<p>...who wasn't always failing. I'm a junior at my high school and I believe the main reason for my academic unsuccess this year has been taking too many AP classes on top of big activities. Here are my grades as they stand now:</p>
<p>S1
C Honors Math Anal
C AP Art History
A AP Bio
B Mandarin 4 (called IB SL)
B APUSH
B AP Lang
B Orch</p>
<p>for quarter 3 (part 1 of semester 2):</p>
<p>D-, B, B, B, C, C, B</p>
<p>I think I can get english up to a B this week as well as history, and maybe even an A in ap art history (although that's iffy). I have no idea what to do about my math grade. I'm not bad at math; I just need a tutor in it. Last year I got a C/B in honors alg 2 (with the hardest alg 2 teacher in our grade) until I got a tutor where it dramatically shot up to an A, a high one. I got As in every class sophomore year except Chinese (because I'm just not very good at it) and even an A for both semesters in AP Chemistry, the only AP we're allowed to take as sophomores. 5s in the AP exam for that and world history which I self studied. So I'm not stupid. Nor am I slacker, I worked hard last year in chem and this year too, but it seems like I have too much now.</p>
<p>This post is asking for advice on what I can do to make my grades better for college. Can I cover up the math grade somehow? Do I have a shot at UC Berkeley for which I am instater? </p>
<p>ecs:
-volunteer and paid internship working up at Chabot Space and Science Center, each weekend and friday nights too. I am part of a team there that is learning to use the Planetarium and make shows on a new software for it, for which I'm paid. </p>
<p>-field hockey
-music</p>
<p>I've got high points and very low points on my transcript. What do I do?</p>
<p>Honestly, these grades seem too low for Cal. Most of those admitted to UCB have very, very high grades & test scores. If you definitely want to go there, you may have to first go to community college & transfer.</p>
<p>is that still viable? I wouldn’t love to do that, but I would if that was the only way to get in (I live in Berkeley so it is just too good a deal not to go). However, with the budget cuts my friend was telling me you can’t do that anymore.</p>
<p>Augh! I hate when smart kids are pushed too far, too fast. Some flowers are daffodils and bloom bright and early – some flowers are roses that take a little more time and sunshine to get going. </p>
<p>What about this choice: Watch “The Race to Nowhere” with your parents (a recent documentary about how crazy we are making teens). Trade out your two or three most miserable classes for something fun (ceramics? horticulture?). Look at some colleges that are happy, smaller ponds. (Linfield or Williamette or Pacific College in Oregon. Western Washington University is another. I’m sure CA has some too). </p>
<p>Instead of beating yourself up that you aren’t a marathon runner, how about a scoop of ice cream and trotting off to find the reggae band dance troupe that make your heart
sing? Get off the rat race wheel now, before you die a long, miserable death. At least think about it . . . Good luck!</p>
<p>Many, many students take their first two years at California community college and then transfer to Berkeley. Check out the UC Transfer threads on this board, to see the dozens of CC students who are trying this year.</p>
<p>Thank you Olymom. Dear CoolRunning, the world is not passive and neither are those who encourage children to step back. Starting blocks in school to race through life to obtain … what exactly? Dogs hunt, children should not have to.</p>
<p>I was thinking more along the lines of tangible things your kids have done to fix situations like mine…rather than ideals. Ideals are all good and stuff, but they won’t get you into a top school at this point in time, which is kind of sad.</p>
<p>Why are you taking all those AP classes? AP classes are at the least time consuming. You need to take a good look at yourself and your capabilities…if you are studying an appropriate amount of time and giving it your best but are still contstantly juggling the plates well…you are juggling to many plates.</p>
<p>This is a lesson you need to learn anyway for college. Do not bite off more than you can chew. If you need extra time to keep up with math you needed to allow that extra time with your schedule by balancing a time consuming class with a less time consuming class. It’s a shame someone couldn’t have helped you craft a more manageable schedule. Do the best you can at this point. It will be a tough year and clearly your transcript will take alittle hit this year but see where you are this summer and plan your senior year class schedule and your college list for fall accordingly.</p>
<p>Either get a math tutor, or ask for help from one of the top people in your class. Do before or after school work with your teacher. Seek out the top students in any of the classes you are having more problems with–both of my kids were more than happy to help fellow students who asked for it…and usually saw great results. Good luck!</p>
<p>You are NOT failing (except maybe the Math). However, you are not doing as well as you would like. So here are some specific things that you can do to turn that around:</p>
<p>(1) Get a tutor for the math. Can you use the same you you had previously, since you already know you work well together? </p>
<p>(2) Talk to all your teachers to see what is bringing down your grade and what you can do to pull it back up. Ask about extra-credit, too. Keep going back and talking to them, as necessary.</p>
<p>(3) Make a checklist of what you need to do for each class, with due-dates. Prioritize what to attack first – highest priority on quick things that will give you points, especially things that will put you just over a grade boundary. Check off each item you finish. Update your checklist regularly, to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. </p>
<p>(4) Use your time wisely on weekends and school breaks. Maybe cut back on your ECs for awhile, if time is a limiting factor on getting your schoolwork done. Can you defer some of your Planetarium work or music to summer break?</p>
<p>Sorry Hobbithill, I stand corrected - even though I still feel you should try and lean back a bit, you are in the middle of it and deserve some better advice. Here are some things we did. Your load seems really too heavy at this point. Was this what your guidance council recommended to you, or did you go overboard? Whatever it is, you need some good advice now for the classes to take in Senior year. If you do not feel your school councellor is up to it, take it to another one. AP’s are good and you seem to have taken plenty of them, - but GPA’s are important as well so ease up a bit and classes that will raise your average. - Did I overlook your SAT or ACT scores - those count heavy too. If you want college credits on your resume, look into Online courses, my D did well with those and you can take one in the summer.<br>
Math stinks of course, ask your teacher, or the guidance office, for a preferably college student tutor. They are less likely to have forgotten yet the specifics of the high school exams - you will need some practical tips as well.
Your EC’s look great! - any chance you can take a gap year and delve some further into those interests - schools like Berkeley look not only into grades and scores - they actually like some interesting students as well.</p>
<p>I like the books " More Attention, less Deficit" and “That crumbled paper was due last week” which both focus on organizing material and finding behavior patterns that work. </p>
<p>DH is a scientist. He was a B ish student in high school. He meandered through college. It wasn’t until he was in his early 20’s that he “caught fire.” He has a PhD, many publications to his name, has work that truly changed lives and is deeply respected by his peers. That history lets me be a little more patient with 18 year olds who may be a bit adrift or unfocused. </p>
<p>We know from brain research that the human brain isn’t fully wired until age 25 (the age that one can rent a car – the car rental companies know some things too!). Incomplete wiring can explain a lot of behaviors.</p>
<p>One can identify what tasks are not going well and either concentrate on building behaviors that complete the tasks better – or one can avoid the tasks, at least for the time being. Either approach can work well. Good Luck!</p>