Is it true that schools like to see improvement throughout the years?Answered
Hello, I'm currently a junior who will be a senior next year. I have high aspirations of attending an ivy league school but my grades in my freshman year weren't the best. I had 6 B's because of a family loss and three jobs. That year, I had a 3.6. However, I got a grip of myself and strove. By sophomore year I had a 3.7, junior year 3.8, and now I currently have a 4.1. Would this look good on college applications? Despite the B's in my freshman year, would I still have a chance of being accepted? How can I improve my chances?
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2 answers
It absolutely looks great! So sorry for your difficulties and losses, but congratulations on your amazing recovery! Remember, there is almost always a place in the application to explain variations in grades, and certainly your history would support a few Bs (which honestly, aren't that bad in your first year). Continuing to show advancement and dedication, especially in senior year when people like to start to slack, will certainly increase your chances.
Remember too, you need to be as well-rounded as possible. Look to your ECs, pi ck a couple and really dig into them. If they support the community, all the better! If the jobs were to support your family, they could be considered ECs (especially if you are still supporting your family now).
Talk to your college counselor when school starts. They can be an invaluable source of information and assistance. Remember, all schools are looking for a good fit, and not just a GPA. Good luck and you can do it!
It actually pains me to write this. Nevertheless, I feel it's better to post a more accurate answer than the one you just want to hear and be rewarded for it with 20 karma points.
Colleges never use cumulative weighted GPAs in their admissions decisions or stats because each HS uses a different method to calculate the weights. Someone might have a 4.40 weighted GPA and take the exact same classes and get the same grades as someone who has a 4.8 WGPA. That is why UWGPA is the only apples-to-apples 🍏🍏🍏 stat that matters.
If your weight GPA is 4.1 then your UWGPA must be in the 3.7-3.8 range. This is honestly on the weak side for getting admitted into an Ivy League school including the easiest ones Cornell and Dartmouth. The only caveat for having a borderline GPA like this is if you are a recruited athlete, a legacy or your family are wealthy and have already made large $$$$ donations to the schools you are applying to.
I'm hoping you take this in stride and instead of focusing on counting on Ivy and Elites you create a list of colleges take your time to research and visit schools that you can see yourself happy at.
Good luck and enjoy the process if you can.
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Are you referring to weighted GPAs? I don't understand how you can have a 3.6 unweighted GPA with 6 Bs during Freshman year. If you currently have a 4.1 GPA that must also be a weighted GPA as well since 4.0 is the theoretical maximum UWGPA.