So basically my freshman year of high school I got a 2.8 gpa with no honors classes both semesters. Sophomore year I got a 3.0 weighted gpa first semester with two C’s but I am in two honors. Currently I am a second semester sophomore and my final grades are going to be An A In art and lit & B’s in whh, science, math, and Spanish. The thing is, I slacked off so much both years and regret it. My freshman year i turned in my homework with random answers and my sophomore year i still didn’t really study. I am a good student in class but was very lazy when it comes to my work. Next year I plan to change this because i feel like I am wasting my potential. Junior year I am taking apush and honors Spanish and other regular classes but I think I can get all A’s. I can get good grades easily but I have not tried enough. I am better at being self taught and do better when I feel more challenged. I also think I can get very high ACT and SAT scores. I am naturally good at math. My question is, if colleges see that I got bad grades freshman year, even if I get amazing grades and standardized test scores junior year, will they penalize me for it? Would I be able to get into a good college? I am not trying for an Ivy League college but maybe a college such as Southern California or Arizona state university.
You will likely be judged for your early indiscretions, but some will take trend into account. The trick is doing as well as you can from here on out and then appropriately choosing schools based on your stats once you know them.
There are LOTS of good schools, including USC and ASU. From a selectivity standpoint they are in two different leagues. The ship may have already sailed for both, but almost certainly for USC.
^^ Agree. ASU possible. USC not possible.
USC is 90% not possible. ASU is possible.
You keep saying you’re naturally smart and a good student but that won’t do anything for colleges and honestly, it sounds a bit arrogant. Doing well in a class is not something that happens just because you say you want to. Freshman and Sophomore classes are there to build a foundation for your next two years’ worth of classes. They don’t care a single bit about whether or not you think you’re smart. When you say you’re a good student in class, does that mean that your teachers agree and can write you letters of recommendation to that effect? If so, then you’re at a bit better of a starting point where you can show improvement over the next two years. But you definitely need to work hard and get good ECs and personal essay.
That’s how that sounds to us. I feel like even though your earlier lack of efforts will be a considering factor for ASU, I think they will be willing to consider it and compromise if your overall GPA is ok and your ACT/SAT is in their range or, even better, if it is above. I’d say if you can get an ok GPA and score, you should be fine.
SCU is . . . not on the table. That’s only a few ticks below the ivies, unless you are referring to another school such as the Southern California University of Health Sciences. They only accepted 16% of a pool of extremely smart applicants this year, and they wouldn’t risk the slots on somebody who they determine didn’t care about school for the first two years and is thereby at risk of not succeeding in a college setting.
I get that it may be true (although nothing you have said concretely supports this), but please never say that. As @Syrxis pointed out, it sounds really cocky and arrogant. I do, however, hope that you can turn yourself around academically; you will be in much better company at your school and you will be more likely to succeed in college. On top of that, your work ethic will improve, which is important for your life as a whole.
College care more about an applicant’s performance than if he/she is “naturally smart.” Right now all you can do is try to excel next year and show an upward trend. Also study for your standardized tests. When it comes time to apply, make an honest/realistic assessment of your actual academic range (not what could have been if you worked harder) and apply to a mix of reach, match, and safety schools that appear affordable and that you would be happy to attend.