<p>I was deferred in December.
I have about a 3.6/4.0 unweighted gpa and this year I took probably the highest level courses offered, but I slacked off. </p>
<p>This is my course load
- IB HL Math 2 (its similar to AP Calc BC)
- IB HL Psychology 2
- IB HL Chemistry 2
- AP Literature and Composition
- AP Spanish Language
- Yearbook
- Honor Band</p>
<p>My SATs are 2090 and hopefully, they'll rise in January.
I think I got deferred because I have really strong extracurriculars (president and founder of clubs, captain of swimming team, tutor, I've been working since 2007 etc)
But I SLACKED this semester and got 3 C+ from math, psychology, and chemistry.
I wrote I wanted to get into mendoza...........
Yes I know, I doubt the slacking and I am so dumb.
But what can I do now?
I really want to get into ND!</p>
<p>try to improve the C+s to Bs or B+s by the end of the first semester - your coursework looks fine and GPA is right in the range I think - your SATs aren’t bad but aren’t great either - but if you can bring up the Cs then that will help your GPA too.</p>
<p>My first semesters already done. And i got the 3 C+s in that semester. My counselor is sending those grades with the three C+s (I’m hoping to beg her not to, which I’m guessing might not work) once second semester starts, so yes, ND hasnt seen those grades yet. Second semester starts in two weeks. Once that semester starts, I start all over and begin with a 100. If i hit my head with a pan and begin to function, and show some increases for 3rd quarter grades (the grades that come out in march), my counselor told me she could send those… but those might be late… :(</p>
<p>By the way, the 3.6 is before I got my 3 C+s. So right now, they probably fell to about 3.5 or maybe a 3.4. I just cant calculate it because its really just so scary.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I don’t think the C+s are the kind of issue you can just put behind you. No matter how well you do this coming semester, those grades may prove to be a problem. What you need to do is talk to your counselor and figure out a way that you can communicate to ND admissions just what went wrong and how you plan to fix things from here on out. I think if you just left things to chance and did not attempt to communicate with admissions then I think your shot at admittance would be low. Good luck.</p>
<p>Thank you Irish. So do you think it would help if I talk to my couselor and ask her if she can send maybe another letter to ND about my issues? Or should I actually call them?
Along with the updates, I did send ND a small letter saying that I’m still really interested in the school. But thats all I wrote because I didn’t feel it was better to write an additional “Why ND” essay.</p>
<p>The first thing you should do is talk to your counselor. I think any letter should come from you but if your counselor also chooses to write one then that is only a bonus. A telephone call may be a good idea. But that is really your counselor’s decision. Be sure and call ahead and set an appointment with your local admissions representative. Get his or her name and set a telephone appointment with their secretary. Don’t try and catch them when they are free and “have a minute”. If you go to the trouble of making an appointment it shows that you mean business and are making a concerted effort to better yourself. Also, as always, when you write use nice stationary and make sure your letter is handwritten. These are just a few simple things which can help show your dedication and commitment. Of course though, the most important thing you can do is bring up your quarter grades. Good luck.</p>
<p>I’m also on the same boat as yaoming, except I wrote a letter to ND on Microsoft Word (not a handwritten letter) saying it’s my first choice. I live outside the US. Should I handwrite some other letter (along with other stuff) and dhl to them?</p>
<p>To clarify, I emailed an admissions counselor (I dont really know what his exact job is… but he works at the admissions except he has nothing to do with the decision making process) I know at ND to attach the Microsoft Word file to the rest of my application</p>
<p>Ostrich, I don’ think that is a problem. Handwriting a letter is nothing more than a formality that might help you stand out. Nothing is guaranteed. If you have a little time and some extra money then a handwritten letter can’t hurt. Of course, the most important thing to express in these letters is to explain what you have done since applying and how you hope to use those experiences to better yourself. But just remember, being deferred is not necessarily a sign that you are weak in any way. Seeing as you are a foreign student it could just mean that admissions is waiting to see the number of applicants from your part of the world who apply RD. Good luck.</p>