<p>I had a rough time freshman and sophomore years. Freshman year my parents split up and it took a toll on my grades. I hada C average both years. I always got good grades in English, science and History (B's and A's) but math and Spanish always brought me down(D's and a F) This year I'm doing better and plan on working harder and getting my act together. I have extracurriculars (Spanish club SCA Book club interact club chemesrty club Track and field) But I was wondering if this year turned out well (A's and B's) and got good scores on my SAT's. What type of universities would accept me? (VT JMU University of Maryland stony brook university NC state UVA ) or would I have to aim lower?</p>
<p>Bump!!!</p>
<p>There are a number of schools that 1) don’t include freshman grades in their GPA calculations (like the UCs and Stanford) or 2) weight them less heavily. Secondly, your guidance counselor should note in their letter of rec that you faced a personal challenge with your family splitting up in freshman year and have since gotten back on track. You can also mention it in the ‘additional information’ section of your application - that’s what it’s there for. Finally, an upward trend is your best friend right now. And your second best friend is some good test scores - so practice! Both let you make the case that 9th and 10th grade were anomalies - not representative of your ability.</p>
<p>Be forewarned that state Us are very numbers driven, so if you don’t have the grades and test scores, you could find it difficult to get past the first hurdle to that more holistic evaluation which would take into account your personal situation. Schools that are less numbers driven are more likely to give you the benefit of the doubt. Your GC can be a help to you there as well. Go talk to him or her with your new, better grades in hand, so they know about your concerns and are willing to help you when the time comes.</p>
<p>By the way, don’t spread yourself too thin with lots of school clubs. Just pick 2-3 activities you really like and make sure you are putting the necessary time into your academics.</p>