I’m not dreaming into something big like Stanford, more like UCI as a Computer science major.
More about me: Asian looking into CS Major, I go to Evergreen Valley Highschool
Test scores: I haven’t taken the ACT yet, but planning too.
School statistics: My Cal Grant is pretty low, 3.65 (I got 5 B’s sophomore year, 1 AP) ; class rank: 266/667 (competitive public school)
Extra curricular(s):
1 year F/S Track, 3 years Varsity Track, 1 year Cross Country
I gathered together a team, project lead, and we as a team of 3 made a game that got 56,000 plays
Accepted to a company’s private developer forum (700/10+million) currently accepted
Computer software engineering developer internship (healthcare software development)
This was heads up work experience in computer science field, and I got to sit next to the owner of the company and he taught me stuff, and not just CS, but also how to run a successful business.
However, my GPA is really low at the moment, and especially a D in AP Calculus AB.
Currently schedule:
AP U.S. History - C (I can raise this to a B due to many work he hasn’t updated)
Chinese 3 - B
Band - A
Biology - A
AP Literature - D (Currently, it should be a C due to many work he hasn’t updated, but I strongly believe I can raise this to a B)
AP Calculus AB - D (66%, I bomb’d today’s MCQ too, and I’m not sure if I can raise it, maybe a C at most?)
I’m really stressed out about my AP Calculus AB. I’m not sure if I can raise it. It’s not the content that’s hurting me, but the rigor of the class. My teacher makes it harder than the actual exams and other calculus classes. Others are doing bad too to a point where she advices us to drop out; however there are also a handful that’s doing good.
Should I drop it as she adviced? But I might end up with a class I already took again, OR not taking a math junior year will be pretty bad, due to the fact I’m looking into CS.
I know I still have to months, and I believe I can get a B,B,A,A,B,C End result in terms of grade this semester. The fact that it is a downward trend and it is junior year, do you think I will lose my chances at UC Irvine or equivalent UCs to Irvine?
If colleges see that you get a low score in the class, but a high one on the test, they’ll realize that your class was hard compared to others. This could make up for your calc grade.
DO NOT DROP. The class may be highly rigorous but if you put all your effort into it you might make it to a B, possibly. Calculus is 100% understanding the material. If you don’t understand how to apply things, you won’t succeed in the class. Therefore whenever you have a question make an effort to get it resolved before every test-- this will greatly improve your understanding, and well, grade.
A D in an AP class is a signal that you aren’t mastering the material. You can either drop down to a lower level of math (there has to be something other than a complete repeat of the prior year: or take an on-line math class with Stanford or John Hopkins if you can afford it) or find a tutor or study group with someone who is doing welling the class, and power through the material.
One of the things that everyone eventually learns is how to take ownership for course content - whether it’s taught well in class or not. If you aren’t ‘getting it’ in class, then you have to figure out how to learn it outside of class. Or drop the class. Only two choices here. (Actually, there’s a third…limp along with a C or D. Not advisable for a future comp sci major.)
@Gumbymom sorry for the misunderstanding, I am a junior.
@rdeng2614 @super5000ify I thought of that too, but isn’t GPA greatly more important than AP exam scoes?
@N’s Mom there aren’t any lower courses, but AP statistics. However, I’m not sure if they will let me transfer to that due to the fact it is an AP Course, and AP courses require a form that you had to sign in the beginning of the year
GPA is the most important for UC’s, so I would really buckle down this year as UC’s only use 10-11 grades for admissions.
It’s still the middle of the year so there’s still a lot of time left to improve those grades. I would worry less on the consequences of a D and focus more energy onto studying to prevent those D’s and C’s from appearing on your transcript.
Even a C in Calculus isn’t going to help you if you are hoping to go into Computer Science. I think you should get some tutoring and see what the problem is.
I recommend that you drop the class right away. You don’t want a D in a math class on your transcript, or even a C. If you’re struggling and spending a great deal of time on the class it will very likely impact your grades on other classes. You should also rethink your likely college major.
Is your AP Calc AB grade (D) a semester grade or quarter grade? Are quarter grades posted on your transcript or only semester grades? If it is a semester grade and you get a C or above 2nd semester, your class is validated for UC/CSU admissions (passing) but your D will calculated into your UC GPA unless you repeat the exact class. Any chance you can drop the class this semester and consider taking a regular Calculus class at a community college next semester instead? If you do pass AP Calc AB this year, what are plans for math next year? AP Stats?
Current going to become a semester grade. Only semester grades are posted. I already took stats, only BC left. As iof repeating it at a community college during spring, how do I do so?
To replace your D from AP Calc AB, you would have to retake that semester at your HS. If you want to have a math class on record for Junior year, check with your counselor to see if you dual enroll in a Calc class at a CC if you end up dropping AP Calc AB or find a tutor to help raise that grade for 2nd semester so your D grade is validated.
Validation of Grades: “Grade Deficiency” – validation of D or F grades in a lower-level course after completion of a higher-level course with a grade of C or better.
The second semester of a course validates the first semester of that course or lower-level a course, even if the first semester course was at the Honors, AP/IB or College-level.
As a reminder, the original deficient grade (D and F) is still calculated in the GPA for UC freshman admissions. Note: To remove a grade deficient from the calculation, a repeat of the exact same course is required.
Is there regular Calculus at ur school? If I were u, I would drop AP calc AB to regular calc and get an easy A to ensure a good GPA, and take calc AB or BC in senior year. In my junior yr I took regular calc, self studied for the AP test and got a 5 since the AP test is really easy, and now I’m taking calc BC
An A in a regular class is better than a C in an AP class!!
