Can I make a comeback after a rough freshman year?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi, fellow CCers! Just a quick question. I'm a rising sophomore at a competitive public high school in New Jersey. I had a train wreck of a freshman year. Here are my grades for this past year:</p>

<p>English 9 (B/B+)
CP Physics (B+/B-)
CP Algebra I (B+/A-)
World History and Cultures (B-/A)
CP Italian II (A-/A-)
Intro to Acting (B+/A-)
Freshman Rhetoric (B)
Contemp. Bus. Tech (A-)
Health (C+) [really screwed up]
Gym (A-/A/A-)</p>

<p>My cumulative GPA for freshman year only is a 3.3875. As you can tell from seeing my grades, I didn't realize the importance of school until the second semester. I did great on all of my finals. Next year, I will be in Honors Italian 3, Honors US History 1 (appealed my recommendation for CP), Honors American Literature, Honors Music Theory, CP Chem, CP Geometry, and Marketing I. </p>

<p>My question for you all is this: if I really get my act together, and continue on this upward trajectory taking all honors and APs for the next 3 years (CP math, though) and doing succeeding in those classes, do you think I can get my GPA up to par and stand a chance at a competitive school like NYU and even an Ivy, like Columbia? My major would be music at Columbia, and I'd apply to the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU (executive entrepreneur). I'm working on building a tantalizing portfolio- volunteer hours, extracurriculars demonstrating passion, etc.</p>

<p>Yes, I have safety schools in mind!</p>

<p>Any and all feedback is appreciated. Thanks!!!</p>

2

<p>I had like a 2.7 at the end of freshman year and at the end of sophomore year I have ~3.6-3.7 with only one AP and having a few B’s and a C+ in the AP class. I sat down and calculated with one of my teachers that if I take 3 AP’s a year and get straight from here on out I will have JUST above a 4.0. Trust me I think you’ll be fine.</p>

3

<p>Thanks Trickstar for your input. BUMP!!</p>

4

<p>Yes of course! Colleges consider freshman year much less than your next three years (in fact, I believe many competitive schools ignore it). </p>

<p>Did you take honors this year? It’s important that you take the hardest curriculum possible. </p>

<p>Also, I wouldn’t worry so much about NYU – Your trajectory looks as though you would probably be able to get in there, considering you continue your upward trend. However, places like Columbia are extremely competitive, and you would need to work really hard to be a competitive applicant.</p>

5

<p>Thanks tanboy. I didn’t take any honors my freshman year- only honors classes available were honors physics and honors algebra 2, and I didn’t qualify for either ones. NYU is my #1 school- but realistically, I think Syracuse would be good for me. Thanks so much, both of you!</p>