<p>
</p>
<p>In your situation first semester senior grades matter a great deal. If you can manage a 3.5 or higher GPA for first semester of your senior year you would mitigate some of the concern that your junior year (and earlier?) grades raise. Your high school counselor can emphasize such an improvement effectively.</p>
<p>Also avoid senioritis. Your second semester senior grades can prove to be very important. You are likely to end up on on or more waiting list for some of the more selective colleges to which you may apply. In that situation the second semester grades, if they are very strong, can help you get off the waiting list.</p>