In middle school I took Algebra 1, Geometry and Biology. In these courses I earned a B in them because I was unaware that they would appear on my high school transcript. Now in high school I saw that my GPA was really low for some reason, and then I realized that its because my middle school grades are included. My first semester I had a B in algebra 2 and English 1 pre AP. For my second semester I had a perfect 4.0 UW, leaving me with a 3.85 for my first year of high school, which is not to bad, but with my middle school grades it drops me down to a 3.65.
I did the math, and I realized that even if I maintained all A’s through junior year it would bring up to a 3.85(Where I am right now without my middle school grades.) Without them I would end up with a 3.95.
I am taking very advanced courses compared to my peers, for example I am the only sophomore taking AP calculus AB and one of few taking AP physics.
I am currently freaking out about my college admissions in the future, because of my “low” GPA (when it has the middle school grades.) I am aiming for the Ivy league schools or other top schools in the nation.
What would colleges do when considering my application? Will they disregard the middle school earned grades? If someone can please tell me what I should and can do it would be much appreciated.
P.S. If you are going to say that I don’t need to think about this now because I am just a sophomore, please don’t hit the post button.
I don’t think your middle school/junior high grades should have much of an impact at all if you show an upward trend. Nobody can say for sure how much Duke will look at those grades, but I would think they’re heavily discounted. In fact, freshman year grades are even discounted in many cases in which a student has shown major improvement. I know there used to be certain schools that completely threw out freshman year grades from even consideration (e.g. Michigan). A 3.85 GPA (where you are now) is honestly right in the thick of where you should be for Duke and is not low (assuming you have taken the hardest courses available to you and go to a solid high school). Just keep working hard and things will fall into place. Good luck.
Probably you have already checked this, but some schools have the options of listing high school classes taken in middle school as P/F (you get the credit but it won’t count towards the GPA). In fact, this is the default option in my son’s school - one needs to write a letter to school principal to have the letter grades listed. Fortunately, my son has As in each of the four high school classes he finished in middle school, so we will be better off having the listed.
Colleges will almost certainly disregard your middle school grades. Having a 3.8+ GPA will make you competitive enough then its on to other parts of the application. Remember that a strong upward trend is incredibly impactful.
That’s the same with me. My school factored in my middle school grades, and my gpa is low because of them. I am hoping that when I apply to schools in the future, they recalculate my gpa without the middle school classes.