find the act easier than sat. so i think my uc gpa is around a 3.6... gotta meet with the counselor to see if i did all this stuff right haha anyways my mom is also making me apply to ucberk and ucla. i've got not hope for those but im hoping i'll at least get into uci?? please tell me if i'm being delusional.
extracurrics:
softball most my life, was on jv first two years, varsity 3rd and 4th year. mvp junior year
been volunteering at the local arboretum for about 2 years, about 3 hours every saturday. hoping that consistency helps?
thats about it... <em>cries</em>
btdubs got no idea what to major in plz halp</p>

<p>oops mvp soph year while i was still on jv </p>

<p>Too wordy and you lost me. Just list your stats, major, grades, done-no drama!
Just apply and see what happens.</p>

<p>sorry! i’m a bit new to this site… just thought it would be best to be thorough. the uncertainty of college admissions is slowly eating away at me and some guidance and reassurance would be nice (:</p>

<p>First you need to calculate your UC GPA, see link:<a href=“Cal State Apply | CSU”>Cal State Apply | CSU;
If you do not how, you can Private message me with your 9-11th grades and I can help you. You also need to check the website for which are your AP/Honors classes are UC approved for the extra honors points
<a href=“http://www.ucop.edu/doorways/”>http://www.ucop.edu/doorways/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Regarding the UC’s, GPA is king so if you have a UC GPA 4.0+, you are in good shape. You do have a competitive SAT for the Lower and Mid-Tier UC’s, but it will depend upon your UC GPA. UCD and UCI like higher GPA’s and will be more forgiving with lower test scores. UCSB leans toward higher test scores and can be more holistic in their admissions along with more emphasis on essays.
Downward trends in GPA especially in Junior year will hurt.
The minimum UCGPA is 3.0 for in-state and 3.4 for out of state but the minimum will not guarantee you an acceptance even at UCM. Major will also factor into your acceptance. Engineering/STEM majors will be more competitive and you will need higher stats.</p>

<p>Having 2 sons which both have gone through the UC application process these past 2 years, I have learned it is difficult to predict acceptances. Older son had a UC GPA 4.2 but lower test scores (ACT 26) and was accepted to 5 UC’s. Younger son had UC GPA 3.73 ACT 31 and was accepted to 1 UC.<br>
Repost with your stats and the CC posters can give you some guidance. </p>

<p>I think you have a very good chance for the lower tier UC’s: UCSC; UCR and UCM. As for the middle tier UC’s I don’t know. UCB or UCLA, I believe are a reach. Applicants I know who were admitted to UCB or UCLA, this past year and the last couple of years, have at least a 2040 SAT; about a 4.2 to 4.3 weighted gpa; and good extracurricular activities. The personal essay is very important and it has to be great. Unless you have some hardship or adversity in your life such as living in poverty, both parents with only high school degrees, a parent incarcerated, etc., what I stated above applies. You can have lower stats if you have some hardship and adversity in your life.</p>

<p>Your 2020 SAT score is very good for the mid-tier and lower tier UC’s and though you have an opportunity to retake it to try for a higher score, you probably should not retake it and risk getting a lower score.</p>

<p>In this first half of your senior year, you should still work your hardest to try to get the best grades you can and keep up your extracurricular activities. If you are on the borderline, you might get a supplemental information request from one of the UC’s for the Fall semester of your senior high school year. The year before last year, my son got one from UCSD, but he did not work hard during his senior year and, therefore, was not admitted to UCSD.</p>

<p>I am very familiar with the process because my son applied the year before last year. His weighted gpa was 4.0; unweighted about 3.7 and his SAT score was 1900. We were hands off in the application process and should have read his essay. His essay was terrible and he was not admitted into the mid tier UC’s or UCB or UCLA. He was accepted by UCSB, UCR and UCM. My son also got accepted into the honors program at UCR and was offered a 1K scholarship for each of the 4 years. He was denied by USC, but offered the Trojan Transfer Plan (TTP). Many of his friends, who had stats similar or lower than his, got into the mid-tier UC’s. </p>

<p>This past year, my son’s good friend got accepted only to UCSC, though he applied to most of the UC’s. His backup school was San Jose St. He chose UCSC. His stats were: 3.2 to 3.4 weighted gpa, 1910 SAT. My son, being confident in getting into a UC, did not apply to any CSU’s.</p>

<p>My son chose the Univ. of Wash. in Seattle and is doing very well (taken 9 courses: 6 A;s& A-'s, 2 B’s, 1 B-). The minuses hurt his gpa, which is > 3.5. He also decided not to apply to USC’s TTP for his sophomore year because he is very happy at UW. </p>

<p>You should be proud of your accomplishments and for being able to be competitive with other high achieving students. UC’s and elite schools are a lot more difficult to get into now than when I was a student. Parents of a couple of generations ago had it easier. </p>

<p>You should also have a backup school. Remember, getting into a UC is a great accomplishment. They basically admit only “A” students and the top 9%.</p>

<p>I have a second son in high school and that is why I read these posts in this site.</p>

<p>2020 is solid but, your GPA is light for all but UCSC, UCR and UCM. I’d think about some of the CSUs. Cal Poly Pomona, CSULB and SDSU are well within reach.</p>