I have a horrible GPA but a Descent ACT. What are my chances?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Indiana University - Bloomington
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<p>Please give this thread a look and offer any insight you can. I really want to go to IU, but my grades haven't shown any improvement throughout highschool (my junior year grades were actually the worst). I go to a fairly competitive school, so my class rank is complete crap due to my GPA. However, I took the ACTs and did fairly well with a 31.</p>

<p>For ECs, I was in "Youth and Government" sophomore and junior year, played tennis through our park district through all 3 years (but not from school), I was part of the Principal's Advisory Committee, in which me and about 30 other people in my lunch period would meet with the principal each month and talk about things which need to be dealt with at our school (such as garbage on the floor, school lunches, etc.). I'm also part of a youth committee at a cultural (Indian) association, where I basically just find things for the kids to do or help host children's events (this doesn't have any affiliation with my school). Also, I've been volunteering at a hospital once a week since sophomore year (hopefully I can get 50 hours by the time I send my applications).</p>

<p>I'm looking for colleges in the Midwest, and live in Illinois. The closer the better. I'm probably going to end up going into Computer Engineering, but I'm not 100% sure yet so I'll probably go in undecided or under LAS.</p>

<p>To clear up any confusion, I failed honors pre-calculus during the school year 2nd semester, so I'm taking 2nd semester (regular precalc) over the summer again.The GPA is on a 4.0 scale for regular classes, and on a 5.0 scale for honors/AP classes...</p>

<p>Freshman Year:
Sem 1:
Comp Apps 1: B
Hon Eng 1: D
Spanish 1: C
Hon Geometry: C
Gym: B
Hon Biology: B
Honors World History: C</p>

<p>Sem 2
Notetaking: C
Hon Eng 1: D
Spanish 1: B
Hon Geometry: D
Gym: B
Hon Biology: C-
Honors World History: D</p>

<p>Summer School
Alg 2 trig Semester 1: B
Alg 2 trig Semester 2: C</p>

<p>Freshman Year GPA: 2.63</p>

<p>Sophomore Year:
Sem 1
English II: B
Spanish II: C
Honors Alg II Trig: C
Health: B
Honors Chem: D
American History: C</p>

<p>Sem 2
Eng II: B
Creative Writing: A
Spanish II: B
Honors Alg II Trig: C
Gym: A
Honors Chem: C
American History: B</p>

<p>Summer School
Government: A
Economics: A</p>

<p>Cumalitive GPA after 10th Grade: 2.88</p>

<p>Junior Year:
Sem 1
AP English III: C
Spanish III: C
Honors Pre-calculus: C
Gym: A
AP Chemistry: D
Honors Physics: C
Psychology: B</p>

<p>Sem 2
AP Eng III: D
Gym: A
Honors Pre-Calculus: F :-/
Spanish III: D
AP Chemistry: D
Honors Physics: C
AP Psychology: D</p>

<p>Junior year GPA: 2.00
Cumulative GPA after Junior Year: 2.739</p>

<p>This Summer:
Graphic Arts: A
Pre-calculus: A (probably)</p>

<p>I don't know what my Cumilative GPA will be after these summer classes, but I'll probably end up with a 2.74 as my final GPA when I start applying.</p>

<p>ANY comments, words of advice, criticism, suggestions, and so forth are welcome. THANK YOU!</p>

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<p>One thing you should be aware of is that IU does not engineering degrees.</p>

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<p>Well, it's not looking too good--although you did take a very tough courseload. Generally, IU wants 3.0 and above only--and you are below that with a falling GPA trendline. </p>

<p>Consider applying to one of the less demanding IU campuses (maybe Calumet or Fort Wayne), and then transferring to IU (for any major besides engineering) or to Purdue (if you want to major in engineering).</p>

<p>Best of luck.</p>

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<p>Thanks a lot Calcruzer. Would you say my chances at Purdue would be a bit better? I definitely wouldn't apply straight into their Engineering, but maybe if I applied under an easier major/program...?</p>

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<p>I think there are way too many C's and D's to gain acceptance. Changing your major has no impact on your admission decision, as your intended major isn't a factor.</p>

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<p>i think the university of southern indiana usi.edu may be a fit. they have engineering, don't require over 3.0 gpa and in indiana.</p>

<p>other than that, i don't know much about the school</p>

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<p>just a question, why did you insist upon taking higher level courses if you were struggling?</p>

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<p>thanks a lot for the replies.</p>

<p>yazzz: I would've done just as poorly in lower level courses. The bad grades come mostly from me never doing my homework.</p>

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<p>^ well that's not a very good habit to go into college with...</p>

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<p>lol this kid makes me laff... im the same but im trying to get into med :p...</p>

<p>cept im a a b c student... not bcd. lol...</p>

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<p>I had a solid B average, average SATs and was WL. I wouldve gotten in, but I was much more balanced than you.</p>

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<p>What if I applied after senior year? I calculated it... and if I can get mostly As and Bs, I could end up with a 4.0 since APs are weighted, and that would get my cumulative to a 2.9.</p>

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<p>UPDATE
I got an A in my summer math class, and cumulative GPA is actually now a 2.79. Still got the 31 ACT, and I'm in the lower 31% (so upper 69th percentile). Anyone have any suggestions about anything? Should I still apply now or wait until february, when my GPA will be up to a 3.00? I don't want it to be too late by then since its rolling admissions...</p>

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<p>Anyone have any more input?</p>

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<p>Why don't you just apply now and see what happens?</p>

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<p>So yeah... I applied... kinda nervous... Even though its pointless now, anyone want to comment more on my chances?</p>

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<p>You never know until you try.</p>

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<p>You should get your results in about 3 to 5 weeks or maybe just a little longer since this is their busy time of year. </p>

<p>Just remember that even if you are not accepted, you can go to another college and then apply as a transfer to Indiana University at Bloomington in a year or two. (That is, if you start doing your homework regularly--which it appears you are now doing.)</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

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<p>averagedesi, I can tell you that my nephew took the highest classes and had a 2.8 with a 31 ACT and didn't get into IU. </p>

<p>I'm going to give you some motherly tough love here. You say you didn't apply yourself, right? What makes you think you're going to last in college? My nephew finally went to another school and was asked to leave after the first semester because his grades were poor. He just wasn't mature enough to commit to the courseload. Then he went back home and got a job doing something he hated and straightened up when he saw what the rest of his life was going to look like. </p>

<p>You blew it in high school and now you're trying to salvage yourself at the last moment. To colleges, it's going to look exactly like that. That doesn't mean you'll never graduate from college, but you're still not mature enough to make it, it appears. Go to community college for a couple of years, apply yourself so that you get great grades and you'll be able to go where you want without freaking out about it.</p>

<p>Good luck, Desi. Change your handle to StellarDesi and then live up to that and you'll be fine. ;-)</p>

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<p>Thanks AimHigh. Very insightful :)</p>

<p>Anyone else?</p>