Can I even dream of HYPSM?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I have a GPA of about 3.79, and my SAT score in one sitting is 2250, superscored 2350.</p>

<p>I am a very commited scientist. I do research at a local biotech company, which I enter in science comps and place well at.</p>

<p>And then the unthinkable happened.
I recieved a D+ in my Honors Precalc. Class</p>

<p>It was for a large number of reasons, but nothing really that I could say that would make admissions officers ignore it.</p>

<p>Have I dug my own ivy- covered grave and slept in it early? Or is there a last, shining glimmer of hope, that could somehow get me in?</p>

<p>Also is there anyone like me that has actually gotten in?</p>

<p>I am not reporting race on app. Should I?</p>

<p>ps.: I retook the class in the summer and aced it.</p>

2

<p>Also the other iveies too
(Dartmouth, cornell, Upenn)</p>

3

<p>someone with a 3.0 can dream, but im sure you mean is it at all possible
well yes, i’d say more along the lines of cornell is plausible, but the ivy admissions are crapshoots
hope for the best!</p>

4

<p>Well, it’s not like the admissions committee is going to see a D+ and immediately toss your application in the trash. On the other hand, getting a really lousy grade in a class shows immaturity and lack of proper priority in goal setting (if getting into HYPSM was your goal), even if you did retake the class and ace it.</p>

<p>If a quarter or more of the applicants have stellar academic records, why would they choose you over the others? Sure, if you were related to the President or Daddy donated $100 million or you invented the cure for cancer, they would look the other way. If you’re just another candidate without connections, however, it’s hard to see why they would pick you to be the 1-in-10 or 1-in-14 that get the nod, while someone else with stronger stats gets the rejection notice.</p>

<p>None of this prevents you from trying to attend HYPSM for grad school after a stellar college career. Nor does it kill your chances at the next Top-20 schools beyond HYPSM, who are a bit more forgiving of those making a one-time big mistake.</p>

5

<p>If you can please assume that my extracurriculars are one-of-a-kind and amazing, then what about my chances at Cornell ED?</p>

6

<p>Dartmouth, Cornell, and Upenn are certainly going to be more forgiving of a lone D, and committing to one of them ED makes them aware that you’ll actually go there if they admit you. But if your ECs are truly amazing, don’t give up on HYPSM, either – the worst they can do is say no. HYPSM is not truly out of the picture, you just need to do something interesting and very distinctive for their adcoms to choose you over someone else with better grades.</p>

<p>Just make sure you’re covered with an application in to a safety school that you’ll be happy to attend if necessary.</p>

7

<p>If you explain it really well (and don’t use it as one of your essays–attach a note with your apps), then it can be overlooked. People have gotten away with worse things than Ds.</p>

8

<p>Is “the teacher was very unforgiving with everything, from pop quizzes to the final exam, and I did not feel comfortable at all, and most people in my class recieved a C, and some people got a D like me,so I retook the class again to prove that I actually could do well” a reasonable excuse?</p>