<p>OK, so I'm a junior planning to apply ED for NYU Stern School of Business. Business is my interest and I'm taking AP Econ next year. I'm also doing an international business seminarish thing at Dickinson College, and a business-related internship over the summer in Korea. But here's the thing....</p>
<p>I did really bad (I mean REALLY BAD) in physics this year (B-, C+, looking at B or B- spring trimester). Science has never been my strength and I've done quite well in bio (B+, A- and A-) and did ok in chem (B, A-, B-). So does this look good, bad or indifferent if I'm planning to major finance? Ovbiously not good, but you know, is it going to hurt me a lot? Science has never interested me (except for frosh year) much at all, and it's been a marginal weakness......</p>
<p>Also I got a C in precal honors (which was too hard of a class for me) twice and now I'm in regular precal and currently have an A. What does that look like? Do I look incompetent because I had to drop out of the honors class (which btw is considered harder than Calc AB) or does it look like either the teacher was horrible or that I simply didn't try? </p>
<p>The real reason was because the class pace was too fast so I couldn't understand a thing...and it's not just me, there seems to be an overwhelming concensus among students in ALL OF HIS CLASSES (not just precal honors) that he is expecting too much and that he's simply too demanding. (I mean come on, my friend who has a 4.03 and has As in all his other classes has a B in that class...that's an indication of something and also the class valedictorian says he's a terrible teacher and that class held her down) The reason I didn't drop after the first time I got a C was because every time I told myself "I'm dropping this class, I'm dropping this class" I get an 89 or something and end up deciding not to. But the thing is the last test of every term and the finals are ridiculously hard, so I end up getting screwed over. Like my grade would drop like 10 points in the last week of each of the terms. </p>
<p>Would this be ok if I wrote an explanation or if my counselor wrote an explanation for it?</p>
<p>BTW stat-wise, here's what I'm looking at:
-GPA: 3.55ish
-SAT: 1940 currently (retaking and expecting 2000+)
-ACT: SAT to ACT translation is 28-29, I'm studying for it over the summer like no other and looking at 30+.</p>
<p>There's really no explanation other than too much work, really. Everyone gets a teacher like that now or then and you just have to work through it. You might end up looking like you're putting the blame on the teacher rather than accepting that the class was too hard for you.</p>
<p>I don't know much about stats for NYU, so I'll just leave you with that.</p>
<p>Math scores are very important at business schools. Having strong math skills is something Stern expects of all students. It's highly competitive and your SAT math and math IIC will weigh heavily there. A 3.5 and a 2000 probably won't get you into Stern. Maybe you should look at some less selective business schools but throw in that application at Stern without counting on it.</p>
<p>With your scores and gpa the only thing that will get you into stern are amazing essays, raising your test scores to above a 2200, and/or great EC's.</p>
<p>Keep your hopes up though, I know kids that got into Ross with a 3.4 because he had amazing business related EC's.</p>
<p>I'm kinda in the same situation as you, except with lower GPA (I'm assuming that's unweighted) and higher SAT =/ I'm flunking miserably in honors physics (like a C- right now LOL class average = 52%), but I did decent in AP Chem (B = A with AP weight) and okay in my other sciences (A- overall bio, B+ overall regular chem, B+/A- freshman sciences)</p>
<p>However I did very well in honors precal (get a supplementary book, it really helps if your teacher sucks majorly) so I think I might just take the SAT II physics come October to show that it wasn't ME that was awful at physics, it was the horrible teacher... (yeah, I'm planning to self study all summer)</p>
<p>As previously stated: math is REALLY important when applying to business schools. Take the SATII IIC and do amazing (750+?) and it would be a good idea to raise your SATs above 2000, yeah (shoot for 2100~2200 range!)</p>
<p>Good luck, I'm thinking of applying to NYU also =P (And possibly NU for business too!)</p>
<p>Well I dropped down to precal....and have a solid A....doesn't that show that I should have had at least a B (due to the honors weight) in precal honors?!?!?!?! Either that or it shows that I don't suck at math, and that the teacher sucks majorly....well I hope Stern AdComs will agree with me on this point....:)</p>
<p>And maybe if I practice my butt off on the SATI for math and then get an 800 math on the SAT(or 36 on ACT math), that can't hurt....I guess, but will it help make up for my horrid experience in precal honors...what do you think? (it seems to be a concensus AMONG ALL HIS STUDENTS that he sucks majorly...maybe I should send in a survey of alll his students' opinions of this particular teacher...I mean 70 people can't be wrong at the same time...)</p>
<p>You know, because when 90% of his students dislike him, there HAS to be some reason why....maybe he's too demanding?!?!?!? Maybe I could have my college counselor write that this teacher is generally considered a bad teacher among EVEN HIS BEST STUDENTS and that I'm actually good at math.....:)</p>
<p>Sometimes, it just isn't your fault. I mean, I have an A in precal!!!! Like he just couldn't teach. I seriously cried after I dropped down because I felt SOOO stupid that I didn't get that stuff the first time. The precal honors teacher just made things more complicated. Extra help didn't help...(I went in once and then he went through the stuff at the same pace he went through it in class...I'm like that doesn't help damn it....I'm coming to extra help because I need you to go thru the stuff more slowly....so I didn't go in again, because he simply wasted my time.) Anyways...I'm done with precal yay (with distinction...got a 100 on the final yay:) )...I guess I could get an A in AB calc to show that I'm actually good at that stuff....:) I seriously should have dropped out during winter term....</p>
<p>Kevster-yeah my computer crashed. The screen decided to stop working. Anyways I hope the Stern Adcoms will agree with me and overlook the fact that I got a C in precal h....hey do u have AIM? Windows messenger won't work on this loaner I borrowed.</p>
<p>No....I'm using a service loaner that I borrowed from the school tech center....so I basically have AIM and that's it and I can't install anything because I don't have Administrator privileges</p>
<p>just thought I would add in my two cents as a parent and teacher -- I would really recommend you not explain a poor grade by saying that it was the teacher's fault.</p>
<p>In college, you are going to encounter difficult teachers, ones you can't understand, ones that don't explain anything, ones that assign you so much reading you wonder if they realize you have other classes.</p>
<p>Learning a subject is the student's responsibility -- and complaining about it being someone else's fault comes across as juvenile and immature -- not what colleges are looking for.</p>
<p>you can say that you learned from the experience -- to seek outside help (not the same teacher, but someone else, an online site, another textbook).</p>
<p>Many kids have the same problem that you did -- it is how they handled it that counts. My guess is that some of the kids did fine because they took other tactics (study group, outside tutor, supplemental textbook). </p>
<p>Grow up, take responsibilty for your learning and figure out what to do when this happens again (and it will -- I guarantee it).</p>
<p>If you want classes that move at a slower pace, with outside help already set up and lower expectations for performance -- look for that in a college. You are not going to find that at NYU Stern</p>