Is this a bad Midyear report?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>hello, so if lets say an applicant has everything (great EC's, great essays, good SAT, top 5%), would a slight drop in mid year grades cause Harvard to reject? I just want to make sure that my mid year grades won't be the cause that they would reject me. it is safe to assume that if they really want you they will overlook some 'weaker" parts of your app? my unweighted GPA until junior year is around 93. Senior year im taking the most challenging courseload -5 AP's, and my mid year grades are: 87,91,86,89,88,92,92, o mid year average is around 89. </p>

<p>is this bad? and if it, how bad is it? Also, how do ivy leagues treat senior grades overall? do they just see them in borderline cases? are they that important? Would my grades cause them to "like me less"? Thanks</p>

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<p>See: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1450565-drop-senior-grades.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1450565-drop-senior-grades.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Truthfully, unless you are a star recruited athlete or of the caliber of Yo-Yo Ma, your chances are slim-to-none with an 89 (sorry).</p>

3

<p>If there is a specific reason why your grades may have dropped (maybe a death in the immediate family or life-saving surgery that you underwent that caused a drop in grades because you weren’t in class), then you should write a letter to harvard. A letter about your life-changing experience that made you a better person. </p>

<p>Lol maybe not that dramatic but still unless there is a really good reason why your grades dropped (you went into a coma after a car accident), then Harvard may “like you less.” Unfortunately for the applicant, there are thousands of qualified students who probably didn’t drop their GPA in senior year that Harvard will favor.</p>

<p>But stranger things have happened!</p>

4

<p>Yes it is bad. You almost certainly won’t get in.</p>

5

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<p>Yes. But for 99% of applicants, Harvard doesn’t really want you. You really want Harvard.</p>

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<p>^^ but wait. I thought they accepted about 6%… are you saying they didn’t want the other 5%?:)</p>

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<p>^To the extent that they want them so badly that they’ll forgive otherwise mediocre high school grades, yes.</p>

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<p>It’s quite possible that your dip in grades may be sufficient to measurably harm your chances of getting into Harvard. The one caveat I’d make is that Harvard will try to look at your grades in the context of your school. At my sons’ high school, there is a teacher who teaches two courses almost exclusively to the highest-level seniors. He gives almost no As. These are AP courses, and most of the students who take the courses score a 5 on the AP test for each class, even the vast majority of students who get a B. But the teacher is fairly notorious for giving out nearly no As.</p>

<p>So, if you’re a top student from this school, the likelihood is that you will get two Bs, at least, senior year. My son did.</p>

<p>But it appears that the regional admissions committee is pretty familiar with this school (a small number of students apply nearly every year, and one or two get in nearly every year). My guess is that they’ve seen so many transcripts from this school with these two classes, nearly all of them with grades of B, that they understand the grade in that context.</p>

<p>If you’re taking classes this year where historically, even the top students in the school get Bs, then you may be all right. Otherwise, it is likely an issue.</p>

9

<p>i disagree, I’ve known plenty who had a dip in senior year grades but still got into top ivies. It will hurt your chances but you won’t get instantly rejected.</p>