I have shown an upward trend through high school, with a 3.7, 4,2, and 4.7 GPA freshman, sophomore, and junior years respectively. This was accomplished with 2 Bs freshman year, 1 B junior year, and straight As junior year. My school is pretty highly ranked in my state. But on my mid year report, I might have a B+ or a B in AP Chemistry. I know many might think that this is ridiculous to even ask, but when applying to schools like MIT, will this B matter a lot as it is in a science? Especially because I am trying to show an upward trend and i feel that straight As in the mid year report would be much better than a B just because of the added element of the upward trend. Also, with straight As, you never know the student’s true potential as they achieved the highest possible. Anyway, would this B+/B affect me? I already know my chances are low with a cumulative GPA of 4.2, so I am hoping the upward trend will compensate a little. I am also applying to other top schools as well, but am more concerned about MIT.
Nope. AP Chemistry is the hardest class I have ever taken - it’s supposed to be double period, but thanks to budget cuts it got shrunk to single period, making us cram the same work at half the time. Even with double period it’s a challenging class. I wouldn’t worry too much about it, especially since a school like MIT would put slightly more weight on classes like Physics or Multivariable Calc.
@spkang2020 thanks! btw, what does double period mean? like 2 years? because in my school it is a full year, as i expected it to be everywhere else. Also, Im currently taking BC Calc, not multivar.
Honestly I have a different opinion, a kid in my graduating class took every science class possible, got a 2370 on his SAT, never got lower than an A-, did every EC you could think of, and still didn’t get into MIT. That school is looking for perfection and I don’t think they would think to highly of B’s
No, it’s because they aren’t looking for that kind of perfection that your classmate didn’t get in. Perfect grades and test scores and ‘every EC you can think of’ are not what is required for admission to MIT or any of the ‘super selective schools’ for that matter. Deans delight in entertaining the incoming freshman every year by announcing how many 4.0/2400-type kids got rejections so ‘YOU,’ you lucky freshman, can be sitting in that hard wooden bleacher seat. It’s not about being the perfect student at all.
These schools are looking for high achieving kids (generally GPAs of 3.7 and above), usually strong test scores (2250 and above), and the kind of engagement outside of class that makes them unusual, someone who would enrich campus life, who is likely to have an impact on the world, has a unique perspective to share or is just plain interesting in some indefinable way that jumps off the page. And that makes it very hard to predict who will get in and why some students who look perfect on paper don’t get in to their top choice(s). They get in somewhere good - especially if they correctly identified matches and safeties - but not necessarily to MIT.
OP, if you have the academic qualifications (and a few Bs don’t rule you out) and think you have something special to add to a campus, then by all means apply to a super selective school. But know that if you don’t, you will get a great education, be highly successful, make lots of friends - whatever metric you want to employ - somewhere else.
@running1998 It means that it takes up two periods a day. At my school, the periods are 45 minutes a day, but twice a week, AP science class will have a double period (90 minutes). It makes extra time to accommodate all of the material covered, as well as labs and such.
Unless you have a REALLY good EC thing like Intel Sci Fair grand winner or something a B will kill you while trying to get in MIT. Remember top students go to MIT which means that they’re all going to have good grades. The Avg GPA for MIT admitted students is 4.13.