Aberrant Grades and Chances (for Gtown and Columbia)

<p>I go to Boston University, whose classes are 4 credits apiece and we're told to take 4 a semester. This coming year, I'll be applying to Georgetown, Columbia, and possibly GW for transfer as a junior. I'm fairly certain I can get good recommendations, possibly even from the head of the Political Science department. However, I have a C on my transcript--in Chinese. It is the only Chinese class I took, and naturally it was an exceptionally difficult language. Other than that I have a B, a B+, and five As. Assuming I put nose to grindstone and get a 4.0 this coming semester (5 classes, 3 300-level political science, a 500 level polisci, and a 200 level Spanish), my cumulative GPA will go from 3.54 to 3.72. How bad is this C going to hurt me? Will the fact that it's in Chinese mitigate the circumstances at all?</p>

<p>HS Stats:
Cuban-American Male, Resident of Kentucky
HS GPA: 3.2 UW, 3.8/3.9 W (competitive Xaverian Brothers HS)
SAT: M/V: 1410, 2110 overall
SAT IIs: Literature 730, US History 770, World History 690
ECs: Drama, Marching Band</p>

<p>College: Boston University
GPA: 3.72 (assuming, but humor me I suppose, I can pull it off) with 52 credits.
ECs: APDA Debate, College Democrats, Assignment Editor and Contributing Reporter for the university newspaper</p>

<p>Other: Volunteer teaching a summer program in an inner city school.</p>

<p>What are my chances, considering?</p>

<p>Assuming you will pull the 3.72, I think you will have a good shot at GW and Georgetown. Columbia will always be a reach, especially with a ~5% acceptance rate.</p>

<p>From what I understand, Georgetown places a huge emphasis on high school grades. They want to see success at both the college and high school level. That would make it a reach for you. </p>

<p>Columbia is a reach for pretty much everyone. </p>

<p>You do have a great shot at GW.</p>

<p>not necessarily fantosme, i do recall a person who was accepted to georgetown as a transfer who had a terrible record in high school from here on cc. anything can happen.</p>

<p>i dont understand how your grades are aberrant :confused:</p>

<p>I'm still trying to figure out how the OP's grades are aberrant? Nothing unusual about them. Perhaps he meant abhorrent?</p>

<p>I think you'll get into Gtown and be rejected at Columbia. Good luck.</p>

<p>Haha all I meant by aberrant was the one C in Chinese, which on my transcript is both an unusual grade and an unusual choice of class.</p>

<p>I'd hope they're not abhorrent though!</p>

<p>haha well a C isn't pretty but not bad. Plus it's Chinese, so it's not like it's something that will raise eyebrows. You'll be fine - just keep the GPA up. A suggestion though would be to apply to more places if you really want to leave BU as financial aid can sometimes be unsatisfactory, other things can come up, and it's always nice to have options.</p>

<p>Hey man I feel your pain. Except my school is even worse - Language courses are 5 credit hours. Freshman year I took two semesters of Chinese and had a B/B+ and my overall GPA was a 3.6. Without it, I would have a 3.8 or 3.85. I think colleges like the fact that you challenge yourself although it would have been better if you continued with the language.</p>