High SAT/Test scores but awful GPA: I've got no chance, right?

Applying to College
1

<p>I honestly don't know what to do.</p>

<p>Throughout my school life (I'm a high school senior) right now I have always gotten bad grades in nearly all classes but like two a year but my test scores are great. Indeed, my great test scores are usually what got me to pass in the first place.</p>

<p>But from what I've looked up and read on this site, that means precisely jack when it comes to admissions. My 2000 on the SAT (which isn't even that high from what I'm reading) means nothing when my GPA is LOW. Very low. I probably have a GPA in the ONES. I've gotten D's and F's all my life because school bores me and because I'm lazy, I'm not even going to deny it. Some heavy bullying and being told by my elementary school teachers that I was a worthless waste of my parents' time and doomed to failure from the beginning didn't help but my grades took a nosedive in high school long after that.</p>

<p>I don't know what to do. I was invited to a seminar held by Harvard, Princeton, Georgetown, Duke, and Stanford a few months ago, but there is no way I could have gotten into those schools with my grades. I probably can't even get into the nearby university where I live. I feel completely hopeless. COMPLETELY hopeless. My parents are of the "Ivy League or we're disowning you" type too, and...I don't know. I can't go to community college or my parents will probably kick me out of the house. I have terrible grades, an SAT score which apparently isn't even that good, and I got D's in the AP classes I did take this year except for German 4, which I got somewhere around a 97 in. Indeed languages and writing are the only things I'm good in. I know I could have easily gotten a 3.5 or higher but I hate this school system we use in the US.</p>

<p>Let's not even get into how I used to get in trouble a lot because I have ADHD and a really bad temper. For the last 2 years I've been almost impeccable discipline-wise but I EXPELLED from a private catholic middle school for some really petty and trumped-up charges, meaning I technically took 7th grade twice. </p>

<p>I don't know what to do. I don't know if ANY college, no matter how low their standards are, will take me. I feel like anything I do is pointless. And then I see people on here going "Ooohh boo hoo, I have only a 3.7 and a 2200 on the SAT, how will anyone ever take me :(" and I just want to make them walk a day in my shoes. </p>

<p>My parents expect me to get into some Ivy League school on a 4-year scholarship and get a 4.0 like it's nothing and...I can't. There no way I could ever with an application like mine. </p>

<p>There's no point in even trying anymore, is there? I'm just a worthless failure, and in this day and age not getting a college basically screws up your entire life, at least that's what my parents told me. There's no way I'll ever be able to recover from this. They said that if I don't get into a high-end univeristy I pretty much am doomed to eternal misery and poverty for the rest of my life.</p>

<p>I'm thinking of just giving up on getting into a college and killing myself. </p>

2

<p>It’s hard to give credence to your post if you’ve got a sub 2.0 GPA and your parents expect Ivies or bust.</p>

3

<p>I only have a sub-2.0 because I’m lazy as hell, I even admitted that in my post. I could have gotten a high 3 or even a 4 but I just don’t have the drive and I’m often highly depressed. I’m not dumb. I just literally never turn work in or do homework but I still get really high scores on tests.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, for my first few years of school I got very high grades and some other stuff so my parents expected Ivy or bust. Also my dad kinda messed up in college a bit so now he’s pushed me absurdly hard because he wants ME to make up for his mistakes.</p>

4

<p>You are a senior now, so what are your options at this point? Have you looked at the NACAC space available list?</p>

5

<p>Not yet, mainly because I fell into massive depression and just gave up.</p>

<p>But it’s not like any of the colleges on that list would take someone who gets straight D’s from utter laziness. God, I just LOVE how this one number from 0 to 4 dictates your whole life. Your entire worth as a human being is crammed into this one number. At least that’s what my parents told me.</p>

6

<p>I really respect the fact that you don’t deny where you went wrong. A lot of times posts like these are immediately followed by “I’m smart but not motivated, nobody understands!” and it’s hard to sympathize with them, but you’re willing to identify the problem at hand and that’s a great start. </p>

<p>A couple things first–what grade level are you? If you’re a rising senior, then a community college may well be the best choice. Two years in and schools won’t look at your HS transcript anymore–you’ll start with a clean slate. Even a couple D’s generally doesn’t bode well for admissions, so hopefully your parents realize that and will stop pushing you so hard. If you really want to attend a 4-year college regardless of prestige right off the bat (you may be able to transfer to a well-respected state school after a few years at a CC) then I’d look to see if you fit any auto-admissions criteria for any universities. </p>

<p>Best of luck! </p>

7

<p>Of course there is a point in trying. You are not a worthless failure. Cut yourself some slack. This is what is called a learning experience. You are only a failure if you refuse to better yourself and you give up. You can do this. You have the smarts and you know what you need to do, so just do it. Build yourself back up. Earn your parents trust by showing them that you can be serious about your future. I can not imagine a parent who wouldn’t cheer their kid on who is seriously trying. There is a college for everyone and despite what you may see here, an Ivy league education is not the be all and end all. And if you are depressed, seek therapy or medication. It is like any other illness, it needs to be treated. No shame in that. Your GPA will not dictate your whole life unless you let it…</p>

8

<p>“Of course there is a point in trying. You are not a worthless failure.”</p>

<p>I have a horrible GPA and an SAT which isn’t even that high (2000). That’s about the definition of “worthless failure”.</p>

<p>" I can not imagine a parent who wouldn’t cheer their kid on who is seriously trying."</p>

<p>You don’t know my parents, especially my father. They basically spent my 12 grades of school expecting me to get straight 100’s. Even when I got high grades, they were just “Ugh, why aren’t they HIGHER?”</p>

<p>“an Ivy league education is not the be all and end all.”</p>

<p>Tell that to my parents. They are demanding if I must go to non-ivy league, that I transfer into one by the end of my freshman year. I don’t even know what they’d do if I didn’t, but I wouldn’t put it past them to just disown me. </p>

<p>" Your GPA will not dictate your whole life unless you let it… "</p>

<p>Once again, tell that to my parents. My dad has spent the past 5 years harping about how GPA is EVERYTHING, that a high GPA is the true key to happiness in life, etc etc. He thinks the only way someone can ever be happy or have worth is graduating from an ivy league straight into a business career that pulls down 100K+. He was lazy and got high a lot in college so now he’s pushing me to be some impossibly-good god that makes a 4.0 and gets the job he never had. </p>

<p>"If you’re a rising senior, then a community college may well be the best choice. "</p>

<p>If I have to do that, I’ll never be able to look my parents in the eye again.</p>

<p>I still have chances to apply to some colleges, but I’m pretty sure I can’t even get into UTSA now (I live literally down the street from it). I just…don’t care anymore. The novel I’m writing is really the only reason I haven’t committed suicide by this point.</p>

9

<p>Transferring into Ivies is even more difficult than getting into them. 2400/4.0 students don’t get in. It’s nearly impossible.</p>

<p>Have you looked at community college as a means for transferring elsewhere?
Also, get counseling. Your mental health is the most important thing. If you take a gap year to get counseling, maybe a part-time job, work on your novel…things could work out.</p>

10

<p>um first, I think you need to come to terms with your parents with your situation. I understand “Ivy League or I’m disowning you” type of parents because I have them too. When I first started high school, they expected straight high As and for me to be top 5% of my class with all honors classes, two club sports, a high school sport, and theater production which puts on a required show every few months. I sat down and I had a heart to heart with them. I explained that, although I’m trying my best, I will get a couple of B’s. They understood. Now in your case, talk to your parents with what you have to work with. Wither your IQ is high or not, and I’m guessing that it is, you still have a sub-2.0 GPA. Talk to your parents about going to community collage and then going to university. Explain to them that by doing this, you are exposing yourself to collage and when you feel more comfortable you can go and really excel in collage. Second, and I’m really not meaning this in a rude way, but I think your attitude might need a little tweaking. You are not a worthless failure, you just need to get going. You seem extremely bright, but that does you nothing if you don’t apply yourself. All those people that have 3.7 GPAs and 2200 SATs are disappointed because they expect more from themselves. Maybe its time you did the same? Challenge yourself to pass all your classes. Next quarter, 75 and above. Hold yourself accountable. See what your are working toward and believe that it will all pay off because it will. It will mean sacrifice, but also success. I again want to state that I do not want to be rude or petty or mean, I’m just trying to help. Finally third, in regard to your last line, please don’t. Even if you end up not going to collage and working at Burger King, just know that you are worth it and maybe consider going to see a counselor. Hope this helps! </p>

11

<p>My parents won’t let me take a gap year.</p>

<p>Also I am freaking out so much right now I’m not really myself. I…I don’t know if the suicide threats are serious or not. I don’t want to die, obviously, but I feel like everything is so hopeless right now. It’s just that every day I wake up and I remember how much I messed up and it feels like everything I try to do is for naught. basically have given up on anything ever getting better. Especially since what college you get into matters a ton so I realize how I basically screwed myself out of 95% of the colleges out there and I just…ugh.</p>

<p>I am miserable every day, I won’t deny. I basically manage to sometimes eke out the barest bit of fun with video games, writing my book, watching anime or browsing the internet, but I really do spend most of my days miserable.</p>

12

<p>Dude. Okay, here’s what I see. A smart kid (CC is a crazy place to look at scores…in the real world, you’ll know that only 9% of kids get 2000 or above on their SATs), A kid who is really really down on himself. And who’s wound up because of outside pressures (parents, life expectations, you name it). And feeling really miserable about it all. </p>

<p>let me ask one concrete question…you’re a senior right now, yes? What are immediate plans for, say, June? </p>

13

<p>Do your parents have their heads buried in the sand? I would assume they know your high school grades and GPA. They and you need to get over this Ivy nonsense. You are not going to any Ivy league school.</p>

<p>Now have a realistic family meeting about what your future holds. You sound like someone who would do best at a CC and then transfer after you have proven yourself.</p>

14

<p>"What are immediate plans for, say, June? "</p>

<p>I’m just going through the motions and applying to the two colleges nearby, one of them being the University of Texas at San Antonio. Probably wont get into that one, but there’s a nearby community college. Not like I expect to get in them, but I don’t have much else to do. </p>

15

<p>1) It’s good to see that you’re applying to colleges. Even if they aren’t your favorite now, maybe you will grow to love them; if not simply transfer elsewhere (preferably after 2 years). </p>

<p>2) You sound like a very intelligent person with a lot of potential. If you put that potential to use (say at community college next year if you decide that route is right for you), you could get a respectable GPA.</p>

<p>3) I have very demanding parents as well, sometimes they are the “Ivy or Bust” type, other times they say I can’t go to college at all (because I’m such a failure). I often feel they are disappointed in me and consider me worthless, but I’ve made it my goal to prove them wrong. The best way to do this (in my opinion) is to be successful, so that’s what I’m doing. I think you should as well. Forget your past shortcomings and try from this point on. You can’t change the past, but you can somewhat control your future. Shape it how you please- not necessarily how your parents would like you to, though. Your vision for your future is allowed to vary from that of your parents…</p>

16

<p>There are universities that have practically open admission. With the right attitude (which it seems you have) I think that you can apply to one, if it isn’t too late, bring up your GPA, and then apply to the school of your choice the following year. The only problem would be that transferring is harder applying as a freshman. That is one option, and then there is the community college option. Other than that, I don’t really see what else you can actually do.</p>

17

<p>Do community college. better for transferring</p>

18

<p>You are smart, you are very smart. You are obviously good at taking tests. And you have a very bad attitude and work habits. What you need is another option. An option with a drill sergeant at the beginning of it. Someone who will break you and remould you into the person you can be.</p>

<p>Yeah, you probably hate that option. But it might be the best thing for you. The military loves smart people who want to go to college on their dime - it would erase your horrible HS experience and set you up to go someplace good, with a good chunk of money after you complete your obligation. First step - go take the AFQT and see what they offer you. No obligation, just see what you score and what your options are.</p>

19

<p>Talked to my parents.</p>

<p>My mom is insistent on me going to an ivy league and wants me to transfer out within one year of lower-end college. Told her you guys said that was basically impossible but she’s stubborn, though she’s a paranoid schizophrenic goddamn idiot so I just ignored her. My father is more sane so he agreed though.</p>

<p>My mom is now ranting about how lazy I am and how I messed up everything and how going to anything less than an ivy league is “getting some jacked worthless no-name degree”. Ugh. I’ve been spending the rest of the day looking at some scholarships (the essay ones look great, I can write well…) and reading stuff on suicide so I don’t kill myself. Not like that’s helping much.</p>

20

<p>Did your parents go to ivies? Because if not thats really stupid of them. Judging your name, you may or may not be indian and if so,I totally feel for you. My parents are very understanding and up to date with the college stuff, but many other parents in the indian community are similar to yours in thought.</p>