Will CSUs accept me with D's on my transcipt?

Chance Me / Match Me
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I’m currently a high school junior from California needing some informational help about college. For me, 2016 is a big year for my future. I’m taking the ACT in April, the SAT in June or the fall (it depends on my score results), and also applying for schools in the fall. I’m particularly interested in the CSU system. CSU schools that I’m interested in are CSUN, CSUMB, SFSU, CSUF, CSULA, and CSUEB. I’m aware it’s kind of early to start planning for my future (that’s what my friends say), but I’m slightly stressed out because there are several D’s on my transcript. I’m going to list my bad grades, here it goes…

FRESHMEN YEAR:
Biology- S1: D+ & S2: D
Algebra 1- S1: D+ & S2: F (I went to summer school to make up the F, now its a C-)

JUNIOR YEAR:
Marine biology- S1: D+
English- S1: D
Geometry- S1: D+

My overall H.S. GPA is 2.8 or 2.9

I heard someone got into several CSUs with a 2.5 (5 D’s) and a low SAT score (1300). I feel like I have a chance, because I’m taking my ACT/SAT and I can possibly try to score high on the tests if I study hard enough. I’m also open to my other plan, which is attending a CC for 2 years and transferring out to a 4-year school. But for now, I’m looking at a 4-year college experience if it’s possible. What are my chances??

I’m not sure if this would help, but I want to either major in marketing, or international/global studies :)>-

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@BurndtJamb Three of my friends who have several D’s on their transcript has recently got accepted into the CSUs schools. And one of them wasn’t even a California resident. And one of them had a SAT score below 1000. Although they say they don’t accept D’s they really do because if you think of it many people who attend CSUs schools has a high school GPA’s of a high 2.0, and if their GPA’s are around a 2.0 they obviously must of received a few D’s here and there. So don’t stress my friends was the same way and now I’m just looking at them like you did all that stressing for know reason! Good luck and do your best your senior year, trust me the last thing you wanna do is slack off! ( I’m a senior)

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@MichaelBeezly That released some weight off of my shoulders, that’s sweet that they got accepted into college. Congrats to them! Do you know what schools they got accepted to? :slight_smile:

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  1. You have to make sure you meet the minimum CSU a-g course requirements which means that you have pass these courses with a C or higher. http://www.csumentor.edu/planning/high_school/subjects.asp
  2. CSU's allow grade validation for Foreign Language, Math and Chemistry. You can validate your D grade if it is a 1st semester grade by passing the 2nd semester with a C or higher. For FL and Math, your D grade can be validated if you take a higher level class with a C or higher example Spanish 1 with a D can be validated by Spanish 2 if you get a C or higher.
  3. Freshman grades are not used in the CSU GPA calculation (only 10-11th) grades but you need to fulfill the a-g course requirements by the end of Senior year. Also any D's not repeated will be used in the GPA calculation.

http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/csu-uc-a-g-comparison-matrix.pdf

  1. You do have to pass Geometry and 4 years of English to be eligible to apply for a CSU, so unless you repeat these courses, you will be ineligible and your application will not be reviewed.

Your HS record shows that you may struggle at a 4 year university and I would think it that you should consider community college for 2 years and then transfer. You will be able to develop better study habits, ease into the college course rigor and basically start over with a higher chance of getting into your CSU of choice.

Good Luck.