<p>My mother was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer when I was in grade 10 and I couldnt cope with my personal life, so I dropped out of school to spend time with her in the hospital. My grades suffered, but it was something I had to do because she was a terminal patient and I wanted as much time with her as I could get. My mother and I didnt have a very good relationship and I wanted to make amends before she died.</p>
<p>My mom and I lived in canada and my father lived in America (he moved there with my step mother when I was a young child). When my mother died I was sent to America to live with my father even though I barely knew him. I was supposed to live with my Aunt Marlene, but she changed her mind because it would cost her too much money. </p>
<p>After dropping out for the second half of the year....my grades were poor. They were in the 50s and 60s (some were even ghastly numbers like 18%). In America I took my grade 10 year again and had an overall average in the 90s. I thought I had finally picked myself up after a hard fall, but my parade got rained on when I found out that the school was counting my bad year into my GPA.</p>
<p>I asked them why they were counting my first grade 10 year when I had taken it again. It doesnt seem fair because of everything that was happening in my life. I've maintained a 90+ average throughout this year which has brought my GPA up to a 2.4, but even that isnt acceptable. </p>
<p>Ever since I can remember...I've wanted to go to a good university. I've wanted to be somebody. How do I do that when I've got such a terrible GPA? Colleges and universities dont know what's happened to me--they only know what they see on paper and I'm worried I won't get into a good school.</p>
<p>Note: 50% is a passing grade in canada and 70% is a passing grade in the American school that I am currently in. The work in canada is harder though, and I suppose that's why the passing grade is lower. </p>
<p>Is there someone higher up who I can talk to about this? What can I do to get into a good school, or am I just, for lack of a better phrase, screwed over?</p>
<p>Let me just say that I am sorry for this current situation that you are in. Universities will likely, as you predicted, view your scores as your responsibility. If you let them slip, then it was of your own choice (despite the poor circumstances). Nonetheless, if you demonstrate a strong upward curve and explain (do not be overly defensive or pathetic in doing so, or you will guarantee a rejection) the situation in your admissions. I know on the Princeton application (not sure about every school, though), there is a place for you to add any additional notes. This would be a good time to explain to admissions officers why your grades were poor.</p>
<p>If you continue to progress and gently explain the circumstances, you will have a decent shot at some good universities, maybe not Princeton, but definitely some top tier schools.</p>
<p>Quixotic_Moon, first of all I’m so sorry for your loss. You have been through so much in such a short life. I know if you keep up your positive attitude you will go far in life. Above all stay positive. </p>
<p>Next, I think it is imperative that you sit down with your guidance counselor and get to know him/her if you haven’t already. You need someone in your corner. Tell your counselor everything, your fears, your dreams, your weaknesses, your frustrations…everything. If you create an alliance with your counselor you can begin to map out a plan for your future. You need to be realistic that due to your circumstances you may not head off to a big name school right away. That’s OKAY, I repeat THAT’s OKAY. You will go to college if you make it happen. Your counselor can guide you with that. </p>
<p>Have you taken your SAT’s yet? ACT’s? How have you done on those? If you have yet to take them, study hard this summer, get registered for fall test sittings or January '10 and see how you do. Are you taking AP classes? Study for those tests and do your best. You want to have something other than the low GPA to have on your applications in the future. Hopefully you are journaling, if not start, write down all those thoughts and feelings. You will be able to draw from your journal a fantastic essay. I know it’s inside you waiting to come out. Read books about getting into college (the library has lots usually), educate yourself on the process, keep reading the boards on college confidential. There are lots of nice parents and students who will help you with your questions. Volunteer work? A job? Extracurriculars? Leadership? What do you like to do with your spare time? You need to show you have picked yourself up and are someone a college wants to have on their campus. Keep working your tail off in school, don’t get discouraged and let your grades slip, an upward trend in grades is favored by admissions committees especially when you can explain the deficiencies. </p>
<p>Make that appointment with your counselor for tomorrow after school. You needs lots of time and you need to have that couselor thinking about you and giving you other suggestions for the summer. Summer school might be a great thing, can you take classes at your local junior college? Best of luck! You are in my prayers!</p>
<p>I have great sympathy and a certain degree of empathy for you. My advice: </p>
<p>(1) Ace your SATs to show colleges you’ve got what it takes. Drop a couple of extracurricular activities if you need more time to prepare.</p>
<p>(2) Don’t rely on your guidance counsellor to advocate on your behalf because he sounds like an idiot. Instead, try talking to a teacher about your situation, or even a community leader or a priest – someone who can write an impassioned letter of recommendation for you.</p>
<p>(3) Don’t leave it up to others to relate your life story to the admissions committee, because it won’t be nearly as persuasive as your own voice. I would recommend writing a rather explicit essay about your extenuating circumstances. If you’re feeling bold, you could even send a letter to the admissions officer representing your region. I wrote a pretty no-nonsense essay about my rough upbringing and how it shaped my character – no metaphors or glittering adjectives or anything – and I’m quite sure it’s what got me in to every school I applied to. I thought of my essay not as a way to showcase my creativity per se (although the way you present your thoughts is very important), but as a way to tell the admissions committee how to interpret the rest of my application.</p>
<p>(4) From my experience, if you don’t write and talk about your personal travails in vivid detail, admissions committees won’t fully appreciate what has happened to you. I have read that it’s risky to get too personal in your application essays and during your interview, but with a 2.4 GPA, I think you need to be willing to take risks. Keeping positive, use anecdotes to demonstrate to universities that you have something special to contribute to their classes because of your life experiences.</p>
<p>That’s really all I have to say, and don’t take any of it to be condescension. All of the points above come from personal experience that I’m glad to be able to share with you.</p>
<p>I’m sorry for your loss. Keep asking the school if they will understand your circumstances. If not, then explain it to the universities that you apply to in your application letter. Heck, you could even use your experiences with your dying mother as the essay topic. Keep trying and remember that you will never be completely screwed over by life, no matter what the outcome of your situation is.</p>
<p>This is not going to sound helpful at all, but I feel I need to say it, because it is very true. It’s natural and admirable to want to be somebody, and you should absolutely do your best to make sure that you fully make use of your life, that you use the opportunities you have been given as best you can. But being somebody does not, at all, require going to a great university, or even a good university. I’d explain this, but I think you can find numerous examples on your own of people who have gone to bad state schools, community colleges, or even no college, and have done much more with their lives than most graduates of Harvard. And remember, if you really want to go to a top college, many offer transfers–not, I think, Princeton, but there are lots of other spectacular colleges. And also remember, that wherever you eventually want to go in life–even Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship, or a place like Yale Law, far more competitive to get into than Harvard–you can get there from the least prestigious of state schools.</p>
<p>Quixotic_Moon…Mustafah has some great suggestions. I wholeheartedly agree that you should find a teacher, coach someone else who can be your advocate through this process. Can you switch counselors? I had a real dud in high school so I feel for you.</p>
<p>With the extracurriculars I would keep up the ones you have been involved with the longest, as long as you are keeping up your grades. Make sure you get leadership in as a club officer, class representative, youth leader whatever. You might also check with your church and see if they have a bereavement ministry that can help you to get through these difficult times.</p>
<p>I would also nod in agreement to orangutan’s response. Shoot for that top college for your masters, right now you just want to get some reasonable choices in range for what you have to offer come application time. Good luck on your SAT"s. Keep us posted on your progress!</p>