Hi guys, I had a quick question.
I applied to major in economics at the University of Chicago, but I was one point away from getting an A on my final in my AP Microeconomics class. I love economics and it is hands down my favorite subject. This B was due to a bunch of family problems that arose in the middle of the semester causing me to bomb my first midterm and having a hard time pulling my grade up. It was really stressful and frustrating because I had no control over the emotional turmoil in my own home. I do not want to mention it as I already talk about it as an ongoing problem in my common app, but it is not something I want to talk about to make excuses for my grades. Will this significantly affect my application, being that I want to major in economics? Thanks.
Otherwise, I finished with straight As in all of my other four AP classes including one outside of school. I got a 4.57 GPA.
Don worry about it. Nobody is looking at your app that closely/in that way. It’s a holistic process and people are admitted to the College not to specific majors. That’s before we get to the fact that what grade your HS teacher gives you in the first semester of an AP course is not the same as how well you’ll do on the AP test which, in turn, is not a good predictor of your aptitude/preparation for coursework in economics at U of C. Note that AP MICRO/MACRO doesn’t substitute for or affect your placement in econ classes at U of C – all it gets you is general elective credits.
http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/thecollege/examinationcreditandtransfercredit/#advancedplacementcredit
"Economics Placement Test
Students who wish to begin their economics major with ECON 20000 The Elements of Economic Analysis I in their first year must pass the economics placement test or complete ECON 19800 Introduction to Microeconomics. No standardized external exams (IB, AP, A-Levels) will substitute. The placement test will be offered Monday evening of the first week of Autumn Quarter."