Bad Freshman/Sophmore grades and college admission

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hey guys, I was wondering if you could chance me based off of this:

Gender: M
School: Public, good school, 2000+ students
State: CT

Note: At my school, many of the AP courses are also dual enrollment at the University of Connecticut known as “AD”, making AP tests almost useless (very few people take them and actually use them so they will be excluded from my info); AD course is a dual enrollment, a AP/AD is an AP course with dual enrollment
-excludes A’s from PE (Freshman-Junior) and Health (freshman)

I used GPAcalculator.net (where a B in an honors=3.5) as our HS has a different gpa scale
9th grade 1st semester: 3.63 weighted (3 honors, 2 regular)
9th grade 2nd semester 3.57 weighted (same as above)
10th grade 1st semester: 3.33 weighted (4 AP/AD, 2 honors)
10th grade 2nd semester: 3.95 weighted (3 AP/AD, 2 honors, 2 regular)
11th grade 1st semester: 4.52 weighted (3 AP/AD, 1 AD, 1 honors, 1 college campus course)
11th grade 2nd semester: 4.62 weighted (same as above, all in A range besides one B+ though I haven’t taken finals yet)

Plan next year: 2 college campus courses, 2 AP/AD, 1-2 AD, 1 honors

SAT: 1520 (will retake this August)
SAT II chem: (has not been released, plan to do 1-2 more next year)

EC’s:

  • National honors society
    -National Math honor society
    -Comedy club president
    -2 season varsity Swimming
    -1 season varsity Crew, 1 season novice crew
    -30 hours community service (plan to do more next year)

Extra info:
-first generation (struggled at elementary school)

As you can see, I did quite poorly Freshman and sophomore year. I took a lot of rigorous courses sophomore year, but the problem wasn’t that I did bad in all of them, but in one particular class, advanced physics. The teacher, while used to teaching regular physics, now moved up to teaching advanced physics for the first time. He ended up being removed from his position the year after and is retiring next year! Everyone did bad (the average grade was around a C+ while the finals was a D). As one of the three only sophomores in a course with almost 35 students, I struggled, and as a result, got a C- and an F (yes, a 49% to be exact) on the midterm! I ended up dropping the course after the first semester and did better overall after that.

My grades that year were not homogeonous, my overall grade for physics were far lower than any other grade I had, which explains my low weighted gpa relative to the last 2 semesters. Do you think colleges would disregard it due to the disparity?

Please see what my chances are of going to these colleges (not applying to all, just using it as a scale):

-UC Berkeley,
-UC Los Angeles,
-University of Connecticut
-Wake Forest
-Northeastern
-Boston college
-Rice university
-Texas A&M

Also, do you think I should retake advanced physics (physics with calc won’t fit into my schedule) to improve upon it?

Thanks in advance!

2

With a 1520, that right there will be a likely ticket into A&M, Wake Forest, and likely Connecticut. Grades matter, but as long as you show a decent amount of upward improvement, you should be ok. Your EC’s a little weak, show that you have a deep commitment to something, and I mean DEEP enough to were whatever career path you’re taking lines up with it, so that you show dedication. UCLA and UCB are reaches for almost every candidate, but with a 1520, you’re doing better than you think. Just work on your EC’s over the summer and I think you’ll have a pretty good shot at many of these.

3

Alright! I was planning on doing more independent studies over the summer along with my required community service. Since there isn’t any clubs going on over the summer, what would be considered an EC (examples)? Also, would you think that it would be good to re-take advanced physics or stick to something else that I know I can get an A on?

4

Are UCLA/UCB affordable at $60K+/year and no financial aid for an OOS student?

UC’s use 10-11th grades so calculate your UC GPA: https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/

Only AP/IB or DE courses count for the extra Honors points. UCLA/UCB will consider UC UW GPA/UC Capped Weighted GPA and Fully Weighted UC GPA.

Overall you look competitive but these are tough admits along with being very expensive for out of state students.

Best of luck.

5

What an impressive upward trend! Your SATs are great and your GPA is quite good as well. I worry that the UCs may chew you up and spit you out without really seeing who you are due to the GPA fluctuation.

I think you have decent chances at all but the UCs. A&M, Wake Forest, UConn, and Boston are good solid matches. Rice is a high match, but in the match zone nonetheless.

You’re doing great! Keep adding to the ECs.

6

I agree that UCLA and UC Berkeley might be tough from a financial point of view, as might Northeastern. Run the NPC on each school and find out what you and your parents can afford to pay. It is better to avoid debt for undergrad if you can.

Regarding your comment: “(struggled at elementary school)”

Elementary school is over. Clearly you have caught up and gotten quite strong in high school. No one will be concerned about your struggles in elementary school and they will not hold you back at this point.

1520 on the SAT is very good. Congratulations!