<p>How many Honors and how many AP classes are kids that are typically accepted to UCSB have upon completion of their junior year?</p>
<p>Since honors and AP courses are taken into account in calculating an applicant’s UC GPA, you might want to start with figuring out what your student’s GPA would be with and without that additional credit. You can find a UC GPA calculator [url=<a href=“CaliforniaColleges.edu”>CaliforniaColleges.edu]here[/url</a>].</p>
<p>And [url=<a href=“http://bap.ucsb.edu/IR/CDS_2012-2013.pdf]here[/url”>http://bap.ucsb.edu/IR/CDS_2012-2013.pdf]here[/url</a>] is the most recently posted common data set for UCSB. If you scroll down to page 9, you can see the average GPA of incoming students.</p>
<p>So, are you saying he doesn’t need any APs/Honors as long as his GPA is above 3.75?</p>
<p>I am not saying that. First, I have no idea if you’re talking about his UC GPA and, second, I have no idea what the average GPA is at UCSB. I gave you the link, but I didn’t read all the stat’s.</p>
<p>Frankly, I don’t even know if it’s even possible to get a UC GPA above 3.75 without honors or AP courses.</p>
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<p>You can. UC admissions GPA is normal 4 point GPA from 10th-11th grade academic (a-g subject) courses with up to 8 semesters’ of +1 points for honors or AP courses. A student who gets a 4.0 without any honors or AP courses will have a UC admissions GPA of 4.0.</p>
<p>As a practical matter:</p>
<ul>
<li>UC admissions GPA can be 0.3 to 0.4 higher than unweighted 10th-11th academic GPA for a student who took 8 or more semesters’ worth of honors or AP courses.</li>
<li>Most frosh at UC campuses have had 8 or more semesters’ worth of honors or AP courses, since UC students are supposed to be among the top eighth of high school graduates – presumably the students most likely to take honors or AP courses when available. (8 semesters’ worth of honors or AP courses is just 2 year long honors or AP courses per year in each of 10th and 11th grades.)</li>
</ul>
<p>ucbalumnus, you seem very knowledgeable, judging from past posts, my son has a 3.35 Unweighted GPA and, has completed 4 semesters of honors classes (10th grade). He is now a junior and taking 1H & 3AP courses. H Math Analysis, AP Comp Sci, AP Physics C, APUSH, CP Psych, CP 11th English. We are thinking he needs 5 A’s & 1 B for a shot at UCSB. Is this accurate? We believe (from Summer long SAT prep course) that his SAT will be in the 2000-2100 range and, if need be, he can prep again next summer for one last shot. But, I’m afraid this years schedule will be too challening and would like to change the AP Physics to H Physiology & APUSH to regular USH. Do UC’s look at H courses like AP courses for admittance consideration?</p>
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<p>Then why would you want him to attend a major research Uni?</p>
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<p>Absolutely. Strength of schedule matters.</p>
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<p>According to SB’s own webpage, 41% of this last matriculants had a weighted GPA of 4.0+. Thus, even with straight As this year, SB is a reach.</p>
<p>btw: CP English will stick out (unless your son’s native language is not English).</p>
<p>UCSB’s frosh admissions profile is here:
[Freshman</a> admission profile | UC Admissions](<a href=“http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/campuses/santa-barbara/freshman-profile/index.html]Freshman”>http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/campuses/santa-barbara/freshman-profile/index.html)</p>
<p>Note the 4.01 average GPA (presumably UC admissions GPA). All A grades this year may just reach that GPA. Of course, some students are admitted with lower GPAs, but test scores, essay, extracurriculars, etc. would have to be better to compensate. Check also whether division or major matters at UCSB.</p>
<p>Why is he in AP physics C if he is in a math course less advanced than calculus? AP physics C is supposed to use calculus.</p>
<p>Bluebayou, you do realize when you get to college you will probably not be taking 6 intense classes at a time as Concernedparent’s son is doing? It is perfectly reasonable to want to attend UCSB and also not want to overburden your schedule as a high school junior.</p>
<p>Concernedparent, please investigate further on the UC Admission page, but I think an honors class is weighted just the same as an AP class (that is, if you are in-state and it is listed as honors on the UC Doorways page). Given these parameters, the only difference between H and AP is if your son does well on the AP test and submits the score. The advice at our school, part of one of the top performing districts in CA, is to always protect the GPA first.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.ucop.edu/doorways/[/url]”>http://www.ucop.edu/doorways/</a></p>
<p><a href=“University of California Counselors”>University of California Counselors;
<p>Perhaps goldenwest, if the OP’s son was taking six intensive classes, which he is NOT. I would hardly consider college prep English to be challenging, at least for a research University wannabe. And since AP Psych is generally regarded as the easiest AP, CP-Psych has to be a breeze.</p>
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<p>Looking at the list of courses:</p>
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<p>H Math Analysis: in college, would be a one-semester remedial course
AP Comp Sci: in college, would be a one-semester course at most (maybe not even that much)
AP Physics C: if only mechanics, would be a one semester course in college (but does not sound like a good idea to take without calculus)
AP USH: in college, would be a full year course, but probably in more depth than the AP course
CP Psych: AP psychology would be only equivalent to a semester course in college that is not generally considered a difficult college course, so non-AP psychology would be considered a relatively easy course even by high school standards
CP English: unlikely to be as intense as frosh English course in college</p>
<p>So even though a typical college course load would be about four courses per semester or quarter, the intensity of each course would likely be twice that of each of these high school courses.</p>
<p>I’d have my son back off a bit. I know a student that is currently at a community college because a very similar plan went awry. </p>
<p>Keep in mind your UC GPA is capped by adding a max of 8 semester ‘bonus’ grade points. If your son has already completed 4 honors courses in 10th grade, that leaves room for just 4 more semester in 11th. Also, you note he’s got a 3.35 unweighted in 10th grade - that proabably equates to a 3.75 weighted. Using simple math, your son needs a GPA of 4.25 junior year to raise his GPA to 4.0. That feels like a stretch to me.</p>
<p>Take 2-3 AP classes, do your best and let the chips fall where they may. It is true that academic rigor, number of taken/passed AP courses are factored in. If he gets a 2100 and maintains a weighted GPA in the 3.9+ range, shows leadership in his ECs and writes a compelling essay, he’s got a good shot.</p>
<p>NCalRent, that’s exactly what we figured and are in process to scaling back. He doesn’t want to scale back to 1H & 2AP - wants to keep the 1H & 3AP but, I think he’ll come around before the deadline. We already changed the CP Psych to Photography; keeping the H Math Analysis, AP Physics C (UCB - his counselor said many students take this concurrently with H Math Analysis and, we are awaiting his instructor’s recommendation; if it’ll be an issue, he’ll take H Physiology), AP Comp Sci (loves math/science/computers), APUSH (I think he should downgrade it; sounds time consuming), CP English, & Photography.</p>
<p>UCB, I got a reply from the AP Physics instructor and apparently “more than half” of his class is concurrently taking H Math Analysis and, he encourages them to do so - ‘about 20% of the AP exam is calculus and, he’s had students skip those problems altogether and still get a 5.’ Anyways, UCSB & CPSLO are close to home so, he’s more comfortable with those choices but, he may decide that moving away to a very good engineering program/school may be the right decision. I’m just trying to help put together the best hand he can play.</p>