<p>Hey guys. I currently have a 3.9375 cumulative GPA (B in Physics Honors last year) and a 4.8 UC GPA. I'm a high school junior, and this past first semester I've earned four A's and two B's, one in AP Chem and one in Pre-Calc.
I really want to get into Berkeley. I don't know how badly these B's will destroy my GPA, but I don't want to settle for any other UCs (I'm in-state, by the way). I'm posting in this forum because yall have been there in the admissions process and have gotten in.
I guess I just need to know what to do from here, besides trying harder and getting straight A's again. Will these first-semester grades hurt my chances? Can I take summer classes and get my GPA up again? What do I do?</p>
<p>If you have a 3.9+ then you don’t have to worry too much about your gpa ruining your chances. Test scores, ECs, etc will help (or hurt) you more than you might think. Focus on your ECs, don’t let your GPA drop below 3.9.</p>
<p>I’m not sure how much the two B’s will affect my GPA, though (hopefully only .03?). I’m ELC even with the damage (my new school, while competitive, is nowhere near as competitive as my old school), but regardless, I’m hoping that straight A’s second semester and further A’s over the summer will negate the bad.</p>
<p>Two Bs in your hs career won’t ruin your chances anywhere- even at Ivy level.</p>
<p>this made me feel enormously better. thank you.</p>
<p>Haha no worries. I panicked when I lost my 4.0 and got a B too. Still got into my top choice school.</p>
<p>LOL 4.8 UC GPA? You know the UC GPA is capped, right buddy?</p>
<p>It’s ok, I got 2 B’s in HS too (would be 4 if you count senior year :P). Good luck!</p>
<p>But note that ELC is likely irrelevant to Berkeley. It just means that if you do not get admitted to any UC that you apply to, you will be offered admission to some UC, probably Merced.</p>
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<p>With this data alone, I can assure you that your GPA will no longer play a huge role in whether you get in or not. I’d say the best thing you can do for yourself now is to ace your standardized testing. People get in even to the most competitive majors (like EECS) with a few B’s, as long as they have super high GPAs due to the rest of their classes/performance.</p>
<p>Aim to score 2250+ on the SATs, and 750+ on all your SAT IIs, and you’ll boost your chances considerably.</p>
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<p>I agree with this, and I was thinking it too - this is another reason why you shouldn’t worry about how spectacularly above 4.0 your GPA is.</p>
<p>if u have other good things on your app, that shows ur a good person, you’ll get in. i think the essay shows who u are as well.</p>
<p>My friend applied last year with 1 or 2 B’s and a 2390. He was captain of the football team and an all around popular guy. REJECTED. You should have above a 50% chance though. BTW you might wanna check your math…4.8 is impossible as a UC GPA</p>
<p>The holistic reviewer may not have been too impressed by his essay, and/or he may have applied to a very popular major (in the Hout report, Bioengineering, EECS, and Engineering Undeclared were the most selective, but that was some years ago).</p>
<p>It could also be that B grades in math and science (with A grades in everything else) may have a greater negative impact on an applicant to the College of Engineering or College of Chemistry, compared to the College of Letters and Science.</p>
<p>Very good point. A 4.8 with B’s in 3 advanced science and math classes or so looks bad if applying to EECS or something</p>