HORRIBLE JUNIOR YEAR GRADES -- Help!

Applying to College
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<p>Hey guys,
Okay, so here is my dilemma. My junior year grades are god awful. And I'm not exaggerating when I say that -- like actually horrible. I'm talking about 2 C's (AP Calc BC and AP US History). The worse part about this is, that it is COMPLETELY not who I am. I'm not the type to make excuses, but I was going through some things. Also, I'd just transferred from another school, and I underestimated the difficulty I'd face taking 3 AP's, and challenged myself WAY too much by choosing to take BC Calc. </p>

<p>I am taking 3 AP's again right now as a senior, and I am doing really well. Straight A's, my midyear report is going to be awesome. Too bad it's too late in the college admissions realm. I'm stuck in a really difficult situation.</p>

<p>My SAT scores are decent (2200, 650 V,780 M,770 W), and my SAT II scores, besides the ones I already have (730 Math 1, 760 Math II) are going to be pretty good (U.S. and World History this Saturday).</p>

<p>My rec's should be good, I've gotten amazing feedback about my essay from every English teacher I've shown it to. I also did a summer program at Brown this past summer and got A's in my 2 undergrad classes. My extracurriculars are pretty good as well. So I'm not 100% crap...</p>

<p>I've explained in the optional section of the CommonApp that I take responsibility for my grades, and I won't try to make excuses to justify them because that won't move me forward. I'm concentrating on doing well now, and even though it might be too late in the college admissions realm, I don't think it's ever "too late" to decide you want to be a better person. I just want colleges to recognize me for who I've become instead of who I've been.</p>

<p>So because of this, I'm having such a hard time making my college list. I don't know how high I should aim, or what schools will look more beneath the surface. I was going to apply ED II to Tufts, but I think I am aiming way too high. My other reaches are Vassar & Boston College. Can anyone suggest anything to me? Thanks! (:</p>

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<p>Most colleges are forgiving about a "C" in AP Calc BC. I suggest that you ask your guidance counselor to remark about your grades. Discuss what she can say, rather than highlighting them by bringing them up yourself. If your grades are excellent this semester and you are taking challenging classes, you may still be fine. Do look at where this highschool tends to have their students go. It'll give you some idea of the possibilities. Also ask your counselor. I know kids get into top schools with a C or two from our son's highschool, but that is not always the case. What APs and other courses are you taking and what did you get on the AP exams from last year? I don't think you are "crap" at all. You do need to find some schools to add on your list that are likely and very likely to take you. It doesn't mean that you have to change your reaches.</p>

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<p>If have a legitimate reason for the poor grades, tell your guidance counselor to mention the reason in his or her letter. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother talking about it in the additional info section.</p>

<p>The only real advice I could give you is to avoid any early deadlines; I'm not sure how early EDII for Tufts is, but you need to make sure your first quarter grades and preferably second quarter grades arrive in time to complete your application. Without the first and second quarter grades, your application is dead on arrival. </p>

<p>Sorry I don't have anything better to say, but good luck with your college applications and college in general.</p>

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<p>Thank you for your responses!
I do have target and reach schools ready, of course, but I just want to make sure I'm not aiming too high by applying to those reaches. My targets so far, are Smith, UCSD, and Lafayette, and my safeties are Rutgers and American. The Tufts ED II deadline is January 1st, so they will have my midyear report by then. </p>

<p>My AP scores from last year are pretty bad too, and I don't plan on sending them in. I got a 4 on English Language Comp., a 3 on AP US, and a 2 (I laughed when I got this score) on BC Calc. Right now I'm taking English Lit., Euro History, and Spanish. Also, my school usually only allows a student to take 2 AP's-- so I had to go through a long appeal process both years.</p>

<p>The reason I had trouble junior year is that my boyfriend was deployed to Iraq that September, and didn't come back until May. We'd been going out for a year and he was a huge source of emotional support in my life. Not only that, but he'd call at random times, like 4 AM and talk to me until I had to get ready for school, and I'd spend so much time every day writing him letters. So yeah, not really a legit excuse, so I don't plan on mentioning it. Anyway, all in all, my grades are a result of my poor decision-making.</p>

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<p>If Tufts is your first-choice school AND they will get your midyear report in time, then don't forgo the opportunity to apply early.</p>