<p>The colleges that I'm applying to do "holistic review" which means they value character/personal qualities, essay, teacher recs, and extracurriculars above GPA and SAT. I'm an ambitious student with all A's and one C (on-level pre-calculus...math is my worst subject...and this is also my only non-advanced class) right now in senior year.</p>
<p>Here are my classes:
IB English
IB Chinese
AP European History
AP Modern World History
AP Psychology
AP Macroeconomics
AP Comparative Government
AP Environmental Science</p>
<p>So since I've taken so many difficult classes, maybe they'll be more understanding of my low GPA?</p>
<p>And here at the colleges I'm applying to (in order of the ones I want to get in most to least)</p>
<p>Wellesley College (early decision)
Bryn Mawr College (regular for now, but if Wellesley rejects me, I'll apply to BMC Early Decision II)
St Mary's College of Maryland (regular)
McGill University (regular)
Boston University (regular)
Providence College (early action)
College of Charleston (regular)
University of Maryland, College Park (priority/early action)
University of Vermont (early action)
Kalamazoo College (early action)</p>
<p>I went to the junior open campus program last year, and the way I remember them explaining holistic review was that it means they don’t look JUST at your transcript and test scores (they factor in more subjective criteria) but that the transcript was still the #1 factor. I also remember them talking about who should and shouldn’t apply early decision and they said that if you have weaker junior grades but stronger senior grades, that you should maybe apply later so you have more strong grades to balance out the less pretty grades, because if you go ED and force them to decide without a full semester of senior grades, they have to go more based on junior grades and you could get rejected outright. Sorry if that was unclear.</p>
<p>Can you talk to your high school counselor? Someone who knows your full application might be able to offer better advice. Or call some of the colleges?</p>
<p>I’m not sure how you get “all A’s and one C” and come out with a 2.88 B/B- average.
On another thread, you note 3.4 weighted, a personal reason for the grade issue, but strong ECs. And, 2 B’s midway thru this semester. This is a case where you need an accurate picture of what the details are. Then, have a talk with one or two of the schools. They would forgive the pre-calc grade (especially if you had continued on to calc.) But, the overall picture may just not be strong enough. It will help if your AP scores are mostly 5s.
It’s true kids with lower stats get admitted- but profiles are misleading- those kids with 600 on one SAT may have had 800 on the others, not an 1800 total. Some may be stellar in some other way- or faculty kids, athletes, etc. Good luck.</p>