<p>I had a very bad freshman year. I guess the best way to describe it is that I just didn't know how I learn/study best, as I know now. My freshman year GPA was about 3.1. Now that I've gotten a better handle on my studying, I got straight A's this past first quarter of my sophomore year, and sophomore year is the hardest year by far at my school, so that says something.</p>
<p>However, my absolute dream school is Stanford. I have heard that Stanford doesn't even look at/ask for your freshman grades! Can someone elaborate on this for me? When they say they "don't look at them", does that mean they have them but they just don't use them to influence the decision? Or is my transcript broken up by year and they don't even ask for the freshman ones? </p>
<p>I'd really appreciate some answers, so thanks in advance. :)</p>
<p>No, Stanford does not look at freshman grades. However, Stanford does look at class rank, and freshman grades certainly have a large impact on class ranks.</p>
<p>^I agree. Freshman grades don’t count for much, but they can have a big impact on your GPA/rank. If you have an upward trend/improvement from freshman year, then Stanford might take note of that</p>
<p>Mark23 - It’s still important to realize that Stanford is a reach for everyone, and the majority of kids who get in (except recruited athletes) have a 3.9-4.0 overall unweighted GPA in high school, and are in the top 5% of their graduating class. You should certainly apply, and it’s okay to keep your head in the clouds in case you’re fortunate, but also keep your feet grounded to the earth in case the result isn’t what you hoped it would be.</p>