3.4 freshman GPA with extreme growth?

[SuperMegaCool]

@Gumbymom

You will submit 9-11th grades for all a-g HS courses but the UC/ Cal State GPA is calculated based on the 10-11th grades (summer prior to 10th through summer prior to 12th classes). Since you are not a CA resident nor attend a CA HS, only AP/IB courses taken 10-11th will be considered for the extra UC weighting.

Private schools (not UC’s or Cal states) will consider your Freshman year grades with exception of Stanford.

Since you are will be either an OOS/International applicant, you will receive little to no financial aid from the UC’s or Cal states so expect to pay full fees at $65K/year. I would focus on California private schools if finances are an issue.

Do your best and the end of Junior year, see where you stand.
Here is some UC statistical data for 2019 to help you gauge where you should be in terms of GPA and test scores. Just remember that your Essays, EC’s, LOR’s etc… will all be considered depending upon which schools you end up applying.

UC/CSU GPA calculator: https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/

2019 UC capped weighted GPA averages:
UCB: 4.23
UCLA: 4.25
UCSD: 4.23
UCSB: 4.16
UCI: 4.13
UCD: 4.13
UCSC: 3.96
UCR: 3.90
UCM: 3.73

2019 Data:
25th - 75th percentiles for SAT totals:
UCB: 1340-1540

UCLA: 1330-1550
UCSD: 1300-1520
UCSB: 1280-1520
UCD: 1230-1490
UCI: 1250-1510
UCSC: 1200-1450
UCR: 1130-1400
UCM: 1020-1290

25th - 75th percentiles for ACT composite + language arts
UCB: 28-35
UCLA: 29-35
UCSD: 26-34
UCSB: 26-34
UCD: 24-33
UCI: 24-34
UCSC: 24-32
UCR: 21-30
UCM: 18-26

Thank you very much for this data. If my 10th-11th grade weighted and capped GPA is competitive with the 75th percentile, do you believe I should apply? Or do you think my freshman grades though not considered in the UC GPA calculation system are reason enough to not ?