How do I push myself when my dream seems impossible?

Pre-College Topics High School Life
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<p>Slacking + 2 horrible teachers in freshman yr left me with a not-so-hot UW GPA of a 3.4 (B+). This year, I will have about a 3.73 (A). I've been lacking motivation because I have this mindset that no matter how great I do (4.0 next year), the highest GPA I can possibly have will be a 3.71 [.0025 away from a solid A) and I fear that won't cut it for the top schools. My W GPA will be around a 4.5 and I will be around 20/530 - top 10%. I go to a public high school in CT. It's ranked pretty low in the state - the majority of teachers are terrible. Among the kids in H's/Ap's, only about 5 students are really competitive.</p>

<p>My EC's will be great and stand out because I'm focusing on quality instead of quantity...I'm doing things that I love and have genuine interests in. My essays will be great, since English is my strongest subject and I've been writing stories since kindergarten. I have great relationships with my teachers/GC so my rec's will be awesome. Is this enough to make up for my low GPA?</p>

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<p>You think a 3.4 is low?</p>

<p>That is far from low hun.</p>

3

<p>Wow, you are honestly doing fine.</p>

<p>Keep working hard and do what you love and what makes you happy.</p>

<p>The tippity-top schools will always be very hard to get into, even if you are clearly qualified. But really, you are doing well–keep it going! :slight_smile: </p>

<p>What kinds of schools are you thinking of?</p>

4

<p>Trust me your GPA is great. Ivy leagues are a reach for anyone. But a top 20 school is a sure bet for you. Keep up the good work.</p>

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<p>Ever heard of the extremely hackneyed phrase “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars”? This type of thread is quickly becoming very tiresome.</p>

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<p>No, he’s actually not a sure bet for a top 20 school. You’re right OP, the GPA is low so you have to make up for it with outstanding test scores. Period.</p>

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<p>^Yes, for top 20 schools, but for a ton of other schools, the OPs GPA is 100% fine.</p>

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<p>Thanks everyone … Jkaufman - I’ve heard that having high test scores with a low GPA signals a “lazy genius”. Do I need to worry about this?</p>

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<p>ChocolateBanana- I haven’t done much research yet… I’ll do more this summer, but some that I’m interested in are Tufts, Brown, Dartmouth, Yale, Swarthmore, Middlebury & UPenn</p>

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<p>Hmm, I know that schools like to see an upward trend in your grades. Also, freshman year grades mean nothing anyway.</p>

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<p>At my school, senior yr 1st semester grades don’t go towards final GPA’s (BTW)</p>

<p>Anonymous- why do you say that freshman grades don’t mean anything? If you mean that they shouldn’t mean anything, I completely agree. But they obviously have to be factored into your final GPA.</p>

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<p>I wrote an essay on this once. I generally said that I work to achieve little things. To accomplish this one thing today, this one thing this month, and to not think too much about the big picture, since it may be unattainable. I concentrate on little victories. That way I feel like less of a failure and I can see improvement that might seem insignificant in the long run but is huge in the short.</p>

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<p>LOL. Do you have any idea how badly you’d have to miss? How about, to quote the great Kanye West, “Shoot for the stars, so if you fall you land on a cloud.”</p>

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<p>^ It’s a hackneyed saying for a reason. I don’t see the relevance in discussing the scientific accuracy of colloquial speech.</p>

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Better to have high test scores and a low GPA than low test scores and a low GPA. I would focus on actually attaining these scores, not whether you will be seen as a “lazy genius”.</p>

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<p>These schools are all very hard to get into as almost all applicants are qualified…so if I were you, I would try to find more matches and safeties (as these are reaches).</p>

<p>Good luck! :D</p>

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<p>Also, make sure you start thinking of potential essay topics early in your senior year or even in the summer before. Great test scores and a great essay will definitely offset slightly lower grades, especially if your essay is about an EC you’re passionate about or something similar.</p>

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<p>freshman year doesn’t even matter…it’s 10-12 that does</p>

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<p>Truffliepuff- but freshman gpa factors into final GPA… I thought that’s what colleges look at.</p>

<p>Also, can anyone give me an idea of SAT scores that correlate with, are high for, & are low for a 3.7 GPA?</p>

<p>& any suggestions for colleges that could be matches for my stats? I’m into writing, the environment, social issues, journalism, & perhaps business</p>

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<p>yes, but on your transcript, there should also be a “10-12 GPA” …colleges dont really mind cumulative GPA but rather 10-12 because most people don’t do freshman year seriously</p>

<p>usually people with 3.7 GPAs get a high of 2000 SAT and low of 1500 SAT…get at least a 2100 to balance out your GPA</p>

<p>you match UC schools (UCLA, UCSd) not UCB though
writing – > American University, NYU, Pennstate
Environment –> UC Santa Barbara, UCLA, UCSd
Journalism –> American University, UCLA, NYU, Pennstate, USC
business –> USC, Northwestern</p>

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<p>Thanks Trufflie, but wow! I thought that I could get into schools with much higher standards than the ones that you listed. My brother got into a school that accepts 49% of applicants with a GPA of about 3.3, maybe less & he had average EC’s. AU accepts 53%. Penn State accepts about 90%… I feel like these would be safeties, not matches.</p>