URM 2.5 GPA 2100 SAT and We're Going For It

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<p>UCs have one common application, and CSUs have another (though two campuses have additional stuff needed). One set of test scores can be sent to each system. None require transcripts or recommendations on application (final transcript is required after matriculation to verify self-reported courses and grades and senior year performance).</p>

<p>UCs and CSUs use FAFSA and federal methodology for financial aid calculations.</p>

<p>Other states have common state university application arrangements, right?</p>

<p>I am talking about the FA forms – to be fair, private schools are going to require a lot more paperwork than a public school will – but the OP definitely has private schools on the list. I am not discouraging them from applying to a fair number of schools, but 34 is going to tempt you jump off a cliff that is NOT over water…</p>

<p>I started to lose my mind around school #8 with my son. Hoping to have only a handful to deal with for my younger child. 34 seems insane. Not to mention, at our resource-strapped public school the guidance counselors start to get a little annoyed when one student monopolizes their time…they have hundreds of kids to send recs and transcripts for.</p>

<p>I was assuming that, for the OP being a California resident, many of the 34 or so schools would be UCs (up to 9) and CSUs (up to 21; 2 others have additional stuff to add to the application), which would be just two applications, two sets of test scores, FAFSA, and no burden on the high school at application time, for the whole set.</p>

<p>Of course, it is entirely possible that one private school could require more application work than 21 CSUs or 9 UCs.</p>

<p>Well, it isn’t the OP that is talking about 34, it is kat… just trying to steer the OP to a more sensible number. :)</p>

<p>Sensible??? what?? who? that would NOT be 4 in high school at the same time with an 8th grader!!! leading to 4 in college at the same time, FUN!</p>

<p>To be fair as a Pell eligible family with many FAFSA only schools and limited docs for idoc it really wasn’t time consuming. And after the first one the data transfers year after year to the siblings. GCs were MORE than happy to do their LORs, SAT forwards as that their public hs had been the red-headed stepchild for DECADES. To have students that motivated so many others to strive and have big dreams was contagious, well at least that is what the sign with their names on it at the front of the school says!</p>

<p>Son with the 34 apps was kiddo #4 so they had an idea of what the game plan was, they had lots of practice! 34 apps, 33 acceptances, 1 wait-list.</p>

<p>24 Med school apps was more time consuming and expensive, have to interview at each locale if you want an acceptance at that school. </p>

<p>Kat
sensible, uh huh, sure, right…</p>

<p>I just wanted to briefly share my experience in case it helps. I am a URM and California resident who applied last year. I had a 3.45uw/3.95w GPA and 2110 SAT. </p>

<p>In state, I was accepted to SDSU, UCI, UCLA, and Berkeley…I was rejected from Cal Poly SLO,USC and Stanford.</p>

<p>Kat,</p>

<p>You must be very proud of your children. I think you also provided a realistic perspective of the admissions world out there.</p>

<p>Buttafly…your GPA was 3.45. This student’s GPA is 2.65. My guess is you never failed a course. This student has failed some courses.</p>

<p>I think this comparison isn’t too good.</p>

<p>^ To keep perspective, remember that in OP’s son’s school district, 40% never graduate high school, and for those who do, the most common grade is a D, with only perhaps 15% reaching a 2.5 GPA - although results are better in OP’s magnet school. he also has a 3.2 UC GPA.</p>

<p>I’m curious about two things:

  • since OP’s son “made” those grades “up” through summer school, were the Fs replaced by the new ones, or were the new grades simply added to the total GPA?
  • what’s his junior/senior GPA? Since he’d have had time by then to recover from the problems plaguing his family/situation, this jr/sr GPA would give us a good idea of his actual academic potential.
    (BTW, the GC should highlight the jr/sr GPA if possible).</p>

<p>Note that UC/CSU admissions GPA does not include grades from 9th grade, although a-g (academic subjects) courses in which D and F grades were earned in 9th grade must be repeated or (for some subjects like math and foreign language) validated by passing higher level courses. When D or F grades are repeated, the higher grade is used to calculuate UC/CSU admissions GPA.</p>

<p><a href=“Cal State Apply | CSU”>Cal State Apply | CSU;
<a href=“http://www.calstate.edu/sas/publications/documents/csu-uc-a-gcomparisonmatrix.pdf[/url]”>http://www.calstate.edu/sas/publications/documents/csu-uc-a-gcomparisonmatrix.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>For other schools, policies on how repeated courses, upward trends, etc. are seen may vary.</p>

<p>Thumper, I wasn’t exactly comparing our situations. I was just letting the OP know my results because I thought it might be helpful since I was a low GPA/high SAT URM. I understand what you are saying though :)</p>

<p>I believe the OP said that the failed courses did need to be retaken…but that some were not identical courses…so the new grade did not replace the old one.</p>

<p>Dear SlymLady, I hope you’ll come back to CC periodically, to let us know how things are going with applications, admission news, financial aid, etc.
:)</p>

<p>I will absolutely let the board know how things shake out. @Buttafly I absolutely appreciated your contribution.</p>

<p>Slymlady:</p>

<p>I hope you are still following this thread because I saw this information this morning and thought of you. This is a good resources recommended by friends in the Los Angeles area for college planning and financial aid help. </p>

<p>[L.A</a>. CASH FOR COLLEGE](<a href=“http://www.lacashforcollege.org/home.html]L.A”>http://www.lacashforcollege.org/home.html)</p>

<p>In conjunction with LAUSD and other LA organizations they are holding a huge college & career fair on Nov. 6 &7 at the LA Convention center. Here is more info about it. [convention[/url</a>]</p>

<p>In Feb. they are holding in your area “FASFA workshops” [url=&lt;a href=“http://www.lacashforcollege.org/workshops/workshops.html]workshops[/url”&gt;http://www.lacashforcollege.org/workshops/workshops.html]workshops[/url</a>]</p>

<p>Finally I hope you are reading Dr. Joseph’s article on the getmetocollege.org website. The tips are particularly helpful. [url=&lt;a href=“http://getmetocollege.org/hs/2013-october-college-readiness-tips-for-teachers-and-other-college-advocates]2013”&gt;2013 October College Readiness Tips for Teachers and Other College Advocates | Get Me To College]2013</a> October College Readiness Tips for Teachers and Other College Advocates |](<a href=“http://www.lacashforcollege.org/convention/convention.html]convention[/url”>http://www.lacashforcollege.org/convention/convention.html)
They reminded me that you son may be eligible for EOP programs at the UC’s or Cal-States. See the tips for more information on EOP programs in California.</p>

<p>^^ Thanks. That is great info. </p>

<p>Quick app update. CSU applications submitted : SLO, Pomona, SDSU, CSUN (service area) + WSU</p>

<p>Up next the UC’s.</p>

<p>CSU Northridge should be a 100% sure thing for admissions if he is in the service area with baseline CSU eligibility: [Freshman</a> Impaction at CSU, Northridge](<a href=“http://www.csun.edu/anr/impaction.html]Freshman”>http://www.csun.edu/anr/impaction.html) and [First-Time</a> Freshman Admissions Criteria](<a href=“http://www.csun.edu/anr/applyftf.html]First-Time”>http://www.csun.edu/anr/applyftf.html) . Engineering is not an impacted major at CSU Northridge, so there should not be concern about major impaction (only business is impacted there, according to <a href=“http://www.calstate.edu/sas/publications/documents/impactedprogramsmatrix.pdf[/url]”>http://www.calstate.edu/sas/publications/documents/impactedprogramsmatrix.pdf&lt;/a&gt; ).</p>

<p>With a 3.2 CSUGPA and 1400 SAT (CSU Index of 3960) Cal Poly Pomona should be an easy call too. </p>

<p>I am happy you broadened your scope and hope he finds his dream school - and they find him.</p>

<p>Sly:</p>

<p>Just remember, and remind your son, college is seminal not terminal.</p>