<p>Okay, I'm a freshman. And before you upperclassmen tell me to chill out and even before you tell me that you've seen too many threads like this, here me out. </p>
<p>So, today I got my grades for my classes. Ha! I ended up getting 3 Bs. (Dont say anything yet). </p>
<p>Honors Chemistry - This teacher is a total retard. He failed me on a unit test because I didn't show work for half the problems even though i conceptually explained the problems -_-. (Work: 120+50). I ended up with an 89 flat. </p>
<p>Honors Precal - expected (no rants) </p>
<p>AP US History - This is probably the most screwed up class. There are around 35 kids and 2 of them got an A (low 90s). I ended the quarter with an 89.2 and the teacher won't round beccause she says it ruins the reputation of the class. -_-"</p>
<p>So, to end my rants, what gets me the most is that while I worked my butt off in these classes i get the same grade as the kid who scraped a 79.5 (We use letter system w/o + or -). Thus, you can see the origins of my anger (How the hell does a 79.5 = 89.2? -_-") and the highest GPA I can get is a 3.95 (assuming that I get all As from now, which might not be possible).</p>
<p>1) Does this screw me over in admissions to HYS (NO 'P' or 'M') if you take into account the growing competition by the year 2010, grade inflation, and the fact that I am a middle-class asian male in MD. </p>
<p>2) Should I explain on my application (in the future) about how I missed an 'A' by half a point, or does that sound like an excuse? </p>
<p>3) How would you go about changing an entire county's grading policy? :-P </p>
<p>//endRant</p>
<p>Community college is your fate :(</p>
<p>In reality, you shouldn't be concerned with Bs (and Cs). Try your best, go for As; but Bs is nothing important.</p>
<p>
[quote]
2) Should I explain on my application (in the future) about how I missed an 'A' by half a point, or does that sound like an excuse?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>If I would be an adcom, I would reject you straight out because that sounds extra-nerdy. Passion for knowledge != passion for perfect grades.</p>
<p>And please, don't expect HYPS. You can get to those colleges but there's no specific way to being accepted.</p>
<p>My concern is that you're a huge nerd right now and need to stop worrying so much. Enjoy life...</p>
<p>NEVER use your essays to explain how bah the teacher sucked, wouldnt roudn up cuz those are excuses.</p>
<p>And the majority of people accepted to HYPS are perfect GPAs. You have a chance, but focus on ec's more</p>
<p>no, dude, the majority of people in HYPS don't actually have perfect GPA's... they do things (EC's) that set them apart from others; it doesn't even have to be a particularly interesting EC, but merely showing passion and transforming that passion into action (that sounds really corny when i read over it :D ) will allow you to get into these schools. </p>
<p>Honestly, if HYPS only took people with 4.00 UW and 2400's, what hope do the ~99.x% of us have? </p>
<p>Don't worry about it. Even then, Stanford doesn't include Freshman grades when making their calculations, so just chill and try to enjoy the last few years you have before true torture and suffering (... basically junior year).</p>
<p>You'll be fine.</p>
<p>I would learn the difference between here and hear before I write my essays. I suggest four full years of English.</p>
<p>Two words: upward trend</p>
<p>You're a freshman. Make it happen.</p>
<p>I wouldn't worry much about that 79.5=B, because in the next couple years, youll be in the same situation (maybe not C to B, but B to A), and will be thankful for that grading.</p>
<p>[in preppiest voice ever] "Like, what ever..." </p>
<p>All my teachers are all ****ed/shocked that i got straight As this time around :-)</p>
<p>OMG!! same thing happened to me last semester based on family deaths (yes plural) and fatal illnesses (again plural). I missed a lot of school and I still get Bs in english. Everything will be fine!!! I'm not stressing it at ALL!!!! The majority of the kids in your grade did worse than you which I pleasantly found out :D.</p>
<p>Don't worry. Especially about the AP class. You're a freshman in APUSH. Most people don't take APs 'till their junior year, and those classes are notoriously difficult if taught correctly. The colleges will be happy you took the class. And also, you're a freshman in precalc and chem. That's very much AHEAD. I'm a senior in calc -- you'll be a sophomore in calc. And I'm applying to HYSC (the C is Columbia). </p>
<p>A few tips:</p>
<ul>
<li>ECs are your friends. Especially if you've got a leadership position.</li>
<li>Essays should not be used to explain something. They should be used to elaborate in a positive way, or to show another facet of your personality. Creativity gives you extra points, provided they're not all-out weird. And even those are good sometimes too. You can pick up a book with essays that worked if you want to see what I mean. I have one from Harvard. :)</li>
<li>GPAs are worthless. So many high schools do things differently that I think the schools just recalculate according to their standards, or use percentages in class rank. They even say so, I think. Also, I should add that class rank also isn't everything -- valedictorians are often rejected, and people from the, say, top 10% get in.</li>
<li>Relax. You have three more years until you're allowed to really start panicking about those emails/envelopes coming on Ivy League Day (is it always a Thursday? This year, it is...). And even then, you shouldn't panic.</li>
</ul>
<p>You are never screwed over by one factor, by the way. And I think I know what it's like to be in your shoes -- I'm a middle class Asian female. ;)</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>dont worry! some schools (like Stanford) don't even calculate freshman grades. And you are also taking extremely hard courses so a B in these shouldn't be a problem. And DO NOT xplain how u were off by a point from an A on ur freshman grade. You will automatically get rejected. Good luck with the rest of ur yrs in high school!</p>
<p>wow...ur a HUGE loser....god, u must have no life...who worries about 3 b's????....ur a nerd....enough said</p>
<p>Ultimately, freshmen grades don't mean very much at all in your college application. If anything, I think colleges like seeing your grades improve (as in, it's better to get B's now than two years from now). So just try to keep A's from now on, and there's no need to explain why you got the grades you did.</p>
<p>My God, APUSH freshman year? I hate you, yet I love you.</p>
<p>lol, snoopyiscool thats creepy yo. Our birthdays are like 9 days apart haha</p>