Most colleges look for improvements. Not doing well freshman year and improving over the years is better than doing great freshman year and your grades falling for your sophomore, junior and senior years. I recently went to MIT and Harvard for visits and at both places the admissions director told my group that that was one of the things they looked for. IMPROVEMENT. Even ivy leagues and very selective schools look for improvement over the years. But just remember that your Junior Year is the most weighted of all the years.
I don't think it should matter unless you plan on attending an ivy league college. I quit school and received my GED about a year later. I was 23 when I decided to go to a community college. I did well enough to receive grants to go to UCONN for the nursing program.
It does matter if you are trying to get into a good college, but otherwise it should be fine. Try joining more clubs and participating in more activities, or even volunteer at more places. Colleges usually don't look at your freshmen year but as long as you greatly improve your sophomore and junior year then it should be okay for most UC colleges.
No need to worry.
If you meet the college requirements, or even close to them, you still have a very good chance of getting in. NEVER GIVE UP!!!! I can't stress that enough. College applications are looked at by real people, not computers. These days, everyone goes to college, and everyone makes good grades. So schools look for those people that go beyond academics. If they see that you have tried to make improvement they take that in consideration. Schools would rather have someone that has to work for their degree that someone that education comes natural. I was given that advice by my AP English teacher who has 20 years of experience teaching college level English to high school students as well as being a counselor.
My advice is to keep trying, it's never too late. Work your butt off and it will pay off. You can always try a junior college and transfer in later. Take extra classes to bring up your GPA. Your work will not go unrecognized.
The most important thing is that if you give it your all, even if you don't reach your goal, you won't have any regrets.