<p>I did not take any weighted course (NO honors) when I was a freshman and sophomore (only 2 H courses in soph yr). Not taking weighted courses will affect one's GPA a lot, since my school ranks the students based on their weighted GPA. (But at the same time, many students at my school start taking weighted classes since their freshman year)</p>
<p>PS: Do I have to provide an explaination for this situation? (I have a very reasonable excuse) or.....should I just let the schools figure this situation out by themselves?</p>
<p>What’s your excuse? I’d probably mention it in the Additional Info section of the Common App.</p>
<p>I was automatically put in regular classes because I came to this country when I was a Freshman. My school just couldn’t put me in Honor classes based on the academic record that I had in other country.</p>
<p>I’m not explaining in my app… I’m almost in the same spot as you. As long as the colleges see that we’re in honors now and have an upward trend, I think we’ll be fine. I hope. </p>
<p>Though I’ve lived in the US my whole life, I also was automatically put into regulars classes for freshman year while others were placed into all honors. For the following years, we have to apply to honors classes at my school, and I got placed into a few honors sophomore year, but I wasn’t able to max out until jr year. </p>
<p>My school doesn’t officially rank, but by Texas law, UT gives automatic admission to top 10%, so my school must report who’s in top 10. Despite getting almost all A’s and a 32 on the ACT, I’m not top 10% because of my honors situation. In other words, I have a great chance of getting rejected… to someone who has a ACT of 23 yet is top 10% at their high school… 
Anyways, sorry for ranting.</p>