<p>Overall then, for my transcript, is this considered a significant downward trend?</p>
<p>Frosh
Honors Algebra II: A
Honors Geometry: A
Honors English: A
Honors US: A
Honors Bio: A-
Honors Spanish: A</p>
<p>Sophomore
Honors Precalc: A-
Honors English: A
AP Euro: B+
Honors Chem: B
AP Music Theory: A+
Honors Spanish: A+</p>
<p>Junior
AP Calc BC: B
AP English: A-
APUSH: A
Honors Spanish: A
AP Bio: B-</p>
<p>@pianogeek: you’re a bit too obsessed with whether you have a downward trend. As many others have stated, the slight decrease in grades in harder classes do not represent a trend. That said, for the Ivies, your somewhat lower grades in math (A- in precalc, B in calc) and science (A- in bio, B in chem, B- in AP bio) will not be ignored.</p>
<p>A- is considered low?! Geez. Science isn’t my forte, obviously. Maybe if the majority of my low grades are in science, they’ll at least consider that it’s not because I’m lazy, but that science doesn’t really click for me. </p>
<p>@pianogeek: not low, but lower. Ideally, you don’t want it obvious that (as you note), science isn’t your forte.</p>
<p>What did you get on the AP test? This score can override the letter grade. </p>
<p>@pianogeek, I agree with most of the responses that it isn’t a “downward trend,” but I would like to relate my son’s experience of receiving a grade lower than he thought he deserved as a sophomore. He’s mostly a math/science kind of kid, but nevertheless thought that his work in US history wasn’t being fairly graded by the teacher. He didn’t bring it up to the GC nor did he say the teacher was incompetent (although we all think there was something personal going on), but in addition to taking the AP test (5), he decided to take the US History SAT2 test which he originally had not intended to take, and got a 780. Most importantly, he then put the matter out of his thoughts, and went and did something productive. </p>
<p>I don’t know if his grade was noticed at all by the Adcoms, but it did NOT keep him out of his first choice school. </p>
<p>I still don’t get, even if you’re interested in theory, choosing an Ivy (unless Yale or Columbia) over Rochester or UMich or Cal (except for name-chasing or you see this as your ticket in to consulting or banking or something like that).</p>
<p>If you’re gonna get Bs, isn’t it at least better to get it in one subject area instead of scattered all over? How do I subtly show/emphasize that I got Bs because I focused on my ECs and doing the things I love? </p>
<p>I am not submitting my AP score for calc. Maybe for bio.</p>
<p>I will say this for the last time. I included “ivies” in the title to mean that some of the most competitive of schools on my list are ivies. I am only applying to a few of them, not all. I am also applying to other schools that have strong music programs, but are not as competitive and picky in admissions.</p>
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<p>You show them how much time you spend on those ECs and what you have accomplished in them. </p>
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<p>How? By focusing on your ECs and doing the things you love. That’s the subtle way to do it. </p>
<p>Have some faith in the Adcoms. IME, they are almost uncanny in their ability to see past the numbers. Of the 100 or so students that I had (mostly second-hand) knowledge of in the past season, there were only two instances that caused head-scratching, and fwiw, maybe the Adcoms got those right too. </p>
<p>I must say, I hope that what seems like a petulant and self-centered attitude on this thread is not the real you, because if it is how you will represent in your essays, it will not end the way that you’re hoping for. </p>
<p>ETA, sorry @ohmomof2, our posts crossed in the night</p>
<p>@IxnayBob what do you mean by those two instances?
I wouldn’t call this petulant, but just concerned. I’m really trying to present the best application possible with what I have. </p>
<p>@pianogeek, Oh, those two instances were just surprises for us, one on each side of the ledger. </p>
<p>One was rejected by his first choice, and he was a kid who I expected to get in. That said, it was an incredibly selective school, and he got into a first-rate school that was his second choice.</p>
<p>The other one was accepted at a school I didn’t think she had much of a shot at, and I think that she knew it wouldn’t be a good fit, because she will be attending a school that technically was a lower rank but that was a much better fit.</p>
<p>I’m not usually a Pollyanna, but I think just about everyone I know will be attending a school that is appropriate and at which they’ll thrive.</p>