<p>All B’s and 2 A’s junior year compared to straight A’s sophomore year. Will this even get me into a UC? My grades just spiraled down and it’s left at that. I felt depressed throughout junior year for some personal reasons but I doubt that’s an excuse compared to others who have straight A’s. My dream school WAS ucla… I’m thinking of transferring from a Cal State. Or staying at a Cal State. Not sure, but my dream job is to be an optometrist which I don’t think it matters which undergraduate school you go to. </p>
<p>However, I heard that most Cal Sates are commuter schools and that they are “dead on the weekends.” This is NOT cool This is why I don’t want to go to UCI even if I got in. (sorry uci) This is also why I do not want to transfer from a community college. I’d rather not stay home, but I’d rather not be at on a dead campus on the weekends either. I think dorming is part of the experience. Which Cal States are known for their social scene? Which are NOT considered commuter schools? </p>
<p>I’m also thinking about UCR after hearing about their GAP program. Can someone explain this program to me? I’d have a 3.9 by the end of this semester. It says that the minimum requirement is a 3.9 weighted. However, my grades went in a downward spiral… :[ So does this mean that I’m guaranteed admission because I have a 3.9 weighted? Why is it only UCR that has this program? Is it because they want to make sure who really wants to go to UCR? </p>
<p>Out of the Cal States, I would think Cal Poly SLO would be considered an non-commuter school since there are few large cities in the surrounding area and the majority of Freshman live on-campus.</p>
<p>For UCR GAP program see link: <a href=“New Students | Apply | Undergraduate Admissions | UC Riverside”>https://vcsaweb.ucr.edu/gap/index.aspx</a>
You are correct that you need a minimum GPA of 3.9 (UC Weighted) for your a-g courses in 10th/11th, an SAT of at least 1600 or ACT of 23. Applications are due Mid July. You self report your grades and test scores but you still have to apply using the official UC application in November. They guarantee if you meet the requirements, you are accepted into UCR but they do not guarantee into your specific major. UCR is trying to attract high STAT students into the programs and thus elevate their reputation among the UC’s.</p>
<p>The Campus Life tabs on colleges’ entries at <a href=“http://www.collegedata.com”>http://www.collegedata.com</a> show percentage of frosh living in the dorms, a reasonable proxy for non-commuter students (overall percentage is much lower, since most upperclass resident students live in nearby off-campus housing).</p>
<p>Some examples of CSUs with relatively high percentage of frosh living on campus (although the lower end of this range has a substantial commuter population):</p>
<p>98% San Luis Obispo
90% Sonoma
90% Maritime
87% Humboldt
85% Monterey Bay
63% San Diego
62% Chico
61% Channel Islands
56% San Jose
50% Pomona
46% San Francisco</p>
<p>Oh-- sorry what I’m trying to say is that I don’t want to go to a commuter school. I’m not sure which UC I’ll get into, but if I didn’t get into a UC I was wondering which Cal States aren’t considered commuter schools since I don’t like commuter schools. </p>
<p>Anyway, I want a spot at UCR but I didn’t take my SAT yet! I took my PSAT (I think my score translates to a 1700, not sure) , and took SAT practice tests (Highest was 1800). I think I can definitely do 1600. Okay this may be silly but so you think they accept a PSAT score? </p>
<p>I would guess Chico & Cal Poly SLO would be the main non-commuter CSU schools, although you should check with actual students at others. I know that the San Diego area schools are primarily commuter; both UCSD & SDSU. San Diego is a nice town but many kids like to live near the beaches (Pacific and Mission beach) and commute in to school.</p>
<p>@colorsofjade: You are way behind if you are starting your Senior year without taking either the SAT or ACT since applications are due for the UC’s and Cal States by November 30.<br>
Regarding the UCR GAP program, no they will not accept a PSAT so you are out of luck in applying, but you always have the regular UC application period to apply to UCR.</p>
<p>Sigh. I was going to sign up for the June one but I forgot to on the last day to sign up. This sucks because on my practice SAT tests I never got 1600 or below. Do you think think UCR will accept me even if my grades when in a downward spiral? </p>
<p>Cal Poly SLO would not be considered a commuter school, however, admission is extremely competitive and your GPA is on the low side for admission. SDSU has a good social scene but has also become very competitive. Sonoma State and Humboldt are not commuter schools so much, and you would probably be good for admission as long as your test scores are adequate. Monterey has a large population of freshman on campus, however, the campus is very isolated and is pretty quiet most of the time. Channel Islands is also about 3 miles out of town and isolated-pretty dead on the weekends. </p>
<p>Guys I’m really scared. My grades went in a downward spiral. It would have been nice to have a spot at UCR, but I didn’t take my SAT yet. Even if my GPA is 3.9 weighted, I had straight B’s except for 2 A’s junior year. I had 3 AP’s sophomore year. I’m going to take a community college class in the summer. And a pre-cal class. Will any college accept me even if my grades went down??? I have reasons but I think two semesters of bad grades is just too much. Did anyone get accepted into a Cal State or UC even with bad grades for the 2 last semesters? I really really want UCR or SDSU right now…my dream school is UCSB. Help!</p>
<p>Make yourself a college calendar (there HAS to be an app for that - seriously: even if it’s a regular calendar that beeps to reminds you of stuff to do). And keep a wall calendar above your desk or spreadsheet in computer with important deadlines wrt college. For instance, you must register for the September ACT BEFORE August 8 and that’s if you don’t need special accomodation. Register ASAP. Then, for example, borrow the guides and prep manuals from your public library (especially if it has “summer hours”). Then create a review calendar, spacing out the practice tests and keeping several days to go over your mistakes and review the points you got wrong several times. Then set aside time every day to go over sections and practice. Then decide when you’ll be taking practice test 4, then 3 days before that practice test 3, 1 week before that practice test 2, etc.</p>
<p>@colorsofjade: My younger son got into UCR,SDSU,CPP, SJSU,CSUF and CSULB with a UC GPA W of 3.73 and an ACT of 31. Study hard for the SAT and work on your UC essays this summer. You have a good chance at many of the schools. Also remember, UC’s will usually weigh GPA more heavily vs Test scores, so if you are still in the 3.9 range, you should be OK for UCR and SDSU plus many other Cal States. Just follow MYOS1634’s advice and relax.</p>
<p>First off, if students who got all Bs with only a few As were shut out of colleges, there would be a lot of students in this country in that situation! No, you probably won’t be going to UCLA (unless I suppose you go to a community college and transfer, though you probably don’t want 2 years of commuter experience – but see below re SBCC), but there are plenty of other good schools that are available to you.</p>
<p>Are California public schools your only option, and if so is that for financial reasons? One problem with sticking with only UCs and CSUs for you is that admission decisions will be made before your 1st semester senior grades are out. At a college where the admission deadline was Jan. 1, you could point to improved senior year grades as proof that you really can do the work and that your junior year grades were just a blip. But I understand if the money just isn’t there to look at private schools or OOS publics.</p>
<p>One thing you should do is calculate your UC GPA (google that phrase to find the page explaining how to do it). Ditto for the CSUs – they use some weird formula based on a combination of GPA and test scores. That will give you a better idea of which schools are possible for you.</p>
<p>As far as CSUs that are more residential and less commuter, I have heard that Sonoma State is considered to be a more residential college experience. Chico State of course has had a reputation as a party school for decades – don’t know if it really is as bad as that, but I would think it must have plenty of students living in dorms.</p>
<p>If UCSB is your dream school, one thing you might consider is going to Santa Barbara City College (a community college) for a couple of years and then seeing if you can transfer into UCSB. I believe that SBCC is known for having a more residential-college vibe to it (not sure about the dorm situation, but plenty of students at least live in apartments in Isla Vista which is where a lot of UCSB students also live). I understand that a lot of students follow this path (start at SBCC, transfer to UCSB).</p>
This is why I don’t want to go to UCI even if I got in. (sorry uci) This is also why I do not want to transfer from a community college. I’d rather not stay home, but I’d rather not be at on a dead campus on the weekends either. I think dorming is part of the experience. Which Cal States are known for their social scene? Which are NOT considered commuter schools? </p>
I took my PSAT (I think my score translates to a 1700, not sure) , and took SAT practice tests (Highest was 1800). I think I can definitely do 1600. Okay this may be silly but so you think they accept a PSAT score? </p>
- seriously: even if it’s a regular calendar that beeps to reminds you of stuff to do). And keep a wall calendar above your desk or spreadsheet in computer with important deadlines wrt college. For instance, you must register for the September ACT BEFORE August 8 and that’s if you don’t need special accomodation. Register ASAP. Then, for example, borrow the guides and prep manuals from your public library (especially if it has “summer hours”). Then create a review calendar, spacing out the practice tests and keeping several days to go over your mistakes and review the points you got wrong several times. Then set aside time every day to go over sections and practice. Then decide when you’ll be taking practice test 4, then 3 days before that practice test 3, 1 week before that practice test 2, etc.</p>