Didn't care about academics until now - can I fix my situation?

[pyradax]

<p>

Why? What on earth do you think a 36 will do for you that a 35 will not? Either way, your tippy-top ACT score will be paired with mediocre grades, which is a red flag for a lot of colleges.

My school offers free ACT testing once a year. Next year I’ll be sure to get a 36. Of course, that might not happen, but I’m fairly sure it will.</p>

<p>

A lot of them will. And, honestly, they should, if the reason you got lower grades than you’re capable of was that your teachers wanted you to do more work than you felt like doing. College is not just about being smart. A lot of it is about persevering, and producing the requested product, even when the work is tedious.

I’m not a lazy person. I’m ready to do the work. I was hoping my senior year (and current junior year, where I’ve been doing fairly well) could prove that.</p>

<p>I was just immature in my earlier years of high school. That’s not uncommon.</p>

<p>

I am afraid [that you would have trouble being admitted to the University of Chicago].

Really? I’ve already received a couple of brochures from UChicago. I guess that’s not worth what I thought it was.</p>

<p>

Do you mean to say that you got less-than-stellar grades in 9, 10 and 11?</p>

<p>If so, you’ll have a problem because you’ll have, at most, one semester’s worth of good grades when you apply to college. There will be colleges and universities that will be willing to take you if you have top ACT scores and OK grades, but they won’t be top-flight colleges and universities.

A 3.6 is still an A and, from what I’ve read, not a bad GPA.</p>

<p>

With strong grades from junior year and the first semester of senior year, a larger number of colleges and universities would take a chance that your academic turnaround is legit and not just a temporary phenomenon.</p>

<p>But either way, I think Chicago isn’t realistic. I think Chicago will be able to fill its entering class with applicants who have excelled from the ninth grade onward.</p>

<p>I am sure this isn’t news you want to hear, but I believe there’s very little you can do to “fix” your situation, if by “fix” you mean “make it as if this never happened.” The best you can do, IMO, is to adapt to your situation by making a realistic list of safety, match, and reach colleges to apply to, given the credentials you’ll be putting forward.

There’s a smaller college in my area I feel comfortable going to (Louisiana Tech). I don’t see why I wouldn’t be accepted there. </p>

<p>

Sorry I don’t have a more favorable opinion to give.

Thank you very much for your answer, but compared to things I’ve read (on this very site), it seems to me that you’re being overly critical. Are you sure I’m in such bad shape with just a 3.6 (that’s my normal GPA, not college)?</p>

<p>

■■■■■? A- for accomplishment. F for insecurity.

Why would you think I’m a ■■■■■? Also, I’m not insecure. I’m just concerned about my academic standing right now (is that really so unnatural)?</p>