Is getting into a UC with a 3.1 and 1EC possible?

College Search & Lists
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<p>I know you only need like a 2.8 (depending on major/UC) to be eligible but one of my friend who applied to UCI 3 times (he failed one of his GE so his application is revoked, so he had to apply multiple times) got accepted 3 times. He applied in 2004/2005/2008.</p>

<p>He had a 3.1, not sure if its weighted or weighted and his only EC is teaching Vietnamese at a small school. (that is all there is to his application) </p>

<p>According to him, ever since the economy was going down, computer science majors have been switching majors as a large rate which is why it is dirt easy to get accepted if you’re a computer major. </p>

<p>Is UCI really that easy to get into or is it just his major?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>UCI is definitely not that easy to get into, and its CompSci program is competitive. A 3.1 will get you into a UC, but likely the lower tier campuses, Riverside & Merced.</p>

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<p>Good joke CS is easy to get in at UCI</p>

<p>i had a 1920, 780 math ii, 770 chem, 3.86 UC GPA and i got into my 2nd choice ( chemistry) not my original of CompSci.</p>

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<p>Merced - match/safety</p>

<p>Riverside/Santa Cruz - slight reaches, you’ll need good SATs, good essays, and no D’s.</p>

<p>The rest - no</p>

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<p>I suspect 3.1 was not his “UC GPA”, which is academic courses only, from summer after freshman year to summer after junior year, and +1 grade on the 4 point scale for AP and certain identified science/math Honors courses with a limit of 8 semesters of +1. Freshman and Senior grades are not included in UC GPA.</p>

<p>It is quite common for the UC GPA to be .3-.6 higher than the raw gpa from 10th & 11th grades. Let’s say your friend’s UC GPA was 3.6. Depending upon test scores, that is at the lower end of the students accepted into UCI, but definitely within the range. It is also possible his 3.1 raw GPA included some C grades from freshman or senior years. These would have been thrown out in computing UC GPA, so his raw 20th/11th grade GPA might even have been 3.5 with a UC GPA of 4.0.</p>

<p>3.1 UC GPA would generally not qualify for admission to any UC, but rather to Cal States like Fullerton, Northridge, and probably NOT even San Diego State or Long Beach St., and certainly not Cal Poly SLO.</p>

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<p>That is incorrect. A 3.0 + requisite test scores will be guaranteed admission to at least one UC (most likely Merced). Heck, Merced takes EVERY minimally eligible applicant who is breathing.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/paths_to_adm/freshman/scholarship_reqs.html[/url]”>http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/paths_to_adm/freshman/scholarship_reqs.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>I stand corrected bluebayou… a 3.0 with five tests of 470 would give the applicant the minimum UC score for eligibility… which means, Merced, here we come! </p>

<p>That is to me far, far different from the top 12% of graduating seniors, but what do I know? How can a 3.0 and 470/470/470 plus 470/470 on subject tests possibly fall in the top 12% of graduating seniors?</p>

<p>At any rate, the UC’s own site’s StatFinder seems to indicated that 3.0 students with around 1500 SAT find a place at Merced and to a slightly less degree at Riverside.</p>

<p>So here’s my Heirarchy, which get confusing b/c some Cal States have higher admit stats that than Merced and Riverside:</p>

<p>Top 7 UCs
Cal Poly SLO
San Diego St.
UC Riverside/Cal St. Fullerton/Cal Poly Pomona/San Jose St/Long Beach St.
UC Merced/Cal States – all 19 others</p>

<p>So why was UC Merced made a UC and not a Cal State? Seems strange.</p>

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<p>It’s a UC instead of a CSU because of it’s focus. CSUs are focused more on career based education, while UCs are based more on research.</p>