<p>Hi,
I'm currently a first business year student at UBC and my GPA for my first term was only 2.0/4.0. My second term GPA is much better at 3.85/4. The reason my GPA was so low during my first term is because I was spending a lot of time starting up my own business and getting it lifted off the ground. My business is an internet software company (created entirely by me with no help from others) and is registered under my own name. The net profit of my business is averaging at $10,000/month, and has been consistently earning that figure for 3 months now with absolutely no signs of stopping.</p>
<p>If I get a GPA of 3.8 or higher for my second year and if my business continues earning these figures, do you think Ivy League schools will overlook my terrible first term GPA considering how successful my business is? </p>
<p>First of all, CONGRATULATIONS on your successful business. It is not easy to manage a business while attending college full-time.
That being said, starting and growing a business while in college can be seen as a good additional factor to your application. However, most schools including IVY’s may not overlook a low GPA in favor of a successful business.
It is like something is giving up here and in this case, it happens to be your grades. Like many have enrolled in these schools only to drop-out when they see their business growing faster than they imagined. Who is to say that will not be you.
So as much as colleges celebrate your personal successful ventures, they would like to also see you do well in your classes, and most importantly GRADUATE. and not just make the drop-out-rate statistics.
I would say, apply broadly (mix other great schools along with the IVy’s) and see how it turns out. If it does not work out, you can always graduate and then apply there for your graduate school, that is if your are interested in grad school. That will also give them a comprehensive look at your improvements over the four years and just just one year.
Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>A quick reality check - you might be surprised how many applicants have businesses, which profit at least $10,000/mo. You will be in good company actually, so do not count on that because you will not be unique. </p>
<p>In fact, I would not focus on the business too much because what if there are 50 applicants with businesses that profit $25,000/mo and a few are $50,000/mo, which there are bound to be? Then yours looks kind of weak. </p>
<p>Your application would be strongest if you focus on the personal qualities you needed to get the business going, the creativity necessary to develop it, the perseverance required, what you learned running it, and how you plan to be part to the school community.</p>
<p>Great points “awcntdb”.</p>
<p>Thank you guys for the extremely helpful feedback. Sounds like my first term GPA has almost (if not completely) destroyed my chances of transferring into an Ivy League. With that being said, is there ANYTHING at all I can do before next year’s application process that would increase my chances of getting into an Ivy League?</p>