<p>I feel like I'm about to cry. I don't know what to do; I feel like there's no even point of trying and I just abandon my dreams of going to an Ivy League and instead go to a state school with an acceptance rate of 80%. I'm a sophomore in high school. It's not a regular high school, where even when you take AP classes they're most likely easy. I'm not going to say the name, but it's been named one of the best high schools in the country, so it's a very challenging school. But the thing is, we don't send students to the ivy leagues, most people go to state schools. Anyways, I got 2 Cs this semester, and I worked hard. But I'm a procrastinator, I have to admit. So I got 2 Cs and 5 As. Last year I got all As and a B (and 89% in biology honors). The Cs were in chemistry honors and algebra 2 with Trig. I'm taking 2 Ap classes (ap world history and AP language) this yr and I took 1 (ap us history) last yr. I'm also on the IB path and takin all AP classes next yr. It's my dream to go to harvard but at best my gpa will be a 3.8 (unweighed) when I apply early action during the fall of senior yr. Is this good enough? I feel like I'm a lost cause. Should I set my sights lower and if so where? I would actually love going to my state school, and maybe University of Pittsburg. I'm a hardworker, which is why this de estates me so much. Should I retake the classes (or one of them)? What would this do for me? If this helps, although I don't know why it would, I'm an African American female and a 1st generation immigrant from west africa.</p>
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You need to raise those C’s to A’s next semester. The easiest way to do that is to get a tutor – either a student or teacher – but you need to meet with that tutor every week until you understand the lessons and are back on track with A’s. </p>
<p>HI there! I am sorry you are feeling so badly about your grades. I am a Mom and I enjoy helping my Junior/friends
stay motivated to do their best work ever. Maybe I can offer some advice?</p>
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<li>First of all, are those grades absolutely final? As of when? </li>
<li>How did you find out about them? Online? In the classroom? By mail?</li>
<li>Was your percentage anywhere close to a B? Have you talked to your teachers, and been kind and respectful but also self-advocating in a mature manner? Is it too late to do this? If your teachers knew how you were feeling, do you think they would be supportive?</li>
<li>Assuming it is too late, hang in there.</li>
<li>You will need to try and bring those up next semester. Do you know the grading rubric for those classes? </li>
<li>You should become familiar with how the teachers come up with the grade. For example 50% tests, 30% Labs, 10% Homework and 10% Misc? Stay on top of your grade each step of the way. Always be humble, kind but self-determined. It is your future, after all.</li>
<li>Now…Harvard…I applied early action to Harvard back in 1981 and was deferred and then R. I ended up going to an amazing school elsewhere! I still have my rejection letters from both Harvard and Princeton. But do you know what? In an exciting lifetime I have never met anyone from Harvard. Where did they go? Why aren’t they out having fun? I ask myself. I am hoping they are all leading great lives but here’s my point: Unless you have been to visit 10 other colleges, you have no idea what you are missing. In keeping an open mind, you may someday find yourself on a campus during a tour saying “That’s what I’m talking about!!!” I have toured some schools with my High-Schooler and have been utterly astonished at what’s out there–that I didn’t know about way back then, because I had my mind set on only one school.</li>
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<p>Hey, I gotta run, but write back if you want. Hang in there!!! xoxo-A Mom</p>
<p>Thank you so much!!^^ That made me feel a lot better.</p>
<p>Any more suggestions?</p>
<p>Don’t assume that if you get a higher grade point average that it is easy to get into Harvard. Every person on the planet tries to get into Harvard so you need a reality check. They reject perfect scores. It is a reach for everyone. Just do your best and try to get your scores up so that you can get into some schools.</p>
<p>Also, can you get get a hold of an SAT prep book or start some online self-tutoring and start prepping for your SAT now? Do not delay. </p>
<p>I agree 100% with aunt bea. The fact that you’re on the Harvard forum indicates you likely are too name-brand conscious. If all this improvement is solely focused on a Harvard admit one day, then you’re completely in a fantasy world. No person on earth (except maybe a young woman with the last name Obama) should assume that they’re on a Harvard-path.</p>
<p>Yes, harvard is definitely a reach, I’m in no way getting my hopes up. I just want to keep my stats high in general, so I can apply to competive schools. Even if I somehow got into harvard EA, I would still apply to NYU because I LOVE it. I’m also developing a list of safeties, I would love going to my state school, IU, or Upitt.</p>
<p>Now that I read my original post, I do sound a bit ivy-obsessed. Lol that was a bad day. I say it coming, but I just couldn’t deal with the fact that Id gotten a C on my transcript.</p>
<p>Stop stressing about it. Thats the issue with most students nowadays. Life isnt all about college especially in the glory days of highschool.</p>
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At what point in the class did you see the ‘C’ coming and how did you respond to it?</p>
<p>@JustOneDad In chem, pretty much at the end of the 1st quarter. After this, I deleted netflix and made a rule to not use social media during the weekdays. I would have fared much worse had I not done this. I told my dad I needed a tutor, but he has been unable to find one. But, I regret not doing more to actively improve academically.</p>
<p>UPDATE: I didn’t receive the C in Algebra2 w/Trig, as I had anticipated. I was able to scrape by with a B (81%). So if I get all A’s next semester and Junior yr, I can get a 3.90 (fingers crossed everyone)!!</p>