Is it bad if my GPA has a small downward trend?

Answered

Hi there @emfix22,

While a downward GPA trend is not ideal, it's also not the end of the world. You have several options to remedy the situation so that on paper, you're putting the best foot forward with colleges.

If you had some major event happen, such as COVID-19 repercussions or an unrelated reason for your grades dropping, you can explain this in the Additional Information section of your application or through your essays.

I would only say this discourages you from applying to elite schools, where the ideal is to have all A's all four years. However, if you calculate your cumulative GPA, and are still well above your prospective school's average incoming freshman GPA, I would say you still have a strong chance of getting in.

In terms of next steps, I would input your details in the chancing engine to get a better idea of your personal chances at your prospective schools. As long as you pass the Academic Index, or threshold, for the school, I would say it's worth your while to apply. You can learn about the Academic Index here: https://blog.collegevine.com/what-is-the-academic-index-how-is-it-calculated/

Your admissions effects also depend on how the college evaluates GPAs. For example, some colleges more strongly consider AP/honors by looking at weighted GPA. Others recalculate your GPA via their own system. For example, the UCs do not really count freshman year of high school, and place more weight on 10th and 11th grade, so if that's where your grade dip occurred, you could be at a disadvantage. Do your research for your prospective schools to see how they calculate GPA, and how you stack up against other candidates.

Another consideration in this case is your test scores. For those with a poorer GPA or less than ideal trajectory, your test scores can go a long way, especially with this admission cycle's test optionality. Applicants who send scores are typically more likely to get in as opposed to those with the same credentials but no scores (unless, of course, the school is test-blind, in which case no scores are considered).

So, to recap, to get a better understanding of where you're at, you should chance yourself, evaluate if test scores can boost your application, and research your specific school's GPA/course considerations.

Hope this helps!

It might not necessarily "break" an admissions decision but it won't look good. Universities tend to look for upwards trends (since freshman year is an adjustment) so a downward trend is not good. However, if you were severely impacted by covid, you can write that in your additional information section and explain how covid has affected your grades (but please only do this if you have been seriously impacted, not just like "oh I wasn't able to see my friends or focus at home"). Also, if your junior year was during the lockdown ('20-'21 school year), then colleges will automatically take that into consideration. That being said, try your best to bring up your grades this year. You don't need to have all A+s but you should at least aim for all As. If you need help, go to your teacher's office hours if you haven't already. That always seems to work for me.

Good luck with college applications :)

In general downward trends are the least helpful in college admissions. You still have time to correct the trajectory and get everything back up to your all As potential. Use this year to focus and be over-prepared with your reading and homework assignments. It won't erase the downward track record but it will stop the hemorrhaging. College admissions officers will take notice if you fix it. If you do fix it, use the add'l info section to explain what happened.

Good luck.