I really screwed up my junior year badly. In my freshman year, I had a GPA of 3.8, and I had a GPA of 3.5 in my sophomore year. I just finished my junior year, and I had a GPA of 2.89.
I’m not the smartest kid on the block, but I always aimed for the best. However, I switched schools so I had to adjust to the new “norm”, and I joined marching band, because I loved music. I didn’t expect for it to take up to 90% of my own time, and I couldn’t quit, because my mom paid money for it. I eventually started having health problems, and onto the 2nd semester, I was in hospital for a couple of weeks, only to find that I have a disease (can be life-threatening). I also missed at least 10 days of school throughout the year.
None of this should be an excuse for my GPA.
However, my SAT score is 1150. It’s not the highest score, but it is higher than average. I don’t think it’ll excuse my junior year GPA though.
I’m really scared for my future. I messed my junior year big time. The college I’m trying to get in is University of Colorado Denver. I visited the campus already, and according to the paper of ‘acceptance chances’ (chances based on GPA and SAT scores altogether) I have about 99% of getting in, but I won’t get my hopes up.
What can I do? Do I go to a community college first, then transfer over to a university? Please help.
Definitely try to bring your grades up for Senior year. Based on your results for freshmen and sophomore years it sounds like you know how to do this. Also, definitely do apply to U.Colorado Denver, I think that you have a good chance to get in.
I am thinking that you might want to have one of your references, possibly your guidance counselor, mention your illness in their reference. The fact that you had to deal with this but still kept your grades in the “decent” range could be seen as a strong point – it shows that you can deal with significant adversity and still do well. To me it looks like you are a match for UC Denver, except for this illness. If the illness is now either cured or properly treated, you should be able to do well there.
“None of this should be an excuse for my GPA.”
No, but it is a reason for your GPA. It is a reason that you are now past.
I have heard of similar cases where the school waited to get the students mid-term grades senior year before sending an acceptance. In the cases that I heard of the student did have mid-term senior grades that were comparable with their good freshman and sophomore grades, and did get accepted, but it was for different schools. I don’t know whether this would apply to UC Denver, but it is a reason to get you grades back on track for senior year. There are other good reasons also (such as being well prepared for university).
You have good reasons for your GPA (trouble adjusting, hospitalization, life-threatening illness). Make sure your counselor is aware of them and have them on your bragsheet.
Your GPA is not bad - what level classes were you taking? What’s your schedule next year and do you have accommodation from your school? (if not, talk with an advocate and your parents,
then ask.)
Not only can you apply to UC Denver, but also UC Boulder, Colorado State, and UDenver!
Do you have to be in Denver for medical reasons or can you be elsewhere? Because WUE offers you lots of good deals…not to mention possible private colleges (feck out Colorado college - a reach, but its arrangement of one course at a time may work if you need breaks or regular hospitalization - horrible if you have a chronic disease).