<p>I'm going to begin my junior year in 6 days and I have a lot of worries. I got a 1.78 gpa freshman year and a 1.87 gpa sophomore year. I really regret bombing these two years. I haven't joined one club yet or played a sport. But junior year, I will get my acts together and do well. I promise myself I will get at least a 3.5 GPA. I'm also planning to do a lot of community service junior year. I really want to get into a decent 4 year university (CSU, SUNY, CUNY, or NJIT). Do I still have hope and a chance or am I really screwed?</p>
<p>Bombing the first two years of high school without a real explanation (like parents dieing or being seriously ill) does not look good. You might be able to get into an okay college. It does look rather odd to have 1.-- GPA doing no extracurricular activities and all of a sudden get a 3.-- GPA with tons of sports, clubs, and community service.</p>
<p>You better have a damn good explanation for your poor performance in your first two years.</p>
<p>Your academic performance for the rest of your high school years will be critical. ECs are good, but don't do so many that they reduce your GPA. Also, try to get your standardized test scores above average for the schools you are considering. If you manage to get that 3.5 for both junior and senior years, and have solid test scores, I think you have a decent chance.<br>
But even if you come up short, you can go to community college and transfer to one of those four year colleges with a decent GPA.</p>
<p>Also, it doesn't look good at all to do ECs for 2 years, especially the last two years of HS (this makes you look desperate; as in it looks like you are filling up your resume just for the sake of college). Generally, I wouldn't put anything on my application unless I have done it for 3 years minimum (with the exception of awards/contests)</p>
<p>^ignore the above post. </p>
<p>it's never too late to start. seriously.
just explain that you matured and got your act together and started to think about your future.
do some EC's and put them on your resume. it does not make you look desperate. it makes you look like a person who's finally waken up to what adcoms wants of us today...</p>
<p>and good luck with everything!! study hard, but don't forget to have some fun with your life as well (aka do some fun ECs!)</p>
<p>Honestly, it's ALWAYS worth it to try and improve. If you can maintain a good GPA and some activities in your Junior year, it shows that you've learned discipline, responsibility, and all that good stuff. You could write your essay about your change of heart.</p>
<p>CrystalPineapple, I wouldn't totally ignore my post. Your are right, its never too late to start and I'm not trying to discourage anyone from doing so. </p>
<p>Yoitzz, considering you do sound like you are serious about school now as well as your future, your GPA should be your focus. ECs usually aid it unless they are outstanding. My advice to you is to get heavily involved with MEANINGFUL clubs. Don't just join for college. Also, maybe starting a club would give you a bit of an edge, especially if you could coordinate you community service and college major under the same interest (although it isn't completely necessary)</p>
<p>Good luck in college!</p>
<p>Do well in Junior year and apply to a bunch of state schools. If you get rejected by them go to CC and then try to transfer.</p>
<p>^what are state schools? would suny and cuny's be considered a state school? i'm confused ..</p>
<p>SUNY's and CUNY's are state schools. apply to them.</p>