Hey there guys. I have a 3.3 unweighted and 3.6 weighted gpa and am a junior this year. The reason my gpa is low is because I studied freshman year in India which was a difficult task for me because the curriculum was super hard and I was not used to it as it was my first year studying in an Indian school. I did so freshman year because of my dad getting is job transferred there for a year and a half. I kind of hate this life because this is my seventh school and I am unable to make proper friendships. My speaking/writing/reading skills also dropped drastically when I when to India since most people spoke with me in a native language. As of now I am hoping to graduate in the same school I am attending right now. I am a junior and also of Indian ethnicity. English has always been my hardest subject to excel in in school because of this. My parents don’t know much about college admissions and paying for them because we are first-generation immigrants. I am in HOSA, NHS, and Robotics Club and only get one B every quarter which is English (I am taking AP Lang). If I am unable to get my gpa high enough, how do I express this in my college app? I still have staggering hopes for Ivy League. So, I would appreciate if anyone helps me with anything related to this topic.
Thank you so much for your time responders.
Ivy league schools are in single digit acceptance rates for those with all A’s. I would say your chances there are slim to none. But sure, always apply so you never have to wonder “what if”.
You will get into a college. Interests? Cost barriers?
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The first thing to do is to keep you your grades from now on. Your freshman year of high school will matter a lot less than your sophomore and junior years. There are some universities (anything in Canada comes to mind) that will not care about your freshman year at all – they will recompute your GPA with your freshman year not included in the calculation.
Next, you should find out what your budget is for a full four years in university.
You should think about what you want in a university. Do you want a small school? Do you want a large school? Do you have some ideas regarding what you might want to major in, or what subjects you like?
What state are you from? Are you a US citizen or permanent residence and do you have residency in a particular US state?
There are 3,700 colleges in the US and I bet you think “Ivy league” because that’s all you’ve heard about.
Look into Colleges that Change Lives, for instance (some would be reaches, such as Whitman, St Olaf, or Denison; some would be matches, such as Allegheny, Eckerd, or Wooster; or some would be safeties for you; Guilford or Hendrix).
What do you live in?
What’s your budget for college (what can your parents afford out of pocket, from savings and/or income, each year?)
What type of major are you interested in?
By the time you graduate, will you have…
4 years of English, preferably Honors (1 AP?)
4 years of history& social science, preferably Honors (1 AP? 2?)
Math through precalculus or calculus?
Bio, chem, physics, + 1 AP science?
Foreign language through level 4?
Art, classes you took because you enjoy learning?
I was thinking about Emory University, and I’m pretty sure costs are not a problem so far.
Emory is a very high reach for GPAs 3.5 and below.
Look into the colleges listed above.
When it comes to costs, run the NPC with your parents for your state flagship and see if they’re willing to pay that much, then run the NPC on emory (major reach), Denison (reach), and Eckerd (match) and see what budget they’re willing to give you. (Many parents can’t pay and many parent can but won’t).