<p>I have a very, very, very low gpa as you’ve read. This is my senior year and I’ve been taking school seriously so midyear reports will be most likely 3.9-4.0. I am pretty smart and scored a 30 on the ACT. I’m a native american, I have been volunteering at the red cross, a political party (not going to say which one on application), and a hospital. I wrote a straight up amazing essay. Do I have a chance? I know that Ohio State has been looking to diversify their campus by recruiting and retaining students, not that I am trying to coast on my ethnicity. I know I did awful, I do have reasons (alchoholic father in and out jail as well as sobriety, helping my sister with her two very small children). I accept that it’s a small chance but I just want to ask if anyone thinks there is a chance. </p>
<p>Also, If I don’t get in I’m going to go to Newark and transfer in later.</p>
<p>I’m sorry to say I can’t see much reason for optimism.</p>
<p>Ohio State doesn’t seem to report GPA information in its common data set. But last fall 1% of Ohio State’s accepted freshmen (who reported class rank) came from the bottom half of their high school class, and OSU lists both GPA and class rank as “very important” in admissions decisions.</p>
<p>On the positive side, your ACT score is 75th percentile for last year’s admitted freshmen, and it seems you may have a compelling story to tell.</p>
<p>You can try, of course, if you’re willing to cough up $40 for the application fee (and other costs, such as score reports, I guess), but I suspect your prospects will be better if you go to college for a year or two, get better grades, and then try to transfer.</p>
<p>As an Ohio resident if I’m not accepted the first time around then I have the option to go to one of their branches with open admission then transfer after a year with at least a 2.0gpa. It’s like applying to a far reach and a safety with one application. Thanks so much for commenting.</p>
<p>Definitely go ahead and apply. Make sure they know about your extenuating circumstances. There’s a small chance that they’ll take you based on that and the 30 ACT and just bury your class rank/gpa with the 1% (athletes?).</p>
<p>If not, go to Newark for a year, bust your ass and apply to transfer. I do believe, that OSU has quietly been upping that 2.0 transfer requirement in response to demand, so don’t coast at Newark. Really show them that you can do the work at the main campus.</p>
<p>Call the Office of Minority Affairs and talk to them about your circumstances. They may have some advice to offer you. I agree it is an outside chance but if your grades show an upward trend and your ACT is 30 or higher then who knows you may convince them otherwise.</p>
<p>Being a Native American will definitely help you, but the 1.8 may cancel that out. Just do as well as you can this year. Worst case scenario, you spend a year at a regional campus and transfer all of those credits to Columbus the following year, which is no big deal.</p>