<p>I refuse to write my essay on how I turned arround and will continue to do so in college. This essay would be boring, and would not in any way reflect who I am. Thanks for the input everyone.</p>
<p>BTW I did some EC's senior year for fun(Newspaper, Cross Country, Winter track, Project Graduation)</p>
<p>Should I put these on the transcript? I did them for fun, not to get into college.</p>
<p>Ummm. If you are asking for input...It is my opinion as a 50 year old that your application is not about sucking up (non-issue) nor is it the place for "refusing" to address your "turn around." Your goal is to avoid the reject pile and to get into the "consider" pile of folders. You don't have to turn this into a soap opera, and you do not have to follow that sort of script but you do need to understand that it is your job in about ten minutes of an adcom's time to present your strengths, talent, potential and to address questions anyone is going to have when reviewing your folder. Be matter of fact and show that you have accurate views of "self and others." "Accurate views of self and others" is shorthand for the hallmark of mental health. So get clear about it. Where are you today in terms of interest in academic work? The question about your talent verses your performance in high school should be addressed, but you can choose to do it in a very matter of fact way. Ask your GC or a trusted teacher to review your essay with you or to suggest how to present yourself as someone ready for college coursework now. Perhaps he or she is going to address this for you in their reference. Get that you are ready now across. Are you athletic, team-spirited (Cross Country, Winter Track,) enthusiastic, opinionated/likes discourse (writing for the school paper?) Interested in expending energy to celebrate your graduating class because you are community oriented and outgoing? Get your personal qualities across. It would be wise to find a moment to address the level of discipline you have now at age 18 for studying. You have lots of potential and here's hoping your find an open door to a place you are very pleased about.</p>
<p>Hey, don't shoot the messenger...I'm just trying to give you advice from my experience. Thanks Faline for the great post!</p>
<p>If you are trying to reflect yourself as a person why in heaven wouldn't you put down the ECs you are doing for FUN?!? I think people are getting the wrong idea on what ECs are supposed to be for...not for college...for fun to meet people and do what you enjoy!</p>
<p>University of Mary Washington, Fredricksburg, VA. Wonderful, small public school in Virginia. It has the most beautiful campus. A small school, like William and Mary...............Average GPA 3.67. Average SAT's 1260. It's actually more competitive and a much better school in some cases than James Madison, IMHO. I mean if you prefer a small public school with great reputation.</p>
<p>Faline's post is excellent, and should be required reading for all kids with great board scores and not-so-hot GPA. Let me just add a comment to it that my son made to a friend of his in a similar situation. Remember that you are applying to colleges as a student, and they will want to see something the application that will make them believe that you will **succeed as a student<a href="and%20not%20be%20one%20of%20those%20statistics%20of%20the%20kids%20who%20did%20not%20graduate%20in%20six%20years%20...">/b</a>. Thus far, you have gotten by on brains. In college, you are going to have to add some additional work to the equation - and this has to conveyed in the application, recommendations, and especially in your first quarter and midyear grades. Good colleges do admit students that didn't 'wake up and smell the coffee' until senior year. But, IMO, there needs to be some evidence that the student is truly awake and focused.</p>
<p>Faline, that post was excellent, but I think an excellent, well thought out essay of my choice would reflect my personality much better than an essay on how I am going to turn arround.</p>
<p>Thanks for taking in my parental point of view with grace. It is just one point of view. Here goes...There are usually three or four "prompts" in an application. Don't make the mistake of just answering the prompts, use the prompts to communicate the 3-4 most salient things about you in the most creative and engaging way you can muster. Adcoms can't take in tons of details...you have to think almost in terms of soundbites. It is your goal to dispel any worries that you are going to arrive and be a slacker. If you love your essay as it is, fine, but look for somewhere else to address your average grades with above average SATs. For you to not step up and address it personally might show immaturity, because of course in your file, it is the question of the hour. Many kids with 4.0s would love to have earned your SAT score, but your grades raise questions about lack of either attention or effort. They will look hard at your reference letters, they will peruse your personal statements, and all they want to know is are your commited to actually studying 40-50 hours a week? Don't make the adcoms work that hard...provide the answer in a frame that is positive yourself. So think and in about two cogent sentences...how would you frame your mediocre high school grades and your potential at age 18-22? (Hey, I have boys...there is a huge difference in a 15 year old brain and an almost 19 year old brain in terms of maturity..adcoms do understand this...so introduce your almost 19 year old self to them and devote one sentence to the younger self.)
You must step up and have a short answer on paper to this question, and I would definitely be respectfully asking my GC how he or she is going to address this as well. It is not too late to "connect" well with your references. They are under no obligation to show you their reference letters...but if you also go to your references and address "My Current Level of Interest in Academics at the College Level" it is likely that what you tell them will be included in references. If you read some of the "pros" on the board...carolyn, soozievt, and many others...there is wisdom in figuring out say...four things about yourself you want to get across and making sure your essays and short answers get the necessary informatioin to the adcoms. You are in a big birth cohort of college applicants, so they are looking for reasons to choose one applicant and waitlist another. I am not suggesting you be dramatic, but don't blow this off and be cavalier. They just might give the spot to a kid with all As and Bs and 100 points less on the SAT.</p>