<p>Hey Everyone... I first just want to apologize that what I have to say isn't nearly as important as what most of you seniors are talking about, but I realy need some help.
I'm Nick, And I'm a sophomore at a HS just North of Minneapolis, MN.
I REALLY want to go to UW-Madison beginning in Fall 2010, and when I said REALLY, I meant it. It is by far one of the most important things in my life.
This wouldn't really be a concern, but I have run into a puddle.
Freshman Year (last year), I just really didn't care. I got a lot of B-'s, and C's, one D, and EVEN AN F. I'm not the one to blame others for my negative actions, but I had 2 really awful teachers, and they are partway to blame.
I finished Freshman Year with a 2.7 GPA. I was SO ****ED.
This year, I started taking some Honors and AP classes and I really enjoy them. I'm in all core classes.
My school has a trimester calendar. In mid NOV. we finished 1st trimester, and I got a 3.17 GPA for that trimester, and my cumulative went up to a 2.86.
So far 2nd trimester, I have a 3.9!!!! I'm really turning it around!
I got my PLAN (pre-act) back and it estimated I will get a 27-30, so that doesn't really worry me.
And extra curricular stuff is fine.. I'm REALLY athletic and I'm in a lot of leadership groups.
I have never been to uw before, but I hope to go visit it soon.
Can I still prove myself to UW-Madison that I would be a great edition to their campus, or did my mediocre year last year completely close the curtain?
HELP...HOW CAN I SAVE MYSELF?? IM SO SCARED.</p>
<p>Keep taking the hardest classes possible, keep doing well in them, and continue with your ECs. Study for your ACT or SAT, so you do well on it. Then when the time comes to apply, explain your lack of maturity freshman year, and point out how much you have grown since then. You have nothing to lose, because what's done is done. Just move forward and I think you'll be fine!</p>
<p>honestly, UW won't really look at your frosh year. Many schools only calculate GPA beginning with 10th grade anyway. As oregonian said, just study hard, perhaps consider doing an internship or outreach program at UW over the summer to show your interest, and continue an upward GPA trend. You can do it, and good luck!</p>
<p>Wait:) :):) ???? So you mean that my Freshman year doesn't even count at UW??? Not at all??
And tell me about these outreach things... I think I'm interested.</p>
<p>Undergraduate</a> Admissions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
scroll down a bit; they look at your overall GPA for 4 yrs, but they place the greatest emphasis on 10th and 11th grade; a bad 9th grade year will almost certainly NOT hold you back (I know someone who got into Princeton with a 2.5 frosh GPA).</p>
<p>As far as an outreach program, many top universities coordinate them every summer. For example, I did one through Georgetown last year. Some schools allow students to do research with a professor, which is really good, bc then you can have them write you a letter of rec. If I were you, I'd search around UW's website for a phone number, perhaps even the admissions office can tell you where to look. It might take a little searching, but if you want to go there that bad, it will definitely all be worth it in the end. If UW doesnt have one, no worries, doing a program at any top school will look good (for example, Brown, Vanderbilt, and Stanford all have these, and those are just a few examples). Good luck!</p>
<p>Ok thanks. The summer thing isn't going to happen. My mom thinks its dumb.
I just want to feel confident... The highest GPA I can have by the time I apply is like 3.4, and I'll get denied for sure with that.
If only I could have realized how important GPA is before last year...
But its really too early for me to be thinking about this stuff so it really doesn't matter.</p>
<p>too bad about your mom. Those programs get a lot of borderline applicants into bigtime schools.</p>
<p>So, say I got straight A's until sept. of senior year (and after that, of course), kept up the ec's, and had good recs with a 30 ACT, do you think I could get in?
I just don't think that my overall GPA should suffer then due to my immaturity at the end of 9th grade.</p>
<p>If you do those things, I think you'd have a very good chance.</p>
<p>Dude, I was in almost the same boat as you. I got 3.0
s both semesters freshman year, then I got motivation and got 4.0s through out soph and jun years. Just get you head in the game because high school isn't hard. Study like hello for the ACT next year and take hard courses! Get above a 30 and you'll be good to go!</p>
<p>Vvvaaaappp, did you get accepted, though?
And when is a good time to start studying for the ACT?</p>
<p>I'm still waitin' but at least I'm somewhat calm. So keep at it Nick! And I recommend to study for the ACT your junior year, start once soph year is over in summer and use Barrons ACT book. It's a really hard book that over prepares you! The first time I took the ACT I didn't prep (took it cold) and I got a 26, prepped for a week with Barrons then got a 28, then studied the whole summer after junior year and got a 32!</p>
<p>I really freak out about the class that I failed. It was an "English Lit." class, and I had a bad teacher. I was hanging around a C- in mid May.
We had to make these HUGE "To kill a Mockingbird" portfolios, and they were 65% of our trimester grade.
I worked FREAKING HARD on mine, and was anticipating an A+. I was so proud of my finished product. I set aside my entire spring break to shoot a 20 minute movie for this, and wrote a 13 page paper. (NOT double spaced.) This project was going to SAVE my final grade. I was going to get the shining "A."
However, when she collected them, she took the pile of portfolios and threw them in the recycling bin.
A week later when she updated grades, we all had Zeros, because she was accusing our entire class of never handing it in. A friend and I calmly and maturely told her that we saw her recycle them, but she got really nasty and my friend and I got office referrals.
I failed the class because of this. So did 17 other kids. 6 passed.
How on EARTH am I supposed to explain something like this to such a selective college like UW? They will think I'm full of lies.
And I really AM a hard worker, and would never let myself "fail" a class like this.
Sorry that I'm ranting. This is just a really important matter to me. I really don't want to go to community college.</p>
<p>SimplyNick, save whatever evidence (including your works) you could. Best way to explain such a situation is through your GC in the recommendation letter. Don't make a big story out of the incident. A simple statement that the grade was unusual given 75% of the class failed and the highest grade was X (I assume not better than B) is sufficient. </p>
<p>Your best bet is to retake the class and do well. Put some focus to ace one of the standardized tests. They could be your saving grace. </p>
<p>One more thing, please enjoy HS in the mean time!! ;)</p>
<p>Erg... I know.
And I do enjoy my life a LOT... I have a lot of free time.
I just feel like I got screwed over last year. A 2.7 GPA is NOT okay for me, by any means.
Their website makes it look like you NEED like a 3.6, and like a 30+ ACT, and even with that, you probably won't get in. And I'll only have like a 3.4 or 3.5.
Do they EVER consider people with extenuating circumstances, like me?
Do they even READ your essay?
Do they even CARE about people's DREAMS?
And it's probably going to be REALLY competitive to get a spot in the Fall 2010 freshman class.</p>
<p>Yes, they read your essay and try to get to know you - but it's up to you to communicate your story. </p>
<p>Read the myths about UW Admission on Getting</a> in: The not-so-secret admissions process</p>
<p>I'm thrilled to hear that.
My advisory teacher told our class that big colleges like U.W. look at your transcript first, and if they don't think you have any potential (like a 3.7 GPA for Madison), they will discard your application, not read the essay, and you get denied/waitlisted.
Thanks, Dallas, you've answered a lot of my questions.</p>
<p>Collegeboard and UW Madison provide some detailed info:
Second link allows you to view potential admission rates for this upcoming year basied on your ACT and GPA:</p>
<p>College</a> Search - University of Wisconsin-Madison - Wisconsin - At a Glance
<a href="http://www.admissions.wisc.edu/images/UW_FreshmanExpectations.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.admissions.wisc.edu/images/UW_FreshmanExpectations.pdf</a></p>
<p>Ha! Today some representatives from UW came to the Sophomore Career/College Center at my school to do a presentation on their school.
Only three people came, including me, so they just had us talk to someone individually. The guy talked about the school more, and it's perfect, and has EVERYTHING. When he asked me if I was planning on applying, I said yes... so he asked me how I was doing grades/tests/extra wise, and I explained the entire situation... What he said was sort of scary, he said: "You will have a chance to get admitted for 2010-2011, but almost everyone applying will be more qualified than you. You have to make yourself stand out."</p>
<p>That's when it dawned on me: "Almost everyone applying will be more qualified than you."
Then he told me that Eau Claire is a great school, and it was when he said that that I realized that I'm wasting my time dreaming of going to Madison.
I mean, EVERYONE if my family has gone there! I HAVE to!</p>