Hi, thanks for choosing to read this! I’m currently really upset at myself because I feel like I just screwed up my chances at getting into a good college.
So I had a really good freshman year, had straight A’s and got a 4.0 GPA. I wasn’t able to do many activities though, but I was involved in my school’s student council for my grade level and volunteered a lot at my Saturday and Sunday school (religious place).
But I messed up my sophomore year, my grades for my first semester are-
Honors Chemistry - C
Health & PE - A
AVID - B
AP World - C (At my school history is a year-long grade, so everything we do is put in. makes it super hard to bring grades up)
Arabic ll - B
Honors English - B-
Algebra ll - B-
I know this isn’t horrible… but it is to me and I was wondering how it will affect everything My third quarter is almost over, but I think all my grades will stay the same except for AVID and Arabic which with third quarter will average to about a B+/A- because I have a high A in those classes right now. But everything else will stay roughly the same and if I really step it up fourth quarter and my finals I think I can have my GPA 3.6 weighted… but I feel like that’s pretty bad. I’m thinking of just retaking Chemistry over the summer to get an A, but it won’t be weighted like an honors class, but I’d rather have an A in that or a C/C+ in honors.
But I had a really good Freshman year (straight A/A-'s) and the reason my Sophomore year has been so bad is that I’ve had some family issues resurface, and that has kept me from focusing. If I kick it up Junior year with more AP’s and the grades I had Freshman year do you think I’ll have chances at a good university?
(Shooting for the University of Michigan)
Also, my ‘hooks’ are that I’m a URM and low-income, but idk how much that affects it. Also how much does your essay affect college decisions? Because I think I have a good prompt, but if you have questions about that I can answer them)
Two things. 1 Do better academically to establish a good, sustained academic record. 2 check the requirements of Michigan and meet them. Know that meeting Michigan standards is good for qualifying for other schools.
THere are 3000 colleges in the USA. One of them will be right for you.
You need to take a look back and see what you think the problem is.
Maybe you were not ready for AP World…Sophomore year is on the early side to take it.
Honors Chem is a tough course.
Maybe the student council + religious school was too much…despite all the talk of ECs on CC, the most important thing is GPA and SAT/ACT. You may need to scale back on the ECs.
Also maybe you need to figure out what you future major is…let us say it was STEM…then take the honors/AP classes in STEM but not as hard classes in humanities (or visa versa)
Are the family issues resolved? Can you talk to your family about how you can concentrate on your studies?
Also, if the family issues were say, a divorce, your GC can mention that on their recommondation as a reason why your grades dipped. But do well next year to show you can do the work.
@bopper Thank you for replying. For AP World I’m really good at the content, I haven’t gotten below an 86 on any of the tests, and the averages for them are usually pretty low. Also, that’s the only AP we can take sophomore year at my school. I am just horrible at writing history essays, I try and try again but I’m never able to score above a C, I also do badly on my SAQ’s as well. And yeah… I see that Honors Chem is super hard now, but I also have a really bad teacher and a majority of her students don’t know what’s going on. She once went to one of the better Chemistry teachers class to explain something when she was absent, and the students didn’t know what she was talking about at all. So… I just feel like I am not learning a single thing from her.
Oh, sorry I should’ve clarified above I only did Student Council freshman year, but I still do religious stuff. I don’t particularly like going, but my father is incredibly religious and forces me to, which wastes an incredible amount of time so I find ways to volunteer at it to get at least something out of it. But this year I do that on the weekends, Model UN, I’m a Fairfax Academy Ambassador, and I do Girl Up and tutor on Saturdays after my religious school. Though it may seem like a lot all the time put together isn’t that much (except the religious school on the weekends, but I doubt my father will ever let me stop, until I graduate that is)
As for my SAT/ACT I take mostly practice SAT tests and my highest was 1460, so if I continue to practice I can keep it up in that range.
I can stand to study better and read through your tips, I’ll try and start with the things I can tomorrow thank you! ^.^
My family issues were resolved but started up again with problems of custody between my biological mom and father.
I also have issues with a stepmom who is abusive, and that’s the main reason for the problems. They are honestly slowly getting worse with the tension between my stepmom and real mom, and my dad doesn’t help to make these situations better.
AP World was the hardest class my D1 ever took, including classes she is now taking in college. In some places it is just a brutal class. Have you met with your teacher to go over your essays? Sometimes, the teacher can let you know what he or she is looking for. He may also have some sample really excellent essays so you can see the style and format.
Re the SAQs. Have you ever gone to your teachers office hours and say that you want to work on perfecting an SAQ? Take one that you have written, and then ask for specific feedback on it. Take that feedback and rewriite. Get more feedback etc until you get an SAQ score you are happy for. Then you will know what is needed.
Otherwise you may be making the same mistakes over and over again.
I once did that with my English teacher…I was always getting B, B- on my essays and I kept workign on it until i got an A-. Then I had a better idea what she expected.
Thanks for helping me! @ everyone who replied to this thread, i ended up bringing a majority of my grades up except AP world, it actually stayed the same. Though, I did just get my AP exam score back and I got a 5 even though I got a C in the class oh well, I’m proud of doing so well especially since I bet my teacher expected me to fail.
Congrats on the grades! That 5 on the AP is vindicating
So, you’re in NoVA, and low income? UMichigan is going to be problematic financially - they don’t meet financial need for out of state students. VA has terrific public U’s though! And outside of your state, you can look at private colleges and U’s that meet full need.
I was going to recommend Questbridge as well, I wish I had found out about it before my senior year.
And about your family situation - is there someone you could talk to at your school? A teacher or a guidance counselor? Custody battles are stressful, but manipulation and abuse are uncountable. If you are in danger please take care of yourself and talk to a trusted adult about your situation.
In terms of college readiness you seem on your way, and I’m sure you will do well. But look out for number one, okay?
OP would almost certainly fall under the 90k/year and 50k assets if he/she/preferred pronoun is from a low-income family - all demonstrated financial need would be met.
I believe UVA and UNC Chapel Hill are also generous with OOS aid. Michigan has only recently gotten generous, and it is not as generous for upper level incomes (although those groups can usually take a financial hit). I think all three would be good bets financially for the OP. Getting admitted to any of them is a huge challenge however, and the OP will have to work hard tor rectify the damage done from sophomore year grades. It is a very uphill battle, but it has been done before.
Oh, I’ve definitely heard of Questbridge and was considering, but me getting that C, would that bring my chances down significantly? There’s so many other talented kids I feel like even with everything I do outside of school it won’t be enough.
@annabanabelle my family situation isn’t like custody battles, but it’s more abuse from my stepmother and at times dad. I want to talk and report it, but I’d feel so horrible if I did, because they have so many other kids to take care of and if they were to go to jail I don’t know what would happen to them.
It is unlikely they will go to jail. However, you guys will receive some support and monitoring. Please know that abuse is serious and it IS NOT YOUR FAULT. It also is harmful for the other kids to be in such an environment. It is unlikely that you will perform well academically under those stressors. Sorry to hear that you are going through this. Good luck.
Oh… I always assumed that if you told they’d go to jail, though that is something my father would tell me, so maybe it was just something to keep my mouth shut. It sucks that schools over though… since I can’t talk to my counselor about it.
@HowardGradly Things are going super well actually! I apologize for the inactivity, but there has been so many changes in my life that I ended up being unable to really spend time here. However, I ended up heeding your advice and reported my father and stepmom. Because of that everything is going incredibly well. I ended up moving in with my biological mom, who is amazing. I’m also doing well in school right now, all A’s in my AP’s and dual enrollment classes. I’m also involved in some clubs, plan to join a sport, and I am in the process of founding a debate team.
oh well, I’m proud of doing so well especially since I bet my teacher expected me to fail.