What are my chances of getting into a UC school as of sophomore year?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - GENERAL
1

Okay so I am having a minor breakdown. Freshman year I had a:
3.8 UW GPA first semester, with taking 3 Honors classes and registered in CSF.
4.0 UW GPA second semester, with the same 3 Honors classes and registered in CSF.

This year is my sophomore year, and it’s not that I am a bad student, I honestly think I got a raw deal on teachers. My teachers were unfair and did sketchy grades, my English teacher deleted several assignments from the grade book to help certain students while it dropped many other people’s grades (including my own). I haven’t take finals yet, but I have a good idea of where I will be.

3.3 UW GPA first semester, 3 Honors classes, 1 AP class, and a math class a grade above my normal level. CSF registered.
3.3 UW GPA second semester ( most likely before finals, but may go up more or a 3.2 ), same classes except not CSF registered this semester ( I couldn’t get the last signature I needed before the deadline ).

So far I did martial arts for 3 years and got my black belt, after that I did cross country for. season before getting injured and having to stop. I will be doing lots more extracurriculers this summer and going into next year, not to mention summer before 9th and 10th grade I took summer school in order to get ahead in my credits, which I did by 20 points.

Junior year I will be taking

  • AP English 11 Language and Comp. ( 3rd year of 4 )
  • AP Studio Art: Drawing ( Elective Credit )
  • AP US History ( 2nd year of 2 )
  • AP Biology ( 3rd year of 2 )
  • CTM ( Contemporary Topics in Math ) ( 4th year of 3 )
  • Spanish 3 Honors ( 3rd year of 2 )
    I TOOK ALL RECOMMENDED AMOUNT OF YEARS AND EXCEEDED UC REQUIRED YEARS BY ONE AT LEAST.

I am going to apply to all UC schools, along with NYU, Seattle University, Washington University, Columbia, Northwestern, Chicago, and USC, along with a few more.

I am wondering what are my chances at getting into these schools at this point? I want to major in something arts/humanities most likely, I am going to get a job next year as soon as I turn 16 and will be joining different clubs and volunteer hours. I need a realistic viewpoint, my parents won’t let me apply to state schools in California, and I will be devastated if I can’t get into colleges anywhere. Please help, I would really appreciate it. Thank you so much!

2

Also to add, California is my home state, in case that makes a difference. I am also first generation to go to college.

3
  1. Until you finish your Junior year of HS, there is no way to know what kind of chances you will have at any of theses schools. You need test scores, a UC GPA and UW cumulative GPA for many of the non-UC schools on your list. After Junior year, calculate your UC GPA and you will have a better idea of where you stand.

https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/

  1. Do not blame your teachers for your lower than average grades. Many students can do well and rise above not so great teachers so you need to figure out why you are having problems.

  2. If you are struggling in your Sophomore classes, piling on more difficult AP classes will not help you.

  3. Being in-state and first generation can help but will not make up for a non-competitive GPA.

My advice is figure out what went wrong Sophomore year and focus on doing the best you can Junior year. You need to aim for a 4.0+ UC GPA for the majority of the UC schools.

Get some test prep and try to aim for a 32+ ACT or 1450+ SAT to increase you chances.

EC’s, Essays and test scores will all contribute to your chances, but GPA is by far the best indicator of being a successful applicant for the UC’s.

There are many Cal States that are on par with the UC’s, so I would try to educate your parents on the merits of the some of the CSU’s such as San Diego State, Long Beach State, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Pomona.

Based on what you have posted so far the schools on your list are unlikely unless you step it up Junior year.

Make sure you have 1-2 safety schools where you have a high chance of admittance and are willing to attend. Cal states can fit the bill.

Work hard and remember there are thousands of colleges in the US they you would be welcomed at but maybe not all of them that are currently on your list.

Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.40-3.79:

UCB: 2%
UCLA: 3%
UCSD: 6%
UCD: 15%
UCSB: 14%
UCI: 13%
UCSC: 59%
UCR: 78%
UCM: 92%

Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.80-4.19:

UCB: 14%
UCLA: 14%
UCSD: 44%
UCSB: 54%
UCD: 58%
UCI: 65%
UCSC: 85%
UCR: 94%
UCM: 96%

Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 4.20 or above:

UCB: 42%
UCLA: 54%
UCSD: 87%
UCSB: 85%
UCD: 91%
UCI: 94%
UCR/UCM: 98%

4

I think you have plenty of time to get a handle on your academics and to really get involved in ECs, so there’s no need to freak out! Yes, most schools don’t look at freshman grades and start with sophomore grades and above, but as long as you reflect an upward trend (especially senior year) it’ll be fine. Taking AP and honors courses is great, as long as you get good grades and pass the AP tests (4s or higher for UCs if you want credit). Don’t go overboard with ECs if they’ll take time away from your academics. Grades are most important. Overall, be glad you’re starting this process early, because you have plenty of time to formulate a plan and execute it. I didn’t even think about college until September of my senior year, and by then it was too late to really make any major changes to my academics or ECs. I just took classes I felt like taking and did clubs I wanted to be in. Of course I pushed myself and did honors/APs, but I always could have done more. So I commend you for starting this process soon, so you can adjust your trajectory based on colleges you want to attend and really get acquainted with all that these schools have to offer!!

5

UCs are VERY GPA focused. They do weigh course rigor but, an A in an easy a-g class beats a C in a hard one.not
I am not saying sandbag your schedule but, don’t take hard classes to dig yourself out of a GPA hole. IMHO 4 APs next year is unlikely to go well. It is a recipe for disaster. This is not a comment about your intelligence or capabilities - i am cautioning that it is a LOT of work just when life starts to distract you.

i agree - it is too early to rule anything out. No matter how strong your GPA, I would encourage you to look into some CSUs. SDSU, CP SLO Sonoma and Chico and many other CSUs offer a great education in a less up-tight environment for about half the price… Tour a few and see what you think. .

6

As I have told other aspiring UC students, including my son, CCC with transfer to UC as a junior is a great option. You get to knock out the painful general education classes in small classes, with professional educators, at minimal cost, with less cutthroat competition. Your BA/BS diploma will still say University of California.

I agree with GumbyMom that you should not blame others for any past shortcomings. Adjust your attitude, study hard and get the work done. Good things will happen.

Remind your parents that spending $300K on a bachelor’s degree is completely insane. You, and they, will be saddled with debt for the rest of your lives and it may prevent you from going on for an advanced degree. Even four years at UC (typically, four and a half) costs a pretty penny. And a BA/BS is merely an entry level credential these days.

My son will be going to the local CCC Honors program this fall with the smart kids. They get priority registration!! That’s huge. Do well, and after two years you can transfer into a more selective UC and/or major than you could get into directly from high school. Especially if you are planning to go on to graduate or professional school, I highly recommend this path. It worked out great for me back in the Dark Ages, even while working full time to support myself. CCC–>UCSD Bio–>UCSF MD. Later, UCLA MBA. (That was the priciest of all.) You can do it too. You do not have to follow the typical path to be successful. And you absolutely must not spend a ridiculous amount of money on college when there are smarter alternatives. Best of luck.

7

Perhaps with the exception of Seattle University, a 4.0+ weighted gpa or 3.8 to 4.0 unweighted gpa, in addition to a high ACT/SAT score, would give you the best chance for admission to the private schools you mentioned above. Also, if you are looking at private schools (private schools give out more “free” money to the high achievers than public schools to relieve the high tuition costs) and can afford it, you might want to consider top tier out of state public schools too. The out of state tuition is generally higher than a UC, but less than a private college. My son#1 chose UW in Seattle and got into the prestigious business school there and is being heavily recruited by the Big Four and Amazon for the leadership/internship program this summer. A few years ago, he chose UW over a few UC’s, including an honors entrance and scholarship offer. Going out of state was a great choice for him. Son#2 will be attending UCSC as a freshman in bio this Fall. Hopefully, he’ll find his calling.

Like what Gumbymom says, you need to strive for a 4.0+ gpa for the majority of the UC’s. This would be the same for most of the private schools you mentioned. For the UC’s, the impacted and competitive majors such as engineering, computer science, biology will require a higher 4.0+ gpa. You mentioned humanities/arts majors. For humanities/arts, you might get into the midtier and lower UC’s with a 3.8 to 4.0.