In my first two years of high school, I was able to maintain a 4.0 GPA.
I’m currently a junior, and my GPA will probably take a hit from my first semester grades.
I might end (worst case scenario) with a C in AP Calculus for first semester, a B in AP Language & Composition, a B in AP Physics C, a B in AP Biology, and maybe even a B in Regular US History (Teacher is harsh grader, should’ve taken AP, probably would’ve been able to get an A with the AP teacher). I’ll have A’s in DECA and SAT Prep, electives that don’t really matter. This will probably drop my GPA down to a 3.8 or 3.9. I do play football, run track, and I co-founded a club in which we try and help homeless people get on their feet, get jobs, and become independent. I know I can definitely improve next semester. I don’t want to make excuses, but I feel like sleeping issues got the best of me this semester (I find myself needing 13 hours of sleep a day, which really takes away from my time to study. Perhaps I have narcolepsy or something?). I’m taking the SAT for the first time this week, and have scored about 2100 on practice SAT’s, so I’d say they’re alright. Do I still have a shot at the University of Washington, University of Southern California, University of California Berkeley, Stanford, or John Hopkins? These are my dream schools. I have also considered going to a community college and then transferring to save money, or studying abroad. Also, what can I do or what should I be doing to improve my chances at these schools? Thanks, any help is appreciated!
Define ‘decent’.
You do have a shot. Everyone does.
What you’ve been doing for the previous two years. One bad (and by ‘bad’ I mean not even that bad) semester is not going to kill you.
Even if your dream schools don’t accept you, other schools will.
Thanks for your input. And yeah, those are just my worst case grades for the semester. It’s possible that my only Non-A would be AP Calculus.
I find my school experience very relatable to yours. Yes, of course you have a shot. I would say, for Stanford, probably not, but the others yes. Just continue to improve and do your best. You can’t do much else, unlike many people on this site would lead you to believe.
I would work on getting your grades up next semester, do well on the SAT and at the end of Junior reevaluate your college choices based on your GPA and test scores. As stated in the above poster, do your best and see where you end up.
That’s a little optimistic with B’s and C’s during junior year (the year when high-achieving applicants take on more rigorous courses and are expected to keep excelling) for some of the most selective schools in the nation. Stanford: 5% acceptance rate. JHU: 12%. Berkeley: 18%.
Berkeley has an average weighted GPA of 4.4, so with multiple B’s and C’s, you’re likely mathematically out of the running there. Stanford and JHU are even more selective.
My unweighted could still possibly end up being 3.95+, and my weighted could potentially end up being right around a 4.4. It probably doesn’t hurt that my school is one of the more competitive schools in the nation, consistently placing within the top 50 high schools in America. Hopefully, I’m able to bank on some of the things I do outside of school (the club I co-founded has been expanding to other schools at a good rate). And there’s the potential I could get a 2250ish on the SAT if I learn how to read critically hahah. You guys got any tips for SAT Critical Reading?
Areyou a CA resident?
Taking AP Physics C and AP Bio the same year is insane and likely the cause of your troubles. It won’t be excused by colleges, but will either be seen as unrealistic foolishness or untempered hubris, depending on what your GC writes (ie., if you requested an override).
All in all, having B’s in AP classes is okay, but no one is impressed with a C, it means you missed something when scheduling. Don’t overschedule: remember that UC’s only count a total of 8 Aps for all of high school, and that the law of diminishing returns applies for all other colleges.
In addition, have you reached level 3 or 4 or AP in a foreign language? Do you have your unit of art (required for UCs)?
Right now, you don’t really have the type of profile Stanford typically looks for - you have a very strong profile and could get into lots of excellent colleges, just not one that rejects 95% qualified applicants.
What’s your parents’ budget? Have you run the NPCs on all these colleges and shown the results to your parents? What are they saying?