[CHANCES] Really want to go to Purdue, but I'm not sure if I can make it with my GPA.

Colleges and Universities A-Z Purdue University
1

<p>Please give this thread a look and offer any insight you can. My grades haven't shown any improvement throughout highschool (my junior year grades were actually the worst). I go to a fairly competitive school, so my class rank is complete crap. However, I took the ACTs and did fairly well with a 31.</p>

<p>For ECs, I was in "Youth and Government" sophomore and junior year, played tennis through our park district through all 3 years (but not from school), I was part of the Principal's Advisory Committee, in which me and about 30 other people in my lunch period would meet with the principal each month and talk about things which need to be dealt with at our school (such as garbage on the floor, school lunches, etc.). I'm also part of a youth committee at a cultural (Indian) association, where I basically just find things for the kids to do or help host children's events (this doesn't have any affiliation with my school). Also, I've been volunteering at a hospital once a week since sophomore year (hopefully I can get 50 hours by the time I send my applications).</p>

<p>I'm looking for colleges in the Midwest, and live in Illinois. The closer the better. I'm probably going to end up going into Computer Engineering, but I'm not 100% sure yet so I'll probably go in undecided or under LAS.</p>

<p>To clear up any confusion, I failed honors pre-calculus during the school year 2nd semester, so I'm taking 2nd semester (regular precalc) over the summer again.The GPA is on a 4.0 scale for regular classes, and on a 5.0 scale for honors/AP classes...</p>

<p>Freshman Year:
Sem 1:
Comp Apps 1: B
Hon Eng 1: D
Spanish 1: C
Hon Geometry: C
Gym: B
Hon Biology: B
Honors World History: C</p>

<p>Sem 2
Notetaking: C
Hon Eng 1: D
Spanish 1: B
Hon Geometry: D
Gym: B
Hon Biology: C-
Honors World History: D</p>

<p>Summer School
Alg 2 trig Semester 1: B
Alg 2 trig Semester 2: C</p>

<p>Freshman Year GPA: 2.63</p>

<p>Sophomore Year:
Sem 1
English II: B
Spanish II: C
Honors Alg II Trig: C
Health: B
Honors Chem: D
American History: C</p>

<p>Sem 2
Eng II: B
Creative Writing: A
Spanish II: B
Honors Alg II Trig: C
Gym: A
Honors Chem: C
American History: B</p>

<p>Summer School
Government: A
Economics: A</p>

<p>Cumalitive GPA after 10th Grade: 2.88</p>

<p>Junior Year:
Sem 1
AP English III: C
Spanish III: C
Honors Pre-calculus: C
Gym: A
AP Chemistry: D
Honors Physics: C
Psychology: B</p>

<p>Sem 2
AP Eng III: D
Gym: A
Honors Pre-Calculus: F
Spanish III: D
AP Chemistry: D
Honors Physics: C
AP Psychology: D</p>

<p>Junior year GPA: 2.00
Cumulative GPA after Junior Year: 2.739</p>

<p>This Summer:
Graphic Arts: A
Pre-calculus: A (probably)</p>

<p>I don't know what my Cumilative GPA will be after these summer classes, but I'll probably end up with a 2.74 as my final GPA when I start applying.</p>

<p>ANY comments, words of advice, criticism, suggestions, and so forth are welcome. THANK YOU!</p>

2

<p>Oh and also, I definitely wouldn't apply straight into their Engineering program since thats so tough to get into. What are some easier fields to apply into at purdue?</p>

3

<p>Well, that's some low GPA you got there! Your ECs are pretty good though. Try to outshine your GPA with a rather high SAT score. You can always opt for a lesser competitive major and transfer later. Engg and Business are pretty hard to get in.
Just my 2 cents...</p>

4

<p>Thanks a lot for the advice. By the end of second semester senior year, I'll probably have a 2.9 GPA. Do you think it'd be a better idea to apply early with my 2.74 or apply in january with my 2.9?</p>

5

<p>Apply in Jan with a 2.9, maybe go for undergraduate studies and attempt to take as any engineering classes as you can without being in the major, things like Chem, Calc, English etc. until you can prove yourself and transfer in if you do well.</p>

6

<p>You should really talk to a Purdue advisor before deciding to apply to "some other discipline" with the intention of transferring into engineering. At more than one official question and answer session (in the college of engineering) at Purdue last spring, I was told that there are very few slots allotted each year for current students to transfer into engineering. Sorry I can't remember the exact number, but I believe it was less than 50.</p>

<p>Hit the books, hard.</p>

7

<p>2.9 after second semester? if you have a 2.7 when applying id say you would have about 60% getting in with your ACT score. you could always apply undeclared. try to take less hard classes senior year, colleges dont like it if you suck at hard classes.</p>