getting into a great college with a low GPA & upward trend

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
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<p>*note: I am posting this in the Yale section because Yale is my top choice, but I am talking more broadly as well </p>

<p>I was not as enthused about school as most over achievers. I loved learning, and enjoyed each class, but I could not bring myself to do the work at home. So I didn't do well. I took a lot of high school classes in middle school, and they, along with first semester freshman year, are currently haunting my transcript. </p>

<p>I'm going to come out and say I have 2 C's and a 3.7 GPA on my transcript at the moment. I know many of you are cringing right now, as if you just looked at the ark of the covenant. But as soon as I realized that I wanted to become a doctor, I stepped up in school second semester freshman year and have straight A's since second semester sophomore year. I have taken the most rigorous courses offered, become a national AP scholar, have high end standardized test scores, and many EC's that I love. </p>

<p>Everyone tells me to write about what I learned from my mistakes early in high school, and I definitely plan to. What I'm wondering is whether Yale, or any other top school, admission officers will be able to look through the horror of a 3.7 and at the person underneath the grades. </p>

<p>Basically my question boils down to: Will a low GPA automatically eliminate or severely hurt the chances of someone applying to a top school? </p>

<p>Thanks for your time. I know this was probably annoying. For those of you who stayed with me, here is your reward [url=<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIrvpn3k9A4%5DPac"&gt;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIrvpn3k9A4]Pac&lt;/a> Man (R</p>

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<p>@MDNeuroHopeful: Your GPA will not automatically eliminate you from consideration, but realize that Yale has a ridiculously low acceptance rate (6.82% last year). That means that some some students with perfect GPA’s and triple 800’s on their SAT’s are rejected. If Yale is your dream school, then you should apply, but it is a reach school for everyone, including inane posters like cornelliot. As long as you also apply to a broad range of target and safety schools, your upward arc in grades will get you noticed and into a good school.</p>

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<p>Story of my life. I know it’s been a while, but do you mind sharing where you ended up going?</p>

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