What are my chances to getting accepted to USC or UCSB?

Okay so USC and UCSB are my dream schools and currently I am a junior… My GPA is a 3.2 right now (terrible, I know)… It’s because I messed up freshman year… Went from a 2.6 weighted gpa freshman year to a 4.3 sophomore year. The only thing on my transcript that looks bad is freshman year. My weighted GPA is 3.5- it will probably be 3.7 at the end of junior year. Anyways I heard UCSB doesn’t calculate freshman and senior GPA so am I safe? I’m studying for the ACTs right now and I’m aiming for 30+ so I hope my ACT score will save me from being rejected. I have only been in 3 clubs but I have been doing dance outside of school all throughout my life. I’m also gonna devote my summer to volunteering at places for more hours. (I currently have 45)… so does anyone think I have a chance of getting accepted to any of these schools or what I can do in order to increase my chances of being accepted?

Oh and this will definitely decrease my chances but I’m not from Cali xD

Calculate your UC GPA : http://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/

As an OOS you need at 3.4 UC GPA to apply. Also only AP/IB classes count for the honors points. To be competitive for both schools, you want a GPA around 3.8+ and ACT around 29+. For UCSB, can you afford $55k/ year? and unless you get your GPA up, you may not get much FA from USC either. I do not want to discourage you from applying, but your chances are not great at the moment. Talk to your parents regarding cost. Good luck

Hi, I calculated my UC GPA and it is a 3.8 or 3.9 lol not sure if I did it entirely correct but I’m sure it’s between those ranges.

At the UCSB Chancellor’s reception last weekend, I recall the Chancellor saying that the average incoming GPA for this fall would be 4.0. My D’s unweighted GPA was just below that. She took a full load of International Baccalaureate and AP classes in high school. She had an ACT of 34. Her SAT super scores were R 680, M 750, W 720. Her SAT subjects were Math1 720, Math2 750, and Physics 680. She had AP Calc AB test of 5, etc. She did not have great extra curriculars, a few clubs / odds and ends.

USC doesn’t respond until 4/1/15, so I can’t tell you how my D did there, yet.