Bad GPA for UCLA?

Colleges & Universities University of California - Los Angeles
1

<p>Hi guys! :)</p>

<p>I checked with my guidance counselor, and I have a 3.59 UC GPA, 3.4 unweighted GPA. </p>

<p>It isn’t so low because of slacking; in fact, I have straight As (with a few Bs sprinkled in here and there). </p>

<p>I dealt with personal issues (involving bullying and not being in a school that was a good fit) once in second semester ninth grade (F, F, D, B, A, A). </p>

<p>The next batch of bad grades comes in last semester: the first semester of my Junior year. I dealt with sexual abuse (which I’m very wary of mentioning on my application) and my mother being put in the ICU for two weeks and subsequently hospitalized for months. I had to run her apartment management business while she was gone. She came back home yesterday but is disabled and can’t walk, and is thus having trouble working. This started during the last month of last semester, where my grades plummeted from straight As to three Fs, a C, a D, and two As. Two of those Fs were in PE. >_></p>

<p>It was a hard adjustment but I have finally adjusted, and after dropping my AP classes, I now have straight As once more. My GPAs listed above are not updated for the new semester.</p>

<p>So my question is, is it possible UCLA will admit me even with my bad GPA? I know UCLA cares about GPA more than anything else, but obviously this is a special circumstance and I truly feel like I have become far more mature because of what I’ve gone through. I am also getting incredible recommendations (from two teachers who have written letters of rec for me before, and they are out of this world!) and from an organization I work at: the founder described be as one of the best to have ever worked there.</p>

<p>I don’t mind not getting into UCLA, but I have to stay close to home to help my mom so I’m not applying anywhere else. No other schools around here are a good fit. I don’t mind going to SMC and transferring in if that’s my only option.</p>

<p>I can elaborate more on anything if you have any questions, but aside from that, I appreciate your time. :)</p>

2

<p>Mother with a severe illness, sexual abuse/bullying, and having to live in Los Angeles to take care of your mother. You do have a lot of non school related factors. No one here in this site can tell you if you’ll get in or not. Sure, there are people every year who get in with low GPA’s. The number of people is small, however. (You didn’t talk about your 5 extra currics, community service, or awards so it’s extra hard to give judgement.)</p>

<p>My suggestion is to always apply and find out what happens. Spend a lot of time on your applications and don’t hide anything. Then it’s not like they’re rejecting you, but a fake hidden image of who you almost are. I’m not so sure if you should mention the living in Los Angeles in the original application; my counselor specifically said that was a factor that got several students into LA on basis of appeal at our school. </p>

<p>Also, major choice will be important. Even someone who qualified and deserving of admittance with a unique talent, for say music,is going to have a hard time being admitted into the school of engineering. They are not going to admit people they think will fail out of the school.</p>

<p>You should think about keeping your options open when it actually comes down to college apps time. Apply everywhere you can, and in the end choose if you should stay in LA ^<em>^ Otherwise you’ll kill off the option of even having the chance of leaving .</em>.</p>

3

<p>Can’t tell you for sure whether your GPA will truly hinder your admittance to UCLA, but I do have a few comments.</p>

<p>First, it is understandable that you might be uncomfortable admitting sexual abuse on your application. Don’t do it if you’re not comfortable, but at the same time you should realize that it might be a major determining factor in whether you get admitted. Having your mother in ICU and running her business will definitely help explain your poor grades, but adding sexual abuse might push your application even further.</p>

<p>Second, UCs do not take letters of recommendation.</p>

<p>Third, neither freshman year grades nor PE are part of your UC GPA. It is possible that your guidance counselor does not know what they are doing, and that your UC GPA is actually higher than you think.</p>

4

<p>No one here can tell you if you can get in or not. But, at the very least, know that you deserve to get in based on your story. Just try to keep the grades as high as possible from now on.</p>

5

<p>At least that was something we were told at an audition for dance majors. Those points are based on challenges you have overcome, so explaining yours will definitely boost your application. The only way they know about your hardships is through your essays. Yours may convince them to take you despite a bad semester (note that Freshman grades won’t be considered, just soph/junior). My daughter had a 4.0 all years except for one term, when she had a 3.5 due to 2 Cs. She explained her challenges and was accepted - they were not as daunting as yours, but I think that did help her in her applications. Her acceptance for UCLA, however, was based on her fit and preparation for her major, so it may be a little different.</p>

<p>If you do mention the sexual abuse, it will be taken into consideration. If you aren’t comfortable doing that, one option would be to explain about your mom (pretty sufficient reason in my opinion if everything else looks good) and see how you fare. If you don’t get in, you could explain more fully in an appeal if you aren’t accepted. For appeals to be considered, you must present new and compelling information - this would certainly count.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

6

<p>All you can do it try, your application will be difficult to review, but UCLA takes hardships into consideration. Also, hard ships aren’t a free pass into UCLA so be sure to apply to a few other schools as well.</p>

7

<p>Thank you so much to everyone for your replies. :)</p>

<p>I’m glad that they would take my sexual abuse into consideration… it’ll be hard to talk about but I’ve been brainstorming a few essays (for prompt one - 1) ambulances have been a huge part of my life, and can explain many of my hardships - OR 2) how art has been a way for me to cope; it’s also an EC) and I feel better revealing it if it isn’t going to be taken negatively.</p>

<p>As for ECs, I have a few. I work at a hotline (nearing 1000 hours of community service) and received an award from ABC News for my service. I am also receiving an award from the organization next year. :slight_smile: Prompt 2 will be about this EC.</p>

<p>I’ve also been president of the Gay Straight Alliance for two years, and through it led anti-bullying workshops at a nearby small school. The school I currently go to is huge and slightly homophobic but we’re starting to make an impact!</p>

<p>Finally, arts & crafts - I run a small business for cosplay commissions (nothing serious - not sure if I should mention it on my application), and I painted a school mural (not too grand) for a nearby school. Nothing too big.</p>

<p>Thanks again for all your assistance. :)</p>

8

<p>So you have straight A’s except for the grades that are lower than A’s?</p>

9

<p>(whoa sorry I didn’t see your post)</p>

<p>Basically, yeah. I had two Bs that weren’t a part of my struggle - they were just what they were. However As vastly consume the page.</p>

10

<p>Chance Me(:
I really want to go to UCLA!( my dream school).
I am an upcoming senior.
My gpa’s: 4.15 W 3.8 UW.
SAT’s: results come in a week.
Exc’s:
-One yr of freshman volleyball
-3 years on varsity tennis
-vice pres. of tennis club
-photography club
Awards:
-Scholar athlete:3 years
-Top scholar(4.0 gpa or higher award): 2 years, will be 3 with senior year.
-Varsity awards
-Community Service awards
Community service:
-122 hours in hospital, will have more by senior year!
Hardships:
-personal problems with dad and other personal stuff that I don’t want to post on here.
I am in a qualified ELC member
Senior program: AP Chem, AP Lit, AP Calc a/b, AP Gov, AP Psych, econ/TA
All other AP/honors that I have taken: AP Spanish Lit, APUSH( recieve test results in july), Honors World History, Honors English(9th-11th grade), Honors Pre-Calculus.</p>

<p>Response Please! (:</p>