I’m a sophomore in high school right now, so I’ve only completed 3 semesters. My transcript is far from finished, I know. Anything could happen between now and college.
But lately I’ve been absorbed in planning out the perfect high school career, and I’m a little upset with this particular bump in the road.
In 8th Grade, I was sorted into an advanced set of students who were allowed to take two high school credit classes while in middle school. That is, Algebra 1 and Physical Science (which are mostly taken in freshman year of high school). However, no one told me that these grades were for high school credit and that they would be on my transcript. I assumed that they mattered just as much as every other class in middle school–which is not at all. I got A’s both semesters in Algebra 1, but I got a high B in Physical Science first semester. Next semester, I got a low A. I didn’t actually know that those grades were important until 2nd Semester of 8th Grade, so I was pretty upset that I got a B in Physical Science.
My freshman year, I got all A’s in all my classes both semesters. First semester of my sophomore just ended, and I finished with all A’s, too. Which means that even if I try my hardest for the rest of high school, I will still have that one stupid B from middle school on my transcript.
Thankfully, since I didn’t actually take the class in high school, my counselor tells me that it won’t be factored into my GPA, so I still have an unweighted 4.0. But I’m still pretty upset, and I’m thinking of retaking the entire course over the summer to rid my beautiful transcript of that ugly mistake.
Does that one B really soil my transcript, assuming that I continue to get A’s until I graduate?
OP, you really must trust that your counselor has seen, and dealt with, this before, and shepherded lots of other kids through the same situation. Therefore, the counselor speaks with a voice of authority in which you can trust.
You’d be fine, considering your consistent trend, even if the ‘B’ were show up on your transcript.
Work on adding breadth, scope and depth to your activities and extracurriculars, developing a sense of what is important to you and delving into that, and, quite frankly, just stretching.
Whatever you do, when it is time to apply to college a few years from now, DO NOT use the additional comments section of the Common App to address this middle school issue.
Kids with all A’s are turned down by top colleges. So are those with perfect SATs. And being valedictorian is no guarantee either.
So maybe you’ve got an answer to that. Your “chances” are better if you get all A’s and have that glowing transcript.
Nope. Top colleges take a holistic look. They don’t expect all A’s, but they do look for evidence of top-caliber ability and character.
They look at the courses you’ve taken, the grades and scores you’ve got, evidence of leadership and achievement in your ECs, what your teachers say about you in recs, what you say in your essays. A “B” in a class that your counselor has alreadyd told you is not part of GPA but apparently without allaying your fears, is not going to keep you out of top colleges. And since I’d bet you’ve mentioned how much this stresses you to the counselor, repeatedly no doubt, I wonder just what she/he is going to write in their rec when thinking about your readiness for the rigors of a top college.
Imagining a world where this B in 8th grade “soils” your transcript is just, well, all I can say is best of luck to you.
Colleges like to see upward trends. Have you learned from this mistake and grown subsequently? If so, and judging by the high school grades you have, you have nothing to worry about. Calm down and continue to work hard. Good Luck in the future
Please give yourself a break. And instead of being so intently focused on “planning out the perfect high school career” to get into college, you would be wise to appreciate HS as an important experience in its own right – yes, you should do as well as you can in the most rigorous courses you can handle…but you should also make friends, get involved in activities you like etc.
I can tell you that if a college admissions officer is looking at your application and sees that you spent the summer after your sophomore year retaking a class you took in 8th grade solely in order to turn a B into an A, rather than doing, oh, ANYTHING else that will actually enrich your life and expand your knowledge of the world – that is going to work AGAINST you rather than for you.
Admissions officers do not give a rat’s ass whether you have all A’s versus all A’s and one B. It is basically the same thing. And this B wasn’t even during your high school career. You are giving off the vibe of a grade-grubbing, soulless robot – not the sort of student top colleges are looking for.
Do something else with your summer. Take a different class, get a job, pursue an interesting activity, volunteer – ANYTHING other than retaking a class you’ve already taken. And please, try to relax and let go of your need to be perfect.
I cant think of a great college that considers 8th grade, no matter if it shows on the transcript or gets hs credit in your district.
You have miles to go in this pursuit of perfection. As a sophomore, if you’re aiming high, you should be honing thinking skills, looking into what the process is, what really matters, what it takes to make the giant leap.
I foresee more mountains out of molehills from this poster.
You need a rude awakening now, before you become hopelessly sucked into the pit of “if I don’t get into a top college, it’s the end of the world.” I am seeing major warning bells from what you have said. I guarantee there is no such thing as a perfect high school career. Your beautiful transcript is not ugly or soiled because of one B in 8th grade. You may get another B before you finish high school. People get into HYPS with Bs all the time. Some might even have the odd C, shock horror! And people with straight As and 1600 SAT scores go to Podunk U and thrive. Both brilliant and average students of all kinds go to colleges many people have never heard of. They somehow manage to lead happy lives despite having a B. If you are obsessing over a B from two years ago, then I am deeply worried about what might happen should you not get the test score you want, or if you are denied at all your top choices, or if you do get a B in a high school course.
Please read post 8 by @dustypig again. Then read it again, and also read @mikemac 's post 4 twice. They are both correct.
You won’t get a lot of sympathy on CC by being overly dramatic about something so unimportant. Save the despair for when you really need some sound advice.