Chances for getting into a UC MPH Program

[tmae1126]

So, I am graduating this May with a degree in Health Science (concentrating in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention). I really want to go to a UC school for Masters of Public Health Program for Health Policy and Management, but I don't feel confident for two reasons: 1) My undergraduate institution 2) My overall GPA

I also screwed up during my freshman year, but I have a crazy upward trend from my last two years of college, which was when I was a senior and super senior. 

Here are my statistics:

-Cumulative GPA: 3.33 (Hopefully it will become a 3.4 after this semester, it's low because I was biology major during junior year - it wasn't even the Biology classes that got me, it was the Calculus classes that we were required to take :/) 
-Major GPA: 3.88 (looking to be above a 3.9 by the end of the semester)

I have internship/volunteer experience related to the Health field and others.
- 2+ years of doing a clinical internship (500 hours)
- Leadership team at my internship (Admin Coordinator)
- Worked at a tutoring center for over a year
- Internship at Environment Health and Safety Department in school
- Research intern for a non-profit in Orange County (did community-based participatory research on social determinants of health) 
- Worked for AmeriCorps as a Jumpstart Corps Member (300 hours)
- Just got accepted into an internship with the CDC this summer. (It was competitive to get into. The internship accepts only 40 and there were 700 applicants this year)

I haven't taken my GRE yet, but I am planning on taking it once I come back from my summer internship.

What concerns me is that I went to a Cal State for my undergraduate degree. I don't hear many of my peers wanting to go to a UC for graduate school, especially at UCLA, UCI, or Cal. I am also worried about my low cumulative GPA. I have a crazy upward trend on my transcript for last two years, though.

I am planning on taking a gap year to gain work experience before I start applying for graduate schools, but what can I do to make myself a more competitive applicant for these schools? Especially that I went to a Cal State and my low cumulative GPA?

Edited April 4, 2017 by tmae1126

[Celavia]

I am originally applying for MPH program. and got accepted by UCLA. And I requested to transfer to MS. (As an International Student, MPH may be troublesome.)

UCI haven't given me any responses yet. They said they were stil processing.   But I have accepted UCLA's offer. No worry.

I think your experiences are more than qualified to attend this program. I don't know exactly your GPA and GRE, can't give an entire evaluation. 

Cal State are not bad. MPH programs are pretty accessible! Be confident.

Prepare your GRE and SOP! 

[tmae1126]

Thank you so much for replying @Celavia! I really appreciate the feedback you have given me. I am crossing my fingers for either UCLA or Berkley!