Which major I have more chance in?

Transfer Students UC Transfers
1

Hello,
I am a cc transferring to UC next year. But applying this fall. As for UCLA…
My intended major to put on the application was Psychology, I have completed all pre-reqs for the Psychology with grades As and Bs. But what has changed my mind is my GPA. My GPA in all transferable courses is around 3.4 and major prep is 3.6.

I want to put Cognitive science instead, as it is not impacted as Psych (and also interested in it). For cognitive science, I will be missing few pre-reqs such as computer science ones( I think 3 total missing). otherwise, statistics, philosophy, and biology etc…are done.

Application wise, I am competitive in the other side of the application (lots of ECs, Work, Volunteer, (10/10 Personal statement as I come from a disadvantaged background, family circumstances, lived in war etc…) That part I am active in and not to worry about.

My only weakness is GPA not a high sky one.

Should I keep my major as Psych (completed all pre-reqs) (Impacted) or put Cognitive Science (Missing 3 pre-reqs) (Non-impacted) instead? Which one will be a safer choice?

It is just a question, I am planning to apply to other UCs, but I am speaking if I want to put an eye on specifically UCLA.

Thank You very much!

2

Both are high reaches at this point.

The avg Psych admit is at 3.83 while Cog Sci is at 3.71 so you would think Psych would look better, but if UCLA Cog Sci is anything like Berkeley Cog Sci, then missing three prereqs would all but take out of contention as an applicant so I would stay in Psych.

Source: https://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/adm_tr/Tr_Prof14_mjr.htm

3

Do you have TAP?

4

Thanks, and No I don’t have TAP. Only IGETC.

5

It’s ‘sky high’ not ‘high sky’; ‘high sky’ doesn’t make any sense. ‘Sky high’ is the figure of speech.

6

If you get a 4.0 this Fall, the GPA you would be applying with would be significantly higher. The holistic admissions process will likely favor you, although I believe UCLA is more stats oriented than Berkeley. Your EC’s and background should help you, but your chances are still iffy.

Psych is impacted (despite your lower GPA, it is what you should major in; I agree with @SDGoldenBear - missing prereq’s will hurt your application). I don’t know how high you could get your GPA to be after the Fall, but if you got it up to the 3.5/3.6 range, you would have a much better shot in my opinion.

7

So basically, I should stay in Psych rather than cognitive Science?

8

@yoyo1995, That’s low for psych, honestly, as well as cog sci, and you’ll be missing major reqs in the latter. Never say never, but I think you’ll have a very tough climb.

How about gender studies that has an average of 3.46 or something like that. You may or may not be able to switch to cog sci after transfer. (Not saying you can, just saying maybe.)

https://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/adm_tr/Tr_Prof14_mjr.htm

9

Why not wait a year and apply with a higher GPA?

10

Gender studies is awesome. You should consider it.

11

Thanks for the advice guys!
Just Wondering, Has there been any Low GPA admit into Psych that ever happens at UCLA. Can anyone share any of those rare stories that happens

Anyways, I am also considering UCR, UCSB,UCSD

Excuse my writing sorry, I am ESL.

12

UCSD admits by stats first and then assigns a major, so that shouldn’t be an issue there.

13

Yup, I wish I can apply as Anthropology to UCLA, Pre-reqs are only 3 total and my GPA doesn’t seem a big problem to it. By spring I would be only completing one pre-req for their anth. But I am afraid to put it as my major since for psychology I showed more passion in my P.S. and alll pre-reqs are done with As and Bs…

14

Yoyo, there are always exceptions to any GPA average, especially if you’re a star quarterback or James Franco.

15

I thought for UCLA to apply for Linguistics and Psychology instead.
Does it matter if in the UC personal statement I showed passion for majoring in psychology?
Cuz to other UCs i am applying as psych.

Or do I have to change it and also show passion to linguistics now?

16

Truth be told, I don’t think they’ll care. Someone I know applied to every UC citing only public relations in her essay (4 UCs with communications major, then added 3 UCs for psych and 2 UCs for sociology). No mention anywhere of psychology or sociology and she got accepted to all the UCs. (Actually no mention of communications either as Berkeley calls it media studies.)

However, not all of them read the essays. What I suggest is you throw both terms in somewhere. If you’re writing primarily about linguistics (I’m not quite sure by how you wrote that), add psychology in somewhere. In other words, you love the psychological aspects of linguistics, etc. Or if you’re writing primarily about psych, note that you are intrigued especially by language and how it impacts a person’s psychological makeup.

That’ll do ya.

17

thanks, Yea my P.S. focuses only on Psych. But ill just try to insert my interest to language somewhere. I’ll do that or otherwise, Im gonna stick with psych major only.

18

@goldencub is that looking at overall GPA or the UC-transferrable courses per ASSIST GPA?

19

@boxandwhiskers Your UC-transferable GPA is what will be calculated for admission. Any non-transferable courses will not factor into your GPA nor your unit total.