<p>Note: For my friend who doesn't have an account</p>
<p>My freshman year, I slacked off and focused most of my energy on my extracurricular activities. Due to this, I ended up with a 3.3 unweighted GPA, with a "C" in math. I had been interested in applying to some engineering schools, but does my GPA and my C in math kill my chances at top schools? I plan to have a strong upward trend, but will that even help me?</p>
<p>Tell your friend to relax. Yes, he can get into engineering with a C in freshman math. I would NOT advocate pursuing ECs to the point they affect grades.</p>
<p>It is certainly possible to recover from a single C and a rough freshman year academically and still wind up in an excellent engineering program. Math is a key area for engineering as well as for standardized admission tests. Advise your friend to be sure he/she understands the math concepts well from freshman year. A bit of review this summer won’t hurt.</p>