<p>Well I guess people shouldn’t slack, but- really?!
If they doesn’t understand the effort that goes into those grades or the basic human need to enjoy just a few months of our youth without pressure (internal or external thank-you-very-much), then I’m not sure I mind not being accepted.
I know this is old but for future reference (possibly my own…) I’d write back saying I got involved with the non academic things that I care about and send them a letter signed by current teachers that vouches for my integrity as a student
Out of curiousity, do you think they’d prefer if the B was due to a hard chapter, half-assed assignments, or missing assignments?</p>
<p>I doubt that the B’s were interpreted as being indicative of a faltering intellectual capacity. I think the B’s indicate that, in the case of this applicant, s/he lacks situational awareness.</p>
<p>It’s important for academically-focused students to be aware that acceptance to (and entrance into) college is a beginning and not an end. If you’re starting something important, you should hit the ground running. For a student capable of A’s, a slate of B’s across-the-board is a signal that they disengaged academically once they were accepted at Yale.</p>
<p>Yes, high school graduation is a milestone, but it’s not really like much of anything has been completed on the academic highway where this student seems to have put everything into neutral. Same with an offer of admission to Yale. It’s not an achievement; it’s an invitation to achieve in the Yale community. I think – for this particular student – those B’s are a strong indication that the student has no grasp of these basic concepts as to where he is (not far) and where he’s going (nowhere if he doesn’t “get it in gear”).</p>
<p>It’s difficult to restart yourself from a stopped position and then hit stride again as you enter a serious academic setting. Starting off with a cold engine is no recipe for success in college. So, yeah, enjoy your senior year and have a graduation party and feel good about what you’ve achieved so far, but things are really just starting. Your adult life has not even begun, so it’s totally arrogant to think that – academically – you can kick back and coast into Yale (or any academically intensive environment).</p>
<p>I’d be surprised if lots of these letters don’t go out from Ivy League admission offices. So many applicants have been so focused for so many years on the goal of getting accepted to an Ivy that I’m sure a good many of them think that seeing a singing bulldog means they’ve achieved their goal and crossed the finish line. Some of them might understand that there’s plenty of life ahead of them…but, of those, I bet there are many (probably like the OP) who think that those adventures begin during orientation week and they’re entitled to some kind of extended 6- or 9-month holiday from their life’s pursuits. This letter is a great “get over yourself” reminder that parents, teachers and guidance counselors should be reinforcing the next few months – before it comes down to a letter in the mail from the admission office.</p>
<p>I am aware that this thread is very old, I just wanted to throw in my 2 cents.</p>
<p>I think Yale is afraid of overachievers who while may deserve to be at Yale, might be too burned out to be successful their freshman year. By slacking off second semester, you show Yale that while you’re capable of doing strong work, you might not be mentally engaged to do so at that time.</p>
<p>I managed to finish senior year without a drop in grades, but this definitely happened to me, as well as a number of my friends. My grades freshman year at Yale were not as strong as they could have been. While I’m showing progress each semester, it still hurts when I apply to internships and majors and when I will finally apply to graduate school or a full-time job. </p>
<p>I really regret not taking a gap year, because I feel like it would have helped me to calm myself down for Yale and realize what I’m really doing here.</p>
<p>really all Bs??? you’re the first one… i know. how bout 3 Bs and 3 As lol</p>
<p>i would have to say yes .your chances of getting into yale are pretty much over unless you have an amazing excuse.</p>
<p>^^Since this thread is for the Class of 2014, the OP is either a current fr or not. Closing.</p>