Am I cooked for getting into a good college? And tips for burnout?Answered
GPA Situation:
So basically, my freshman year and sophomore year I was going through quite a lot. My freshman year I got a 2.68 unweighted GPA (I know. SUPER bad). Anyhow, my sophomore year, I got a 3.77 UW which brought up my cumulative GPA to a 3.21. This year, I am honestly slacking a bit, but am getting back in the rhythm of things, so I hope my GPA will go up again.
Extracurriculars:
I play club volleyball. I was also in a top position of an extracurricular that I started at age 9 and continued that until I stopped at 16. I am in a creative writing club at my school this year as well.
Course Load:
I am hoping to take three or four AP classes my senior year with regard to medicine or psychology and maybe a history or English for fun. I had all honors freshman and sophomore year and have the same this (junior) year, and am taking APUSH.
Test Scores:
I just took the SAT 12/06 and am waiting to get my score back, but it is projected to be around 1270 based on my PSAT score. If it is actually that low, I will definitely see a tutor and do Khan Academy to boost my score.
Class Rank:
150/410 -- I am confident this will go up assuming I continue to get good grades to improve my GPA this year.
I know I will need to write about the things I was struggling with as reasons for the low GPA, but somehow my grades are getting worse from sophomore year (ugh, burnout). I am taking all honors and APUSH this year, but I was taking all honors last year too, so I am a little confused on why my grades are dipping.
Any tips for burnout? Is there anything else I can do to increase my likelihood of getting into a good school?
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3 answers
GPA: This honestly isn't bad at all---you just need to elaborate on what happened that affected you so deeply in those times in your additional info/unusual circumstances section.
Extracurriculars: I'm going to be honest here. Your extracurriculars are a bit lacking if you're looking to get into a T20 school. Club volleyball is great and shows discipline and interest, but colleges like to see at least one service or non-athletic community involvement if you're looking higher. The creative writing club is also great to see, but doesn't necessarily show a deep level of involvement. Also keep in mind that while your activity lasting from ages 9-16 is impressive, colleges only care and look at what you did during high school. That said, I think improving your extracurricular load would be a great next step for you if you're looking to get into those top schools.
Course load/test scores: I'm not sure of the highest level that your school offers in terms of course rigor, but I'd consider this a decently rigorous course load. It shows you're pursuing more difficult classes and really pushing yourself. HOWEVER, it wouldn't necessarily be insanely competitive for T20 schools. Most applicants for those tend to have 10+ AP's.
As for your test scores, you have a good plan based on your projected score. However, a 1270 isn't bad at all and IS higher than the national average...but I would follow through with a tutor/Khan Academy if you're looking in the T20's.
Overall, I would try to improve your extracurricular profile and try (if you can and opportunities are available) to pursue some related to your major of interest. I would also try to improve your test score, however, know that extracurriculars are FAR more important to admissions than test scores are.
As for burnout tips, I have quite a few. I'm basically always burnt out from something---but here are my suggestions to help mitigate it. I like to set boundaries. What I mean by this is not letting your work go past a certain time (for example, maybe 7 p.m.), or not allowing yourself to work on weekends. This helps me balance "work" with "relaxing" and honestly improves the quality of my work overall.
I’ve personally been wondering the same thing! I have always heard that it’s best to focus in on a couple of key aspects of yourself when it comes to applications, so take something important to you and try to find the best way to convey your journey with it as best as possible. An example of this is a hobby. You could teach others how to play volleyball or if you perform well in that sport, you could write about how it has helped you become the person you are today or why it makes you a fit for the school. As for the burnout, I think that looking more into what you enjoy is what might help. If it’s something you are truly passionate about, there is definitely a way to both destress and get enjoyment out of your interest while also making an impact that would stand out to colleges. Ultimately I think you’ve definitely come a long way and that’s not something to overshadow, it’s something to take pride in. Find what you enjoy and try to think of it as if you are writing your own story for colleges to see. (Sorry if this was a bit lengthy)
honestly your gpa isnt bad and considering your extracurriculars all the other things colleges understand that its hard you do not need a perfect GPA to get into the college you want, althought taking harder classes when you are a senior is helpful to you but it will not really be seen on your record bc its not what you will be submitting when applying, now that you are still a junior i would recommend add more to your extracurriculars , maybe doing something small for the community or making a difference as much as you can, and it doesnt have to be like a big thing, maybe like making gofundme for a cause you support or an instagram accound spreading awareness about something you love. Althought it is is challenging i know we all know so for burning out i would just try and make sure you have something you enjoy this could be like volleyball having a hobbie and doing something you love it great in a world or hobbies are hard to do when your so busy so i think focuing on something you love or even just a little nap when you start to feel really tired would help i usually watch some youtube eat some food and sleep. All in all DO NOT WORRY any college would be lucky to have you and i know you'll be just fine!!!
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