In high school, I was very bored and unmotivated, I was taking the hardest classes available and got As on tests while barely studying but didn’t do homework because I viewed it as menial. As a result, I have a low GPA. How can I best explain this on my college essays?
Right.
From your other thread, you asked
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Which narrative is the real one?
You need to seek out and apply to colleges that fit your actual academic stats. Using your college essay to make excuses for your GPA because of gaming/boredom won’t help your case.
@MrElonMusk They both are, I wasted most of my free time playing games
In all honesty neither are good explanations, but the best thing to do is to listen to @happy1 suggested and apply to schools within your range, with a few reach options. Emphasize your strengths rather than trying to explain away your weaknesses.
A few years back there was a guy in my city who was a brilliant chess player, a FM in HS, but that’s all he ever did, study chess all day and night. Probably didn’t help that his dad was a really high player too, not quite as high but way up there too. Super high test scores but barely 3.0 GPA. Didn’t help that he went to a very academically challenging HS. He righted himself by going to CC for 2 years. Maybe that’s what you need to consider if there is a big mismatch between the school you should be going to and the best school that takes you.
@shawnspencer How will I convince the school that I am capable of being a good student with low GPA(which has high correlation with college success)
I don’t know what your specific stats are, but when I applied to college I had comparatively low grades. For the life of me, I had difficulty getting more than a C in mathematics during most of my years of high school. This caused my grades to dip. When I was applying to colleges, I had some unexpected waitlists, but I also got into the school that I really wanted to get in. I don’t know how – but my guess is that it had something to do with my essays. In those essays I spoke to who I am – and what makes me come alive. I had a pretty good application aside from that – but the point is it isn’t the end of the world.
Yes you will face some challenges, but apply to a good range of schools (including good matches and safeties you’d be happy at) and make the rest of your application stellar – the thing you can control. This means standardized tests, letters of recommendations, and perhaps most importantly the essays.
What will happen with the college work you feel is menial? What about once you are employed and your job requires work you feel is menial?
I think the problem is that your SAT scores will show the college you are capable but your record will indicate, rightly, that you didn’t apply yourself. You got As without studying. It looks like you haven’t yet learned to work hard at anything.
I believe you stated that your GPA is 3.2. There are many good colleges that will welcome a student with your numbers. You could start by looking there. Then you can either stay and make good use of the four years or do extremely well and transfer.
If I can portray myself as hard working through my essays, would I have a chance of getting into a decent university (USC,UCLA)
You can say anything you want in an essay, but you need your Stats to backup the idea that you are hardworking and your GPA does not show that at this point. UCLA/USC with a 3.2 GPA, unless you have a compelling reason for that GPA, is not going to happen. As other posters have stated, you need to find colleges that fit your stats, since your stats cannot be made to fit these colleges.
https://admission.usc.edu/docs/USCFreshmanProfile.pdf
Average UW GPA for USC admits last year was 3.77-4.00
For the UC’s 2017:
Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.00-3.39
UCB: 1.1%
UCLA: 0.9%
UCSD: 0.9%
UCSB: 1.4%
UCI: 3.1%
UCD: 4.1%
UCSC: 14.3%
UCR: 22.9%
UCM: 56.7%
Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.40-3.79:
UCB: 1.8%
UCLA: 2.2%
UCSD: 7.2/;%
UCSB: 10.1%
UCI: 11.1%
UCD: 16.6%
UCSC: 43.8%
UCR: 63.3%
UCM: 88.7%
There are many schools that would love to have you with your current GPA and test scores including some of the UC’s such as UCR and UCM. You need to be willing to widen explore other options than these top schools.
@Gumbymom By compelling reasons, do you mean a hook or something that held you back from succeeding in school (serious illness, divorce, etc)
Menial? A lot of stuff in the world is menial. People in college don’t do homework or projects because they are exciting, but because they are necessary to prove your diligence, tenacity and understanding of materials.
A compelling reason such as illness, death in the family, learning disabilities, homelessness, socioeconomic adversities, but not what you consider a “hook”. Not doing your school work and playing video games are not compelling reasons for a low GPA, since these were choices made by you.
Thank you
I just want to jump in to say that death in the family is not a get out of jail free pass, even it if is a major figure like a parent. It can explain a dip, but not an entire poor record. Moreover, college admission is not a consolation prize. Colleges want to know that you can do the work. So, your record really needs to show that you have overcome the tragedy and will be able to function at a high level going forward. Tragedy is NOT a hook.
MODERATOR’S NOTE:
Closing thread due to ToS violation and OP is no longer active e.