Bad Midyear report = reject??

Applying to College
1

Hello,

I am taking the hardest classes. I think I might end up with like 3-4 B’s on my first grading pd. But if get straight A’s again on 2nd grading period, would it balance out? I’m just nervous because I got 3 B’s my junior year and all only one B my freshman and sophmore year combined. I’m doing ED to WUSTL.

Well…here’s my stats altogether:
State: OH (Wadsworth)
School Description: Decent sized suburban school, 99%
white, pretty competitive, offers only 4 AP’s though
GPA: 3.813/4.000 (unweighted, I got 1 B soph year, and
3 B’s my junior year-Spanish 3, Hr. Precalc, Hr.
English…eek)
Rank: 34/369
Sr Courses and AP’s: AP Calc, AP Econ, AP Gov.,Hr.
Physics, Spanish 4, Psychology, Sr. Comp, Website
Design, Euro Lit.
ACT:27 (weak I know, retake on Oct.)
SAT:1290 (610V, 680M) (retake on Nov.)
SAT II: waiting for scores
Other: Indian American (Asian), and I am partially deaf, wear hearing aids.

My EC’s and Awards
• Speech and Debate: Policy my 9th, 10th, 11th (made
states this year), and possibly Controversy my senior
year. Debate Secretary of team.
• Neuroscience research (rengeration of zebrafish
cerebellum, cadherin proteins) at AkronU: used this
research to win numerous fairs including 1st place at
Northeastern Ohio Regional Fair, winning Districts,
1st at high school fair. Made State Fair sophomore
and junior year. Numerous money grants. —Selected to
give video presentation for Akron University Biology
classes on my research.
• Teacher for English and Computer Skills Class for refugees and immigrants in International Institute in Akron–junior summer.
• Volunteered in 2 hospitals 300+ hrs over the 3 years
• Spanish Tutor, 20 hrs.
• 1st and 2nd places in local art show
• Worked in local restaurant junior summer
• NHS – 11th and 12th
• Tennis team – 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th (hopefully
varsity my senior year)
• Attended Michigan Debate camp freshmen summer
• Academic Decathlon sophomore year

Good Recs. – one from English, chem., calc, and
International Institute

Prospective Major/study: Neuroscience, or Biology

Other colleges: WUSTL (ED), UPenn (yeah, might as well), Northwestern, OSU, Case Western, Tulane…anything else you’d recommend? Should ED somewhere else (besides Case)?

Sorry for this long post, but I really need some help.

Thanks

2

<p>bump bump bump</p>

3

<p>Washington U in St Louis is a good school. However, I think they might see that you're slacking off, so you should probably work as hard as humanly possible to mitigate the damage on your first grading period. You're a senior, correct?</p>

<p>I don't think it'll affect it that much, though, as long as you have a lot of other strong points.</p>

<p>What I want to know is, how the heck did you get started in neuroscience research in high school? I always wanted to do research (not neuroscience) but couldnt figure out how to get started.</p>

4

<p>hey thanks zoogies. yeah i am kind of afraid of that. I mean i can almost garauntee i'll pull it up for the 2nd grading pd. i need to. about the research, just take an idea to a nearby college and ask a professor for help. most of them help you out with enthusiasm.</p>

5

<p>also, do you think its a good decision for me to ED plan 2 for WUSTL? or should i go for something else, say... NWU?</p>

6

<p>You should only do ED for a school that is really your foirst choice not a what if.</p>

<p>What is the worst that can happen, if you get rejected, move on. If you get deferred to RD or waitlisted, you have another chance to show them what you can do. Just do your best now, the future will take care of itself</p>

7

<p>thanks sybbie, WUSTL and NWU are def. my top choices but I think i'll ED to WUSTL.</p>

<p>So i am still worried about my first quarter grades. My gpa for the first 3 years is 3.813uw, now im at risk of getting a 3.4-3.5 (hopefully not lower). Do you think this'll have a huge impact?? Oh yeah another embarrasing point, i got 3 B's last year, while i was gettin straight A's before. God, I wish i coulda done better from the start.</p>

<p>Also, any other colleges i should look at?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

8

<p>Take heart, don't panic because you are taking a heavy course load. Continue to strive to do your best.</p>

<p>If ED 2 is an option, if you are doing better this marking period your first semester grades will be an average of the 2 marking periods. Then apply Wash U for ED2 if it is your true first choice and get all of your RD applications ready. Remember that Wash U got a lot of applications last year and waitlisted a bunch of people (if you could go to the Wash U archives, you will see that it looks like no one jot rejected, just waitlisted).</p>

<p>In the mean time look at a school that has a rolling admission (does OSU fit the bill?) so you will at least have as safety under your belt. Tulane also has early action which is non-binding so you should give that a shot because you have nothing to lose, if you get accepted EA, then its gravy and you will really have a buzz when time to apply ED2.</p>

<p>Look at Case and NWU for RD's and make adjustments depending on how you do in the EA/ rolling rounds. </p>

<p>all the best. </p>

<p>Now get to work on those applications because the deadlines are approaching</p>

9

<p>Thanks for support sybbie:) Yeah, I am def. applying to OSU, and Case. I got a priority app from Tulane, so why not. Although minorities are underrepresented in Tulane (particularly asian), just a concern since there's no diversity in my high school. And Mich. also. I got a 27 on the ACT I took on sept. b/c they wouldn't let me use a calculator (ti-89)! Well, back to my essays (sigh).</p>

10

<p>1290 is good, u have done some really good ecs!</p>