Does Freshman Year Matter to Colleges?

I know the grades I get in high school are important for being accepted into a college, but do colleges pay a lot of attention to freshman year? Do they weight it less because we were just leaving middle school?

Absolutely, grades from your freshman year of high school do matter. They make up a significant portion of your cumulative GPA when you're applying to colleges. However, the weight they carry can vary from institution to institution.

Some colleges do perform a more detailed review of high school transcripts and might consider the arc of a student's academic journey, acknowledging that adjusting to high school academics can be a challenge.

Colleges also consider course rigor, looking for students who have challenged themselves with advanced or college preparatory classes when they become available. If a student starts off with a lower GPA in their freshman year but then progressively improves each year, demonstrating a strong academic growth or 'upward trend', it can reflect positively. Even if a student has a weaker freshman year, if they continually improve and finish strong, it could show resilience and adaptability.

However, it's essential not to underestimate the importance of freshman year. With solid academic performance in your first year, you can ensure a strong foundation for your overall high school GPA. Furthermore, getting involved in extracurricular activities from the beginning of high school also helps in developing leadership roles and continuity, which are attractive characteristics for college admissions committees.