how much do freshmen/sophomore grades really matter?

<p>I know colleges (especially good ones) want to see straight A's from freshmen year to senior year; however, are freshmen and sophomore year grades as important as, let's say, junior year's? Also, does showing improvement mean anything to the colleges, or do they just say, "nope. needs to get straight a's from the get go"?</p>

<p>Many good colleges disregard 9th grade grades.
Junior year’s are the most important, mostly because they are often times the most challenging (rigorous APs and Honors).
Improvement will mean a lot. Many people get into top colleges with B’s in the mix.
Still, don’t fudge freshman and sophomore year.</p>