<p>Hello all!</p>
<p>I am currently a junior - and I have a 3.56 GPA (unweighted; 4.04 weighted) right now. I am also in the IB program....I had a rough sophomore year so my grades dropped terribly. I believe I have challenged myself for the most part with IB classes and extra APs and such. I'm very worried about my GPA. I feel like no college will accept me - considering I really wanted to go a great college like Duke or at least in state colleges (and get a good scholarship). Is it possible that I can bring my GPA up to 3.8 by the end of this year or college applying time? I will take extra classes over the summer and possibly dual enroll (summertime). I just want to redeem myself, get a good GPA and I want to get a good scholarship to a worthy school!</p>
<p>P.S. If anyone has other tips, or advice, please let me know (you can PM more details too!)</p>
<p>Thank you :)</p>
<p>Well, what I have been inferring about GPA so far in my “research” is that colleges will be able to judge if you truly deserve those grades. If you or your guidance counselor mentions in your application that you had a rough sophomore year due to whatever valid reason, colleges will take that into account. They’ll also see that you are challenging yourself, and some colleges value that over any number on your transcript. Do what you feel comfortable with. If you’re itching for that 3.8, then go for those extra classes. It definitely can’t hurt if you do well. You have a whole year ahead of you and senior year on top of that. Don’t sweat it! :)</p>
<p>Hmmm okay, I’ll make sure to include that. Do you know which GPA state colleges particularly look at (weighted/unweighted)?</p>
<p>I was in roughly the same situation as you after sophomore year. I will tell you I moved my GPA up quite a bit, and can tell you that I am satisfied as to where it is now as a senior applying to college. It is possible; it just requires a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to attain.</p>
<p>Also keep in mind that your GPA is not everything in an application. Colleges will understand that you can’t play three sports, have a part-time job, cure cancer, and have a perfect GPA. It’s okay not to have perfect grades; it is people who don’t do a lot outside of school that really need to keep their grades up. As for the other students who are extremely busy outside of school, colleges will understand that you can’t possibly have the highest of high grades that those who don’t have ECs have. All in all, do your best, but please do not drive yourself to the point of insanity. You’ll get in somewhere fabulous regardless, I promise it’ll be okay :)</p>