Even with a freshman year like this, could I still get into Yale?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
1

<p>C- in Honors Geometry (Honors Classes are raised one grade in terms of GPA)
C in Honors Chemistry (Honors Classes are raised one grade in terms of GPA)
A- in World History
B- in English I
B- in Spanish I
A- in Multimedia Design
A+ in Concert Band (only counts as half a course)
50+ Hours of Community Service (earning me Honors Community Service)</p>

<p>I didn't play any sports this year, but I performed in the Spring Drama Production and wrote and acted for a school drama festival (which had to be written, practiced, and performed within 24 hours). This year, I also had one successful and two unsuccessful campaigns for student government. I was elected Ninth Grade Class Alternate Representative. My two unsuccessful campaigns were for Ninth Grade Vice President and School Treasurer.</p>

<p>This summer, I am going to volunteer at the hospital where my mom works, volunteer at the local library's children's section, be involved in the school play-readings, get Algebra II tutoring before I take the course, and I'm still in the process of convincing my parents to let me start taking glider plane lessons and get a student glider pilot's certificate!</p>

<p>Even with a freshman year like this, could I still get into Yale University?</p>

<p>Also, here is what I plan on doing in my sophomore year:</p>

<p>My classes for next year are Algebra II, (Honors or Regular) Biology, AP World History, English II, (Honors or Regular) Spanish II, Introduction to Computer Science, and Concert Band.</p>

<p>Next year, I plan on getting Honors Community service again, joining some clubs that are of interest to me, running for the school Cross Country team, joining the Model UN team, joining the Model Congress team, joining the Euro Challenge team, wrestling for the school Wrestling team, working in the technical crew for the fall play, running for school government, perform in the spring play, and write and [act or stage manage] for the school drama festival. I may possibly join the Naval Sea Cadet Corps out of interest in the U.S. Navy. Next summer, I plan on going on a mission trip to Nicaragua, volunteering as a teen leader at my mom's hospital, hopefully attending one of the National Student Leadership Conferences, hopefully getting a Private Glider Pilot's license, possibly take a course at a community college, and hopefully attend the U.S. Naval Academy STEM Summer Program (The things for next summer are all subject to change).</p>

<p>Also, if I am lucky enough to get into Yale, I would want to do Naval Reserve Officer's Training Corps, as it is being brought back to Yale, and be commissioned as a Naval Aviator after graduation.</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

2

<p>Maybe but you would need a great turn around. Don’t pin your hopes on one school. there are many freat schools out there that would fit you.</p>

3

<p>No. Yale does pay close attention to your grades unless you win a 50k science prize or something to make you very attractive.</p>

4

<p>Don’t worry about it too much. If you do very well from here on out, I don’t think that freshman year will be held against you too much.</p>

5

<p>Also, I’m applying for an internship for my Congressman during the fall.</p>

6

<p>With a freshman year like that it is unlikely that you are good enough to get the grades required to get Yale to accept you despite having a freshman year like that…</p>

<p>(If that makes sense…)</p>

7

<p>A couple points to make (I’m a parent of a Yale 2015 student). Lots of people with straight A’s and near perfect SATs get turned down by Yale. That does NOT mean that you need perfect stats to get in (my daughter had near perfect SATs but less than perfect grades). HOWEVER, you need <em>something</em> special to make you stand out, and your grades in Freshman year may be telling you that you are just not cut out for the super-competitive academic track. That’s OK, don’t obsess about it, there are lots of great schools that might be a better fit. But if you truly believe that your frosh grades were an anomaly for some reason, do your best to get great grades the rest of the way through, and make sure you find that special spark that makes you stand out from the hordes of students who have a great record.</p>

8

<p>Whoa…what’s with all the discouragement?</p>

<p>I am a Yale 2015 student and in my experience the Yale adcoms place very little emphasis on isolated incidents of poor performance. What you need to do is to show consistent and rapid improvement. One year of average grades won’t kill your chances unless your grades persist at that level. If your grades improve steeply and consistently for the next three years the adcoms will likely dismiss your freshmen performance as an anomaly. Remember, the adcoms are looking for potential not perfection.</p>

9

<p>vector: If this person gets a 4.0 in both Soph and Jr year and first semester of Sr year, assuming he takes the same # of classes, he’ll only achieve a 3.7 UW GPA overall. He roughly has a 3.0 GPA right now (and I didn’t include the minuses).</p>

<p>In the competitive Yale pool, this is a serious red flag – almost assuredly striking him from any further consideration.</p>

<p>I tell student and parent audiences (when I give my college night talks as an alum voluteer) that if they happen to be one of the handful of that high school’s top scholars, then they are viable candidates. By implication, if they aren’t one of those kids (and without some other serious hook) then, in my opinion, they aren’t viable applicants.</p>

<p>You say it’s an isolated incidence. My definition is a B here and there or maybe a single C in a sea of As. 2 Cs in honors courses and Bs in Eng and Spanish doesn’t seem to fit in the realm of “isolated” incidence. I hope the OP can turn things around but I think reality would say beg the question: why should his “hoped for” 3.71 GPA surpass the many 4.0+ applicants who will also end up on the reject pile?</p>

<p>Donnahleighg: great reply!!!</p>