<p>I'm in the top 5% of my class (3.89 UW & 4.65 W), excellent EC's (4 presidential spots & more stuff), 447 volunteer hours, I feel great about my essays, sent arts supplements, 29 on the ACT (only weak point, but Vassar superscores, so 30), and I'm Hispanic & gay. I'm applying to Brown (ED), Vassar (ED II, if I don't get into Brown), Tufts (RD), Bowdoin (RD), FSU, and UF.</p>
<p>I know Vassar requires first quarter grades and Brown sometimes considers them. I had been hospitalized over the summer because they thought I had cancer and other illnesses possibly, and it stretched into my school year a little bit. I missed about at most 8 days in school, but was emotionally stressed to the max about being ill. I'm sufficiently better now without cancer, thankfully, and I don't want Brown or Vassar to look down upon my quarter grades.
Should I send an explanation with these grades or are they not going to keep me out of the school, seeing as my past grades are much, much better? If so, will the explanation make up for it? I'm really scared. </p>
<p>AP Chemistry - B
AP Government/Econ Honors - A
AP Physics B - A
Debate 4 Honors - A
AP English Literature - A
Anatomy/Physiology Honors - B
Drama 4 - A</p>
<p>Even a short yes or no would suffice…</p>
<p>Clearly, you think I’m being pretentious. I know that my grades this quarter would be thought of highly at most universities across the country, but I’m not applying to any school… I hope people understand the seriousness of my post and look at the academic competitiveness the schools I’m applying to attracts.</p>
<p>Those schools are reaches for anyone. Clearly a B in the first semester/quarter is not going to be a deciding factor. You mentioned you are hispanic. That might give you some URM boost. No one here can say ‘yes’ or no. I think you have a great chance. Dont worry about quarter grades. It might even come up to an A by semester end. Again that is not going to be a big deciding factor. Good luck</p>
<p>popcharlie </p>
<p>IMO, the best way to bring a situation like this to a college’s attention is through your guidance counselor. He/she will be required to write a letter of recommendation to any school to which you apply. One purpose of this letter is to call things to the colleges’ attention that might not come through on the application.</p>
<p>This being said, I wouldn’t be concerned that 5 As and 2 Bs would hurt your chances in any event.</p>
<p>Wow, you have an incredible track record and them go and mess it up like that in the first quarter of senior year…Ivys don’t take excuses. They are just really not looking for someone who will slack off like that with any excuse…too many other applicants with more competitive stats, so I’ll go ahead and be blunt and say you should probably just get Brown out of your head. Also, what does gay have to do with anything? Is there a sexuality check box on the application? Hmmm.
Fsu and UF are a possibility now, but I see you’re in Florida, so may I recommend this great school in Orlando?? Valencia!! Might as well save the money.</p>
<p>I highly doubt the B’s will play even any role in admissions, a quarter isn’t very long and a single poor test score can significantly weight that grade down. As long as you aren’t making like straight B’s and are taking hard classes then it’s fine. I am taking 6 AP’s (8 tests worth of AP’s) and I have a B right now in an advanced calculus class where very few people get A’s. I applied to Duke ED. I’m not worried though, and neither should you. Good luck with Brown!</p>