https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/transfers-major indicates that the 25th-75th percentile college GPAs and admit rates for transfers are:
3.88-4.00, 08%, UCB EECS
3.81-4.00, 07%, UCB L&S CS
Note that UCB does not offer TAG.
Most traditional students do not earn as high a college GPA as their unweighted high school GPA.
I can’t believe that you are STILL repeatedly asking for validation, praise, and attention.
Go get a life.
Nothing is going to satisfy you.
You need to get back to schoolwork and find some friends.
Talk to real people, and go speak to a mental health counselor for this obsession for attention.
You actually believe that a second physics course would not be suspect on your transcript? Sure she can eliminate and replace your first grade, but the transcript will look like something is missing. She can’t adjust your whole permanent record.
Yeah you go on and keep believing this foolishness.
You cannot compete if you have these kinds of self-centered thoughts.
In college, you may have a worse physics teacher. What are you gonna do? Stay on this website and ask for help then write about yourself over and over again?
Moderators please close this thread.
@“aunt bea” I get it I need to get back to what’s important: school work and amazing teacher relationships and good mental wellness. I’m normally not this stressed and I’m recovering but the reality is that what happened this semester will be detrimental to me in some way and I need some advice on how to compensate for it, which is the reason I’m on this site. I felt I was on the right track till this report card came in and now I see how awful of a position I put myself in. Redeeming myself is easier said than done. I was seeking some advice on turning my laundry list of ec’s into a strong and accomplished profile that demonstrates a spike. Sorry if I’m taking this too far, but I’m just hoping to gain advice from the people on this site who are way more knowledgeable than I am. I know that I’ll have no choice but to write some really amazing essays this fall and this site seems like the best place to get me set up for that. College applications are a very stressful thing at my school and there isn’t a great support network here for those aiming high. And having parents who have the mindset of their family’s continent which is that elite college admissions in this nation is only based on grades and test scores. Some of my friends also want in at a reachy reach and we all have weaknesses. For me its grades and being less superficial, for them it’s extracurriculars.
And for your last point, I take the blame for that C. I know I deserve it and want it to be a learning lesson. I could’ve done better if I was not lazy and I’ll be sure it never happens again.
I am not sure why you don’t seem to hear what we’re saying.
We’re not discouraging you to put you down. We’re trying to get you to see the writing on the wall.
No, the cc classes are not ECs. No, side programming work won’t make up for a B in math (assuming you can retake the physics and get a A and the former class is wiped out.) Plus, you’re a junior now. Taking the replacement course as a senior, you won’t have the new grade to show and the prior physics may very well still sit on your transcript.
No, when they have tens of thousands of apps, they don’t have to say, “Oh, dear, it was one bad semester.” Lots of kids have challenging teachers.
No, they don’t want extra LoRs from reearch mentors. Yes, they will want to see a CS kid with a great physics LoR (or second choice, a math LoR.) (UC may not even read LoRs.)
No, your issue is not just gpa and one poor semester. Your thinking is off. How do you expect to pull together a successful app when it hinges on excuses, them accepting your first semester of jr year is a fluke…while you don’t know how to self match? What do you rally think they will see in your full app that will make them say, “Yeah!” over others?
Those schools are very competitive. Many applicants with a 4.0 gap are not offered admission. You are never completely out of it, but you would be better off adding several “match” schools and at least one safety - - take a look at Arizona State - Go Devils! Best of luck.
I suggest, with the best intention, that responses be delivered to this young person with a more thoughtful approach, without insults, which help no one and do not elevate the discourse.
@glido I don’t need your sarcasm! And that would be a huge humiliation to my family.
@lookingforward This answer was pretty helpful and well balanced. I 100% acknowledge that thousands of applicants won’t have my fluke. I’ll just do well moving forward and change my thinking. I think that the good thing about my app would be my sustained passion and leadership experiences, but I assume many others have the same as well. I know that they have 40,000 apps on the table and can only take 2,000. I’m trying to match myself to the school’s values and show how I’d benefit from my time there in order to convince them why they should take me over all the 4.0’s.
Regarding the math grade, it ended up as an 89, which I’m a bit upset about. But I guess cutoffs exist in life and my teacher was completely justified in her unwillingness to round me up .1%. However, I do have a great relationship with her and she knows that I’m doing well. She wrote me a very good rec for summer programs.
Sorry I didn’t understand, but would a letter of rec from a physics teacher be more meaningful than one from a math teacher? I know I’m not on good grounds with my physics teacher right now, but I’m trying very hard to please him and maybe he can talk about improvement.
Are only reach colleges acceptable and non-humiliating to your family?
@ucbalumnus a safety school like ASU would definitely be humiliating to them. Doesn’t have to be just HYPSM, but they want me to go to a top ranked private or one of the top three UC’s. A place like ucsd would be acceptable to them. But the thing that’s most disappointing to them and to me as well is that I could have kept a lot of doors open for myself had I not screwed up this semester.
And do UCB and UCLA even care about extracurriculars. I had some friends admitted to EECS last year and their numbers were pretty much perfect (4.8 gpa’s) but they had no extracurriculars. The 6% acceptance rate mystifies me. Are they extremely anal about minor gpa differences and that’s how they decide who to take?
I know that you typically can’t submit letter of rec and first semester senior grades unless by request. Do you think they’d likely ask me for these things after I submit my application given my circumstances?
For these schools, the doors were never open from the beginning. You have to try hard to get it open for you.
For your information on UC application review:
Los Angeles
Very important: Academic GPA, Application essay, Rigor of secondary school record, Standardized test scores
Important: Character/personal qualities, Extracurricular activities, Talent/ability, Volunteer work, Work experience
Considered: First generation college student, Geographical residence
Note: GPA, test scores, course work, number of and performance in honors and AP courses most important. Essay considered. Strong senior program important. Extracurricular activities, honors and awards also reviewed.
Very important: Academic GPA, Application essay, Rigor of secondary school record, Standardized test scores
Important: Character/personal qualities, Extracurricular activities, First generation college student, State residency, Talent/ability, Volunteer work, Work experience
Note: High school course pattern, GPA, essay and test scores most important. Admission for out-of-state applicants more selective than for residents.
Since only reach schools are non-humiliating, what are the implications of not getting into any reach schools?
^ what they said.
What would the consequences be of attending a state school that isn’t a UC?
I’d say, find some matches and safeties that are “acceptable” to your parents. They should be realistic. Then you’ve added balance. Don’t dismiss ASU so easily. It would be savvy to look deeply at the strengths of the program, (including further research and internship opps,) not just what your parents think they know about the school. The idea isn’t the prestige of the window decal you can display, but the solid ways in which you can be empowered, tested and stretched, and grow. You may need to present those strengths to them, glass half full.
UCB and UCLA are holistic. What Gumbymom quoted should already be familiar to anyone digging deep. But in holistic, among the most or very competitive colleges, it all matters. That’s the rub.
A chunk of your ECs (with titles) started this past semester. You did drop a couple from 9th. You need to be able to stand back and say, “Is this what they want,” what they will find a reliable show of both depth and breadth. And the latter distictly means: not all STEM.
And that’s on top of the academic reliability.
Do you actually have a research history with college profs, so far? Earlier, I thought this was still a plan.
Barret Honors College is a great honor. You should look into it. (ASU has more Fulbright Scholars than UCLA and Cal. In2012, ASU was one of only 4 universities in the world to have a Marshall Scholar, Rhodes Scholar and a Churchill Scholar - all in one year!) You need to raise your gpa some and take the time to practice the SAT or ACT over and over. Focus on the areas where you get the questions wrong and you will improve over time. You should also look at UC Irvine, but you will have to raise gpa. - exceptionally strong for STEM. Best of Luck to you. UCLA may be out of reach, they had 117,000 applicants for class of '22; however they look at the whole student, not just gpa.
I’m having a hard time understanding why this thread is still going at 5 pages. The OP is clearly stressed and not in a good place. And for what it is worth OP if my kid had over 100 posts on CC I would not be happy.
Is there no mercy rule on College Confidential?
Can someone please close this thread? I messaged the OP and told them that they know in their heart that this isn’t helping, and that their #1 priority right now is their second semester, and that they should go talk to their counselor in real life and stop wasting their time writing up responses on here. They agreed. To be honest, I have a lot of respect for you @“Prestigious Nerd” because it seems you heeded my advice!!
MODERATOR’S NOTE:
I think we’ve run out of constructive things to say and now the conversation is just going in circles. The OP has received some solid advice which may take time to digest. So, closing thread.