<p>ok so im freaking out now, i was hoping exams would help my semester grades, but they didn't
across my past 6 semesters ive had 8 b+s and the rest As</p>
<p>this semester i ran into a number of problematic teaching styles and testing methods and now have a B+ in 5 of my classes and a B in bc calc(the most advanced math class at our school consisting of the best math kids whove never got anything but As in math, and everyone student in the class has below a B+, so frustrating) </p>
<p>is this going to look as ugly as im thinking it is, and will it be taken as a downward trend? i <3 williams, what do you think adcoms will think in looking at my application?</p>
<p>Yes, you have reason to worry. Adcoms prefer to see steady upward improvement in grades as students mature. I doubt you should "freak out", though. If you are as good of a student as you appear, you will be happy at whatever school you get into, whether that be Williams or another school.</p>
<p>well i beg to differ...if you're a minority/legacy/athlete/lo-socioeconomicwhatever/from a rural area...no prob!!!</p>
<p>if you have all A's, high sat and sat iis, good recs, good activities, and 2 B+s but are white, from the northeast, and with educated parents then you're screwed (a little bitter)</p>
<p>I know that this is a stressful time for everyone waiting to hear from college-- I was there myself a few years back. I'll just share my own experience, to prove that a few B+'s will not kill you (or earn you a rejection from Williams, for that matter). I had plenty of B+'s on my transcript, along with my fair share of B's and at least one or two C+ that I can think of. I'm not from an underrepresented group, either ethnically or geographically. I am also not a recruited athlete. I just had other things going for me. I can't tell you what got me in, but it must have been some of these: my very competitive high school, high board scores, my dedication to certain activities/jobs that I think I wrote about fairly eloquently in my essay. My experience is not unique, either. The good people in the admissions office think long and hard about these decisions, and I'm sure you gave them plenty to think about.</p>
<p>These things are entirely impossible to predict, and at a certain point (like, say, after you sent your applications out) things are out of your hands. If you go to Williams, you're going to have to get used to not getting straight A's, so you might as well start now.</p>
<p>To be honest DiscoLemonade, I'm a bit surprised you didn't get in. What did you write your essay about? Do you get along well with your teachers/peers.</p>
<p>Generally folks with your stats would be super-competitive in the ED pool</p>
<p>It's hard to answer this without knowing more about your school. Your guidance counselor is probably in the best position to answer your question. What grades have past Williams acceptees at your school had?</p>
<p>high school is a private prep schools, and ive taken the most difficult course load that the schools ever seen (which now that i think about it is pretty cool), but the only other kid to ever get accepted or even apply to williams was a recruited athlete with scores and such just a notch lower than mine</p>
<p>is it possible to pressure the coach to give me a spot on the recruit list? i believe hes saving his spots for people who are more on the borderline of getting in, but he aslo doesnt know that my mid year report wont be a nice completion of the package im putting forth...</p>
<p>Speed, it's really hard for any of us to say - senior grades are looked at, but overall you've got a great record and great stats to date, BC calc is a tough class and B+'s in other rigorous courses are hardly bad either. Williams will also be looking at what you are presenting on the rest of your application. </p>
<p>A Williams admissions officer told me last summer that Williams does call schools in March to get third quarter grades of some students as they are making their decision - so put your effort into making sure you do as well as possible in the next quarter. If you do really well - proactively send off the 3Q grades. (And it couldn't hurt to contact the coach and make sure the coach knows that Williams is your first choice (if that is the case)).</p>
<p>im in the same situation speed, and after hearing what jrpar and bex said, it makes me feel a bit better. Working extra is not a problem, but taking 5 AP classes is just killer. But I trust the Williams adcoms to choose based more on senior grades. For someone as qualified as yourself, I wouldn't worry. Me on the other hand... I should be worrying =P</p>
<p>mikeyd, my main essay (which is basically all they request though i added a mini extra in extra info) i really like actually, i can send it to you if you want. </p>
<p>as for my teachers i think both of my recs are atleast good, i had one teacher 2 years and did very well, and my english teacher the one who doesn't give A's at all thus one of the B+'s is known to write great recs. and as for my peers, i get along with pretty much everyone and have a great group of friends.</p>
<p>i may have sounded like a cynical person with a bad attitude in the initial post, maybe that's why you question my character, but i'm actually a rather positive person and i definitely don't have any personality problems haha.</p>