I have a low GPA (3.4 I think, but it has increased every year I’ve been in high school) but a 33 on the ACT and I am enrolled in full IB courses. I’ve looked online and it seems like GPA is pretty important at Berkely so what are my chances of getting into this school?
UCB should be considered a Reach for the majority of applicants and all the UC’s tend to be GPA focused.
UC GPA calculator: https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.40-3.79 (capped weighted):
UCB: 2%
UCLA: 3%
UCSD: 6%
UCD: 15%
UCSB: 14%
UCI: 13%
UCSC: 59%
UCR: 78%
UCM: 92%
What UCB considers important:
- Berkeley
*
-
Very important: Academic GPA, Application essay, Rigor of secondary school record, Standardized test scores -
Important: Extracurricular activities, Volunteer work, Work experience -
Considered: Character/personal qualities, First generation college student, State residency -
Note: Thorough review of academic performance; likely contribution to intellectual and cultural vitality of the campus; diversity in personal background and experience; demonstrated qualities in leadership, motivation, concern for others and community; non-academic achievement in the performing arts, athletics or employment; demonstrated interest in major. - LOR’s by invitation only as of 2017
UC Berkeley voids any GPA in freshmen year: they consider it as a “transition year”. From the looks of it- you may benefit from this! 33 ACT is relatively mediocre for UC Berkeley students. What matters is whether you’ve shown growth throughout your years. Sorry for the rather indirect answer; if you could display your extracurriculars, W/UW GPA, I could give a straight answer. Another thing to consider is your race: affirmative action typically favors minorities over majorities (If you’re Asian/White, you’ll have a slight disadvantage). Best of luck!
UC’s do not consider race or ethnicity in their admission decisions, so no advantage or disadvantage.
^ he’s right, I forgot UC’s got rid of Affirmative action.
UCs also review your application within the context of your high school. At our local HS, we have very few UC honors classes and no APs. Top GPAs tend to be lower that other HSs at 4.2ish. I know several kids who were accepted with ACT 32s. However, if 3.4 is your UC 10-11 GPA, it will likely be an obstacle in gaining admission.
UCB also does not consider senior year as part of grades
D got in with a 31 ACT, but her GPA was over a 4.0. My concern is that, with a 3.4, OP would need a 35 or 36 on the ACT even be in the running. But there are always exceptions, so what do I know? Maybe OP has some amazing EC’s (and I mean, AMAZING).