Hi! I have a pretty low GPA at 3.31UW, 3.54W. I believe my essays are pretty good though. I am a California resident, and for money reasons, I don’t want to leave. So what UC’s and CSU’s can I get into? Thanks in advance!
What are your UC GPA’s? https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
Intended major?
HS course rigor?
Local CSU?
https://www2.calstate.edu/apply/freshman/Documents/CSULocalAdmission-ServiceAreas.pdf
CSU’s do not consider essays.
If your capped weighted UC/CSU GPA is 3.5, then your target UC’s would be UC Merced, perhaps UC Riverside and an outside chance at UC Santa Cruz. This will also dependent upon intended major since admit rates will be lower for Engineering/CS/Biology majors than listed.
2019 Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.40-3.79 capped weighted and not major specific:
UCB: 1%
UCLA: 2%
UCSD: 9%
UCSB: 6%
UCI: 7%
UCD: 9%
UCSC: 40%
UCR: 53%
UCM: 80%
For the Cal states, your local Cal state based on your service area would give you priority. Cal states admit by major.
Again depending upon Intended major, the majority of Cal states would probably good options with the exceptions of Cal Poly SLO, Cal Poly Pomona, San Diego State, Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Fullerton and several majors at San Jose State.
Below is the 2019 average admitted CSU capped GPA for all the campuses. Impacted majors and campuses will have higher GPA thresholds.
Also be aware since the Cal states are test blind, they will have supplemental factors to consider instead of the test scores.
Here is the link: https://www2.calstate.edu/apply/freshman/Pages/2021-2022-first-time-freshman-supplemental-factors-by-campus.aspx
Thank you so much for the help! And my intended major is computer science as primary and biology.
My local CSU, is San Bernardino. I’ve taken 4 ap classes, and 4 honors. The gpa listed above are the uc gpas!
The UC GPA capped weighted = CSU capped weighted GPA.
CS and Biology will be highly competitive so apply widely. UC Merced will be the most likely UC option but plenty of CSU’s to consider.
Few CSU’s and UC’s will consider alternate majors so definitely apply to your first choice.
CS is a very marketable degree so school name will have little importance vs getting some hands on job experience through internships while you are completing your degree .
CSUSB has a respectable CS department so a good safety school.
Best of luck and plenty of options within the CSU system.
@dragonballz23 I’d recommend applying to SJSU. Their CS program is pretty good (A minor in Biology is great also there) and as a California resident with decent grades. You have a decent chance at getting in. Here’s a link to the stats on SJSU: https://www.prepscholar.com/sat/s/colleges/San-Jose-State-admission-requirements
Just a reminder, the average gpa is only the middle 50% You have a decent shot because of your AP classes and Honors courses and a 3.5 weighted GPA.
@“Autonomous Potato”
CS at SJSU is Highly Competitive, (on the level of many of the top UC’s) so think 4.0+ GPA’s since test scores are not a consideration. SJSU with a 3.5 weighted will not make the cut. SJSU admits by major and the middle 50% is for the overall school not by major which is an important distinction.
The Eligibility index using SAT scores last year was 4825. If this was Normal times and SJSU was using the EI, with a 3.5 GPA, OP would need a 2025 SAT to make the EI threshold (impossible).
Plenty of other CSU’s where a 3.5 will be competitive for CS.
as captured by others - with a 3.5, most of the UCs are going to be a reach. Even UCM is likely a coin toss.
The good news is that most of the CSUs (other than SDSU, CPSLO, CSULB and SJSU) would be happy to have you as a CS student. Consider to CPP, Fullerton, Nortridge, Chico, Sac, SF as solid programs that are likely to admit you.
Apply broadly and good luck.