Hey guys!! I hope some of you guys can answer or help me out. I’m currently a junior (senior in Sept) and I’m really scared about college admissions. I’ve always been a really hard working student and have tried my best to do well while taking the hardest possible courses. In my sophomore year, I took AP Chem and I unfortunately (even after studying day in and day out) ended up with a C in the class. Its so frustrating because I have higher expectations for myself and now I feel like this C is going to hold me back from getting accepted into any of my dream schools. I want to attend reputable schools like UMich, Purdue etc. Well known schools but not Ivys. I really want to pursue biomedical engineering but now I feel like I won’t get accepted anywhere bc of my C. Can someone pls let me know if they’ve been in a similar experience or if they have any advice to make me less anxious. Sorry for the long post but I would really appreciate some help!
This is a tough question. Are the rest of your grades good? Do you have any idea why you received a low grade in AP Chemistry? And more importantly, did you take other AP classes in your junior year? If you have just the one C, and if you got good grades in other AP classes, you could address the issue in your application. For example, if it was your first AP class and you didn’t have the study skills or executive function skills to master a high level course, but you later learned those skills (evidenced by solid grades in your jr year), then you can present this as an obstacle that you successfully overcame. I wish you the best of luck!
AP Chem was the first AP class I’ve taken in high school (prolly a mistake knowing its one of the hardest) and unfortunately the science dept. in my school isnt the greatest. The teacher never really taught us anything and it was taking me time to adjust to this new setting. I really tried my hardest but it just didnt work out. I took AP Bio this year and I ended with a mid B, which is better than the C, but not excellent. My grades usually range from B+ to an A-. Thank you so much for your feedback!
Please do not create duplicate posts on different pages. Your other post has been deleted.
And yes, the C in AP Chemistry and the B in AP Bio will hurt you, especially if you are an international student looking for financial aid. And blaming the teacher/school is not a good way to go.
@strivetothrive
All I can say is take heart and keep your chin up. Reaching your goals may not be as smooth as you initially hoped for but you can still get there. You might need to go to a less competitive college to start but you can always transfer after a year of performing well.
My husband failed out of two colleges before he was finally able to complete his undergraduate degree. He then went on to do a masters, and from there he went to an Ivy League medical school. After medical school, he completed a surgical residency and specialty fellowship. Sometimes it takes a bit of time to get the hang of things. I’m telling you this story as a means of encouragement; don’t give up even if you have to take a longer or more circuitous route to get there.