I had a bad Freshman year. Will this effect my applications to colleges?
Freshman year was my COVID-19 year where everything was online, and I had severe depression at the time. Because of this, my grades were at an all time low. But currently, I am a Junior taking two AP classes and have had almost straight A's (with the exception of one or two classes which were graded B+) since sophomore year. I have also taken four honors classes in the past and am currently enrolled in two (that aren't APs). Even though my grades are much better now, would colleges reject me for a bad Freshman year? If so, are there any things I can do to improve my initial look when applying?
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1 answer
Hi @akuznar! This is a pretty common question, which means you aren't alone. Many people have experienced low grades during COVID.
The thing is, colleges look for improvement. Your most recent year grades matter more than the older grades on your application. Colleges will not reject you for bad grades in your Freshman year.
The writing section in Common App provides a 250-word space to describe how COVID-19 and other unfavorable circumstances have impacted your life (not limited to grades).
You can strengthen your application with good extracurriculars, rigorous senior year coursework, and well-written essays (don' portray yourself as a helpless victim; rather, show how you dealt with difficulties).
Hope this helps!
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