Hello
So this is a brief overview of my highschool stance and what colleges I will be applying to.
UW:3.05
W:3:30
New SAT: 1040
My ECs don’t matter much… but they’re okay
Dual Enrollment (10-12th grade)
I have taken 5 college classes, and currently taking Psychology 101…
I am also taking three AP classes which are
-AP Government and Politics
-AP Physics 1
-AP Spanish Language and Culture
I am planning on applying to
CSULB
CSULA
CSUF
Cal State Poly Pomona
And well for UCs
UCM
UCR
UCLA
UCSD
(Note I know I have like almost no chance for the UCs, but it doesn’t matter, I wasn’t planning to go to a UC anyways).
If anyone could give me an estimate that would be greatly appreciated.
Your UC GPA is below average for all the UC’s and SAT score is on target only for UC Merced so depending upon major it could be Match to High Match. All the rest of the UC’s are Low Reach to High Reach.
Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.00-3.39
UCB/UCLA/UCSD: 1%
UCI/UCSB: 2%
UCD: 4%
UCSC: 18%
UCR: 38%
UCM: 67%
For the Cal States, they admit by major and eligibility index (EI). Again it can make a difference on your chances based on major and if you are local to any of the CSU’s you have listed.
Here is a link to check which CSU is local: http://www.calstate.edu/sas/onestopkiosk/documents/CSULocalAdmission-ServiceAreas.pdf
Your EI based on your posted stats is (3.3 x800) + (1040)= 3680
CSULB= Reach (target: 3900-4000 EI depending upon major)
CSUF= Low Reach (target 3800+ depending upon major)
CSULA= Match
CPP= Low Reach-Reach (target:3800+ depending upon major)
I would add a non-impacted CSU (San Bernardino, Channel Islands, East Bay, Dominguez Hills, Stanislaus) to your list as a safety unless CSULA is your local CSU.
Other than Chico State, San Diego State and Cal Poly SLO, CSU Fullerton, CSU Long Beach and CPP, you have a decent chance at the rest of the CSU’s such as San Marcos, San Francisco State, Sonoma, Humboldt etc…
Just remember if a program is impacted, then you will need a higher EI to get an acceptance.
List of impacted campuses and majors: https://www.calstate.edu/sas/documents/ImpactedProgramsMatrix.pdf
Not to be a downer but, the only school on your list likely to accept you is CSULA. a few more SAT points would give you a more comfortable margin at Chico. With your stats as they are, Sac, SF, Sonoma, Humboldt, are all worth an ap. If you aren’t looking for a competitive major CPP could happen too. Note, they look at your 2nd choice major… no othe CSUs do.
I’d sit for the SAT again and see if you can beat 1100.
good luck.
I probably will retake the SAT and see if I can do better. But how do people with lower stats than me get into the higher tier CSUs? If it’s a numbers game.
Being a local applicant to any particular CSU does have an advantage but not always a guarantee. Also, OOS applicants tend to have a lower threshold than many in-state applicants since OOS students pay the higher price tag. You are ranked based on major, so you are competition against applicants in the same major. Highly competitive and popular majors (Bio/Engineering/Business/Psych) will have more competition vs a less popular major.
All you can do is apply widely so you have choices come Spring.
Being a local applicant to any particular CSU does have an advantage but not always a guarantee. Also, OOS applicants tend to have a lower threshold than many in-state applicants since OOS students pay the higher price tag. You are ranked based on major, so you are in competition against applicants in the same major. Highly competitive and popular majors (Bio/Engineering/Business/Psych) will have more competition vs a less popular major.
All you can do is apply widely so you have choices come Spring.
What about majors like Criminolgy or Political Science? It seems that psychology is a more “competitive” major. Would those other two be considered less competitive? I want to study psych in college, but if it’s too hard for my stats then I can try Crim of Poli.
Psychology is competitive due it’s popularity and is an impacted major at many of the CSU campuses.
Political Science and Criminology will still be competitive at the impacted CSU campuses: SDSU/SLO/CSU Fullerton/Long Beach/San Jose/Fresno.
Criminology/Criminal Justice as a major is also impacted at CSU LA, San Bernardino, Sonoma and Sacramento.
Here is the impacted major matrix for the CSU’s: https://www.calstate.edu/sas/documents/ImpactedProgramsMatrix.pdf
My advice is if Psychology is what would want to study, then formulate a list of schools where you have a good chance to study that major. There are 23 Cal states so other than 11 CSU’s where Psych is an impacted major (see impacted matrix link), you have a chance for an acceptance at the other 12.
You just need to make a choice, is the major more important or the school?
For the UC’s, I do not think that Political Science will make a difference in your chances. Apply to UCR and UCM, where you might have a chance, but the rest of the UC’s regardless of major will be Reaches.
Thank you very much, Gumbymom. I will probably switch Pomona for Northridge. And the major is a bigger importance to me than the actual school.