I just received my first B in an AP class. My rank dropped but I should still at least top 10 out of 400 students. I have never gotten a B before and this is really making me stressed. I know that only one B will not affect chances that much but I still think that a 4.0 could be that very slight advantage over someone else who has a similar profile. Will this B come back to haunt me?
If I get rejected from a school I don’t want to be thinking: “what IF I had gotten an A in that class. Would I have gotten in?”.
No one B will not stop you from getting into any school. It will not significantly change your gpa. It will not ruin any chances. And guess what? This will probably not be the first B you’ll get. If you’re a high school student, you don’t know how hard it is to get A’s in college classes. It is really very rare for a college student to maintain straight A’s through college.
Now I’m pretty sure you knew this already. It is time to do a little growing up. No one is perfect, just do your best in what you can. Your college admissions are much more than just your gpa. And your gpa does not define you or your life success.
CC is a good place to rant, fret and post oddball stuff. Thus, you get a pass. Why don’t you consider how off your “fear” is among the entirety of the 400 students in your class? You’re much more than your transcript/SAT/and eventual college diploma.
Don’t be like that kid in the Disney afternoon shows who freaks out b/c of a 95% on an exam which he normally nails with a 99%. His reply is met with derision and eye-rolling and, because he’s basically a lovable sort, comes around and is less of an idiot by the end of the 30 minute show. You can do the same.
One B isn’t going to tarnish you.
But your hyperbole “Is my life over” does make me want to dope slap you however.
A “B” won’t keep you out of any school, but your freaking over it is not a good sign, showing that you care more about getting into some fancy name school than learning and growing. That is not a good sign, and can show obliquely in components of your application. For example teachers thinking that you may be a drone rather than a curious, interesting, caring student. That won’t lead to strong LORs. This is gratuitous advice but is it possible to stretch yourself and read some weird books and get off the treadmill and think about the point of life, which many have concluded is not prestige and power but rather fulfillment and purpose.
If you are forced to let go of the unattainable idea that you can achieve perfection in everything you do, this B may be the best thing that happened to you. Of course one B won’t make or break any college application, or any life…
Getting your first B is like getting your first traffic ticket, or that first door ding in your otherwise perfect car. The sooner you get it over with, the sooner you can stop worrying about when it’s going to happen.
If you worry about getting a B now, I can’t imagine how you’ll react to real life problems like bankruptcy, losing a job, divorce, getting a life threatening illness, or losing a family member (you know, just to name a few).