<p>I just found out that I received a C in Honors Physics as my final grade for the year and am devastated. I needed an 84 on the final for a B and got a 77, so my final grade is a 78.9, but my school doesn't do +/- so it will just show as a C to colleges. I took all honors classes and one AP this year and received all A's in the rest of them. Do I need to give up hope for schools like Vassar, Middlebury and start looking at less prestigious schools? I don't have AMAZING SAT scores to save me nor am I a varsity athlete, lead in school play, etc. I have been a Girl Scout for 12 years and am receiving my Gold Award, am editor in Chief of my school newspaper, receive service awards every year (I don't see these EC's as particularly strong). I am ranked 26/582 in my class. Anyways, my original question was- will the C kill my chances at top schools and should I begin looking at less prestigious schools? </p>
<p>To be honest it may put you in a tough spot. What are you intending to study in college?</p>
<p>I think aside from the C, having only one AP class may not suggest a high degree of rigor in your schedule. How are your ACT/ SAT scores?</p>
<p>Absolutely apply to your dream schools just make sure you apply to a couple of solid match schools and a safety. Best of luck.</p>
<p>P.s. as an A student the C must be hard to swallow, can you make that a learning experience for yourself? Have you thought about what you could or should have done differently? Maybe facing this adversity will make you a better student.</p>
<p>If you don’t intend on being a physics or science major, it may not hurt you that much. Colleges know that science and math classes are generally hard, so if your major is in no way related to that, you might be okay. My daughter had B’s in math every year and a few B’s here and there, and still got into Swarthmore, UPenn, NYU, and Northwestern, and Vandy (Legacy). </p>
<p>I am not planning to major in anything in the math/science field, so that is definitely a plus.
Also, Singersdad, it is very rare for a junior in my school to take more than one AP for their junior year. The valedictorian in my class only took two junior year. I will be taking 6 AP’s my senior year. </p>
<p>I have a similar question, will a C+ in ap language and composition kill my chances at HYPSM, I was otherwise a straight A student throughout high school, looking at a stem major, 2300+ sat, 10AP’s by this year, solid extracurriculars (usajmo qualifier)? I’m really worried I might get a C+ In that class.</p>
<p>@emmadenbleyker‌ Don’t worry. A C won’t kill you. If you get rejected from any school, safely know that it was not because you earned one C in Junior year or a few Bs. I know a C is hard to swallow but do not worry! You can still successfully get into HYPMS (if that’s your goal). Despite what College Confidential’s community might have you believe, many students who get accepted into these schools actually have Cs and Bs and sometimes even Ds.
The Transcript is only one part of your application.</p>
<p>@theanaconda‌ Read what I wrote above. The same applies. Don’t worry about one C. Especially in an AP Class! </p>
<p>This is purely personal, but I was accepted to Middlebury with a C on my transcript (a low one at that, 74 in math Junior year!). I don’t think it’ll kill your chances if your app is really strong in other places, maybe take subject tests to supplement your app for the schools that accept them, and make sure your essays are really strong.</p>
<p>Also consider moving your original schools to the reach category, and make sure you have a couple of safties :)</p>
<p>@theanaconda A C in an AP English course probably will keep you out. Because you will be doing college level writing in every major. You don’t need to do science for every major.</p>
<p>I honestly do not know how people are so optimistic about admissions but everyone I’ve talked to confirms that GPA is the single most important factor in admissions and I don’t know a single person that has gotten into an ivy with a C. Couple Bs yes, but never a C.</p>
<p>@kei04086‌ It probably depends on the rigor of your school. My school is notorious for having difficult classes (by Florida standards) so kids tend to get a break when they apply to the top schools.
But I don’t know who’ve been talking to about admissions because most admissions officers would agree that your transcript (not your GPA) is the most important factor in admissions.
This means they look at your rigor, the classes you’ve taken, and the grades in each individual class. Therefore, a great record with a C or a handful of Bs does not keep your out. It is only one aspect of the holistic admission process. No college will keep out a student for a C if everything else is up to par.</p>
<p>@xFirefirex‌
By gpa I meant transcript including course rigor not just the number.
And my school is very rigorous, but that’s not the point. You’re right, a C won’t make you automatically disqualified from the adcoms, but its a huge disadvantage so the rest of your application better be stellar. The difference between a C and a B is huge, and with thousands of straight A students getting rejected, I think you can safely assume a C will hurt you quite a bit.</p>
<p>@kei04086‌ I didn’t mean to come across as rude in my post, but you’re right. It definitely hurts. A B hurts as well.
However, I wouldn’t call it a huge disadvantage. It definitely is a disadvantage, but it isn’t one that will remotely keep you out of the institution. Remember, colleges are looking for a well rounded class so if a student can bring a certain aspect to their class that they cannot find in another applicant, they’ll discount that C much more.
It seems as if you’re trying to say that a C will almost kill your chances at the top schools (correct me if I’m wrong). The fact is, though, it won’t.
Any competitive applicant that has a reasonable chance of being accepted will not be too harmed by a C. If a C keeps you out or hurts you that much in the AdComs eyes, you never really stood a chance.</p>
<p>What schools are you looking at?</p>
<p>So basically HSM and Columbia, and riven are near impossible with a C? I was told I was a pretty competitive applicant for those schools (before I thought I’d get a C+}?
Maybe should I just apply early decision to Columbia even if I like HSM better?</p>
<p>@xFirefirex‌ I disagree. I think it’s possible someone that got rejected could have gotten in if his C was an A.</p>
<p>@shawnspencer‌ I am not looking at ANY ivys so people saying that I don’t stand a chance there with a C, I completely understand that. While Vassar is a very selective school, it is not an Ivy. So please keep that in mind when discussing my chances at the schools I want go get into. My top choices are Vassar, Colgate, Colby, and Loyola University of Maryland (Honors Program).
Thanks for asking :)</p>
<p>xFirefirex wrote
</p>
<p>That’s totally illogical. What does “up to par” mean in your case? Based on what you wrote, is anyone who’s rejected not up to par?</p>
<p>@emmadenbleyker, for the schools on your list, I think a C in physics while you are not going to study science is probably ok. Anyway, don’t worry about what happened. Proceed on your next tasks instead. Good luck.</p>
<p>I refuse to believe that anyone that doesn’t have a massive hook has gotten into an ivy league school with a D on their record. Implausible and ridiculous.</p>