Did I screw my chances?Answered
Hi, I'm a sophomore who switched schools after freshman year and now I'm kinda getting worried. Freshman year was really hard on my because of the pandemic, and I got all B's (All regular classes bc my old school didn't offer honors or AP), and now in sophomore year I'm taking all AP and Honors courses, and next year I'm going into the IB Diploma program. I've gotten all A's so far, and continue to do so. My unweighted GPA was like a 3.43 (3.6w) at the end of my first sophomore semester, and now I'm worried I'm not going to be able to pull that up. If I continue to get all A's, I've calculated that I'll only get to around a 3.5-3.6 max. Am I totally screwed for getting into a prestigious university such as NYU or an Ivy?
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3 answers
I would say that you still have a good shot at getting accepted to top universities so long as the other parts of your application besides your GPA are exceptional. Keep trying your best in the most rigorous classes you can take, and colleges will take notice. Be sure to also explain the extenuating circumstances that led to lower grades in freshman year in the Additional Information section of your applications. Hope this helps!
No, you definitely have a shot at attending your dream university. I would recommend continuing to take rigorous classes. But to supplement a GPA that may be average or below average for your dream schools, have extracurriculars that help you stand out.
According to recent data, extracurriculars have been shown to be about 30% of the focus of college admissions officials. Stats are about 25%. That's why I would recommend you have a spike attuned to your potential major or major interests. For example, if you are into the Humanities, start your own online literary journal about literature or history. Or if you are into STEM, do competitions and STEM-based research. These are just some examples but what you choose is truly up to you.
I wouldn't fret about your freshman year. It's in the past and there is nothing to be done about it. The pandemic was hard on everyone and I'm sure college admissions officials will know and understand that. Just keep moving forward. You're not screwed. Keep up the amazing work and I'm sure all your hard work will pay off in the end. Good luck on your high school journey.
Would recommended you do additional summer courses online (if your school, county or state offers). I was in a similar situation and I’m able to do Ap’s like stat and many honors. Pretty much saved my future…
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Yes, it certainly does help! I responded to Keeks with some of my extracurriculars so far, and I've really pushed down on those because I'm really interested in a couple of topics. This comment definitely helped my confidence, thank you!