Chance / Match Me: CA resident, 3.75 UW GPA, 4.00 UC capped GPA, Biology and Gender Studies. Aiming mostly UC

Chance Me / Match Me
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Demographics

  • US domestic
  • State/Location of residency: California
  • Type of high school (or current college for transfers): Small middle college. About 60 students in my graduating class
  • Other special factors (1st gen, athlete, legacy, etc.): None necessarily.

Cost Constraints / Budget

  • Parents are adamant upon helping pay for the cost, but suggest that I apply to schools with generous financial aid
  • Dual enrollment courses should lift a weight off of the cost, since the accumulation of college credits from those courses and AP tests should amount to around 60.
  • Gender-affirming care costs are a personal expense. From what I’ve seen, the UC schools cover a good chunk of it with their SHIP plans. However, this is something that I will have to pay for myself.

Intended Major(s): Biology, Gender Studies. I might dual major

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.75
  • Weighted HS GPA: 4.225
  • Capped Weighted GPA (UC): 4.00
  • College GPA (Included due to dual enrollment): 4.00
  • Class Rank: Class rank is not disclosed
  • ACT/SAT Scores: 1430 (700 Reading, 730 Math)
    All GPAs count classes completed between the beginning of ninth grade onto those ongoing through the summer of 11th grade. Not much fluctuation is going to happen to the GPAs through those classes.
    List your HS coursework

(This list includes from ninth to summer of eleventh grade)

  • English: English 1, English 2, English 3 Honors
  • Math: Math 2, Pre-calculus, Trigonometry (dual enrollment)
    • Pre-calculus spring grade was C+, I took Trigonometry in junior year to refine the skills of that semester. Got an A in the class
  • Science: Biology, Chemistry Honors, Biology (dual enrollment), Astronomy (dual enrollment)
  • History and social studies: AP World History (5 on test), Honors US History, three different ethnic studies courses (dual enrollment)
  • Language other than English: Spanish, taken upwards to AP Spanish (5 on test).
  • Visual or performing arts: Theater design, photography, Chicanx music
    • Chicanx music is dual enrollment
  • Other academic courses: Communications, ethics
    • Both are dual enrollment
    • Total of 6 dual enrollment classes have been completed, with 4 ongoing and 9 more planned for senior year.
  • Total of 18 UC-honors semesters between 10th and 11th (Honors, AP, dual enrollment)

Awards

  • State Seal of Biliteracy
  • On track to certify completion of CAL-GETC requirements by HS graduation

Extracurriculars

  • Soccer referee of four years, US Soccer Federation certified for two years.
  • Softball umpire for two years.
  • Played chess for five years, have registered with the UC Chess Federation.
  • Led an after school STEAM workshop for elementary schoolers throughout junior year.
  • Started an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization at my school, took the role of vice president. Would fulfill meeting schedules and organize advertisements + communication with other organizations. Registered with the GSA Network, have received input from other organizations (such as the county and San Jose State)
    • I’ve written in support of transgender athletes publicly, and have been pretty vocal about my advocacy for the broader queer community. I’m not sure if that’s a deterrent to universities in this political atmosphere.

Essays/LORs/Other
Essay topics will be:

  • Taking leadership as a referee and making decisions to inspire children to continue to play sports
  • Showing my creativity through chess and how it is a game that can be aggressive
  • Switching from a high school environment to a middle college environment and how it let me have the flexibility to take more classes tailored to my interests (such as astronomy and Chicanx music)
  • The social challenges that stemmed through coming out to my family and the general public, and how I’ve carved out my own way through in spite of that adversity.

Schools

  • Assured (100% chance of admission and affordability): San Jose State (local prioritization)
  • Extremely Likely: UC Santa Cruz
  • Likely:
  • Toss-up: UC Davis, Santa Clara University
  • Lower Probability: UC San Diego, UC Irvine
  • Low Probability: UC Berkeley, University of Southern California

Thank you so much for reading! I will continue to reply.

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When you look at budget, you need a $$ figure vs. - they want big financial aid. Some schools give big financial aid but may still be unaffordable to you. Other schools may be affordable full price.

So you need to discuss a budget figure with them - and pick schools that will meet that dollar amount.

Good luck.

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But note that 60 credits may not necessarily be in subjects that will allow you to graduate a full four semesters early. But they may allow fulfillment of some general education requirements and frosh level course requirements.

Freshman admission by discipline | University of California may help you assess likelihood of admission at various UCs, based on weighted capped GPA from 10th-11th grade, including college courses.

At SJSU, calculate your admission index by multiplying you weighted capped GPA for CSU (10th-11th grade; a semester college course counts twice for CSU) by 800 and adding 200 if your high school is in Santa Clara County: Impaction | Admissions. You can compare to prior year thresholds at First Time First Year Impaction Results | Admissions , but each year thresholds can change because they are competitively determined.

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Have they run the net price calculator on each school on your list?

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LGBTQ acceptance is relatively high in California and at universities, although there is always the possibility of a bad luck of the draw in getting a less accepting admission reader. Also, trans female tends to be the least accepted generally of all groups that LGBTQ describes, and trans females in sports may be even less accepted, and even more accepting sports organizations may struggle to define what is “fair” in their sport.

State government policies in various states vary; many are downright hostile: LGBTQ Equality Landing Page - Movement Advancement Project

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When you look at budget, you need a $$ figure vs. - they want big financial aid. Some schools give big financial aid but may still be unaffordable to you. Other schools may be affordable full price.

So you need to discuss a budget figure with them - and pick schools that will meet that dollar amount.

That’s a pretty good point about financial aid. I’ll continue to look into pricing for each school and correspondingly talk with my parents about a budget that we can quantify.

Thank you!

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Not from what I understand, but that is a conversation that I will have with them to ensure that we’re on the same page.

Thank you for the advice!