<p>I’ve been trying my hardest not to catch senioritis. I’m still doing my HW, reading my books; maybe not paying attention in class so much.</p>
<p>I really want to just shirk everything off, but there is just something in me that can’t do it. I have this horrible feeling that its going to come and bite me in butt. Habit?</p>
<p>I did not apply to Berk or UCLA, just the mid and lower UCs.</p>
<p>So can anyone think of any reason I should still try? The only thing I can think of is the AP exams in May. But then again, what grade you get in the class doesn’t neccesarily reflect what you’ve learned. I feel I could get a B or even a C in my AP Lit class and still get at least a 4 on the exams. Not so much in Calc, so Calc will be an exception to whatever is decided about this. And I don’t really care about AP psych and enviro, just a little bit - enough to still take notes I guess.</p>
<p>I have the same problem of not caring anymore, though other factors may contributing to my personal situation. I mean, I got a 4.1 last semester, I could very well get all C's and still make the 3.0 average. </p>
<p>Things such as academic success just don't seem to matter anymore; it seems like they're falling apart. But I have faith that an acceptance to UCI will give me the much needed momentum to carry on and start getting things done.
I think an acceptance from any of the colleges you applied to might deliver that same much needed boost to carry you through the end of the year.</p>
<p>Oh god, I've been having the same thoughts as well. Besides AP exams, I can easily maintain a 3.0 average. Perhaps even higher...I gave up trying this semester.</p>
<p>Exactly. I coasted to a 4.0 last semester, I was expecting a 4.5. And really the only reason for that was to convince my dad I could drive a stick (how they're related? don't ask).</p>
<p>I'm not talking about completely skivving off class and ditching. I'm talking about not stressing over grades, and being content with a C.</p>
<p>I actually really want a reason to try. lol </p>
<p>My options, if I can't find a reason, are to either relax or get a job and have a few hundred dollars a month in spending money (and make car payments).</p>
<p>^ Same. I was going for a 4.3, but got lazy and ended up with a 4.0. This semester, I'm contemplating whether or not I should start working a couple jobs just to fill my time up.</p>
<p>There is a reason why a lot of the times, first quarter freshman year grades are pretty low. People are still in the mode of senioritis. Now, if you want to follow the idea of "As make the grade, Cs get degrees", fair enough. However, a significant portion of CC's posters are aiming for something higher than just an undergraduate degree from UC-insert-name-here-. If you're looking into medical school, law school, business school, which I dare say a majority of the incoming classes are looking into doing, then know that for medical school, the average GPA is a 3.7 (ie. an A- average), not even including extracurriculars. Even then, only ~50% of applicants are accepted into even ONE medical school (half the applicants are rejected from every single medical school they apply to). For law school, only A+s count as 4.0, As are 3.8. Business school involves not only high GPA, but the necessity of ~2 years of full-time employment which, without internships and consequently a high GPA, is going to be hard to come by right out of college. </p>
<p>One quarter might be insignificant it seems, but that is the precedent that it sets is something that lingers for a long time. A formerly straight A student is not only going to be demoralized when they see abysmal grades first quarter, they're going to lose faith in their considerably talented abilities to perform at that school. It doesn't matter if you go to Riverside or Berkeley, if you do poorly the first quarter, it WILL haunt you for the rest of the year, if not the rest of your college career. Also, every grade that detracts from an A- or better is a much weaker chance of getting into a good graduate school. Arguably you might have 11 more quarters to bring up that grade, but are your classes going to get any easier? You need to build up some sort of firewall against the grades from harder upper division classes to balance out their effect. </p>
<p>Now the final option is if you opt just to take an undergraduate education and be done with it. That's a valid way to go. However, while it may be that Cs get degrees, if you slack first quarter, are you even going to get a C average by the end of your college career? That logic got my friend a 1.4 in his first quarter at Cal, and it could happen to anyone. Don't play with that bottom line, its meant to be a fallback, not a goal. Try to stimulate yourself academically even in the waning days of your high school career, if not just to prepare yourself for what would be seen as a more academically challenging adventure in college.</p>
<p>I want to slack off as well, but nice post Peppers. Although, I mean when you go to college, no one even cares about your high school GPA anymore. Employers etc are just going to look at your college degree only, so I mean getting a C in high school wouldn't matter right?</p>
<p>All my high school life I haven't really tried to get high grades or study for anything. I've gotten decent grades, but I haven't really had to try for it. SAT's were something I also regret not taking seriously. </p>
<p>One of the princeples that I've experienced throughout my academic history is that it's just so hard to turn it around once it's started. It's hard, especially now in senior year to attempt to turn around what you've been doing for so long. That's one of the many things I'm looking forward to changing in college: a fresh academic start, where I'm studying high level material that's related to my carrer.
I understand that there's some required classes, like the horror stories from Sociology, but overall I'm hoping that the material will challenge me into growing the way I want to grow rather than cramming me into a mold like high school does. </p>
<p>But having a running start in freshman year will set that precident of doing well for the rest of your time at college, and possibly even into grad school. That way you won't have to work so hard to turn things around, and that you'll be reaching to obtain a high grade rather than struggling to maintain a low grade. You can afford to mess up in high school, but you pay for messing up in college.</p>
<p>On the same note of low first semester freshman GPAs, my AP Eng teacher told me that if i do choose to work through college, I should put off getting a job until second semester because first semester is really hectic. Just thought I'd pass along the advise.</p>
<p>Ok so far:</p>
<p>1) AP exams
2) Not getting into the habit/setting a precedent for freshman year.</p>
<p>I think those are good reason. On an extension of #2, I have to speak from experience about this part.</p>
<p>If you can maintain the drive and interest to keep doing well, despite how little the incentive is, then when you get to those lulls in college or maybe even your last quarter/semester (and you don't plan on going to graduate school) you may be inclined to relax again. Especially when you feel like you can't read one more political essay and could care less about what Hume really thinks, knowing that you can push yourself through is a great feeling.</p>
<p>The building of dicsipline is probably the best reason to keep trying.</p>
<p>And not only is the first semester/quarter hectic, the entire first year is a little hectic because you're still trying to find your place at whatever UC you go to. If you can afford it, I suggest you hold off a job until the summer after your freshman year.</p>
<p>Undergradate, the GE's are always harder, as they're spread out and not specifying to your major. The GE classes is where they weed out those that just can't cut it. Sounds stupid, but I think the upper division courses are easier, as you are (hopefully) doing what you love.</p>
<p>Also, I am assuming that you're still in HS and this is what I wish someone told ME in HS.</p>
<p>Try to find which major you like the most. Easier said than done, but the sooner you figure it out, the easier college gets. Those that are undeclared for their first two years aren't helping themselves. Take some college courses now, if you can at a local CC. Just get your feet wet... it helps a lot.</p>
<p>Can't people appeal to colleges in April/May? For most people, I assume it won't help too much (If you had a ~3.5 GPA throughout high school, another 3.5 GPA Senior year probably won't convince UCLA or Berkeley to reconsider), but some people may have had big changes during Senior year. Depending on what privates accept me, I might appeal to a few UC's (I had a huge grade improvement Senior year).</p>