<p>I haven't been given my fixed GPA yet. I calculated rough GPA based on this:
A=4
B=3
C=2
D=1
so I calculated my freshman year GPA.
It came out to be a 3.5/3.55 (not sure yet which). I took about 4 honors classes(non-honors were Art and Health/PE) and AP US History. (All of my classes were sophomore-level classes with the exception of Art, Health/PE & Spanish 1H)</p>
<p>My sophomore year final grades haven't arrived yet. So I calculated a min/max (Again, all classes are junior-level classes, except Health/PE, French 2H):
It ranged from a minimum 3.68 to a max 4.18. This had 4 honors courses and 1 AP Physics class. </p>
<p>A few notes:
My school has no non-honors classes for the core curriculum (English, Mathematics, Sciences, History, World Languages) and all of my non-honors classes are dues to the lack of honors classes, they are electives.
I am taking four APs next year (I perform better in APs, maybe because they are actually challenging).
And Anywhere from five to six APs senior year (if I take Calculus BC or AB)
OOh and my school has no semesers. In case that helps, at all.</p>
<p>My ECs are still building, so far I have two years of Key Club (Running for division position next year (all-city)), a year of help at a clinic, didn't continue because it wasn't what I liked doing, about 170 hours of help to children (mentally challenged and not) this year, and over the summer I will be going to India to volunteer at this nationally recognized volunteer service- Manav Sadhna at their HQ (to help poverty-stricken, educating their children, food, clothing, etc.) and will be interning at the Indian Space Research Organization (at either the Physical Research Lab, Communications Tech Lab, and Astrophysics Lab).
Just so you know, I attend schhol at McNair Academic High School in Jersey City NJ, we were ranked at about 48th in the nation for the past ten years, with periodic declines and rises(?).</p>
<p>Does this sound good?</p>
<p>If that is weighted GPA, no chance. If that is unweighted, maybe, but I’m not sure how you calculated up to a 4.18.</p>
<p>Anyways, though, Princeton doesn’t look at freshman grades.</p>
<p>My school only sends weighted GPAs. I am a soph now, two years left. So I have no chance right? </p>
<p>Crap. :(</p>
<p>Unweighted max for this year comes out to be around a 3.87.
But my school doesn’t send that.</p>
<p>Err, I probably should NOT have said “no chance”. If you ignore your freshman year grades, I’ll bet your GPA goes up. Besides, you have Junior year to help that weighted GPA; take as many AP’s as you can handle.</p>
<p>Also, your school might have grade deflation, so class ranking is probably more important. If you are in the top 15% or so, these grades won’t hurt you.</p>
<p>So no, you still have a chance. Perhaps it will be slimmer than average, but certainly possible, assuming you can bring your GPA up junior year.</p>
<p>
Unless you attend one of the absolutely most elite schools in the country, this advice is misplaced. There are very few high schools where an unhooked applicant outside the top 3% has much of a chance. Princeton has no reason to look beyond the very top few scholars at most high schools, with generally the only exceptions being those from elite prep schools where a disproportionate number of applicants are well qualified, recruited athletes, and a relatively few other hooked applicants.</p>
<p>^ It’s a holistic process. I don’t think they will discount an otherwise qualified applicant with stellar essays just because they are “outside the top 3%”</p>
<p>I’m not saying the OP has a great chance, or even much of a chance, but that doesn’t mean he won’t get in based on class rank.</p>
<p>What I’m saying is that his grades might be good for his school and simply the result of grade deflation; he hasn’t given us anything to compare them to. I’m not saying being in the top 15% will get you in.</p>
<p>I think I do fall in the top 15%, and I am sure I will have great Recs from my teachers, they do love me and one teacher actually asked me if she wanted my recs for any programs because she loves my performance as a student in her class. I can’t explain properly here how she has loved me as a student ever since freshman year and now wants me in her AP Writing class next year, which I am taking. I also have great relations with my principals and counselors because of my contact with them when I was starting my school’s Harvard Model Congress club and Debate Committee.</p>
<p>I know I have the Recs and References part covered, I was just worried that my GPA wasn’t up to par. I took my first SAT in the beginning of the year and got a 2200.</p>
<p>I was worried about those and my ECs.</p>
<p>Symbiosis, I would encourage you to work hard and go for it! Why not? The worst they can say is no…but they may say yes! I know of a number of admitted students who were actually shocked that they got in. And if Princeton does say no, someone else will greatly appreciate all the great things you have to offer. Just don’t quit before you give it a real shot. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks Cantiger! You know, i will give it my best shot! Thank you! no sarcasm really, i was really down about this, but heck, i will sdo the best i can! THanks!</p>