My grades have been terrible. I don’t know how else to put it.
Freshman year my GPA was in the early 80s (an 83 I think?) I was taking some honors classes. I knew I could’ve done better.
Sophomore year I took some more honors classes. I finished the year with a GPA in the late 80s (around an 87-88) and planned to do even better the next year. Life had other plans.
Junior year I was off to a good start, but I was going through it. Fall of my junior year I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and, to say the least, I went off the deep end. I took 3 AP classes this year, but with the state of my mental health, it was so hard for me to keep up with them. My GPA plummeted and I finished this year with a 79. Lmao. I feel like my life is over.
I really don’t want to go to community college, but I feel like I have no choice. I’m waiting to find out my SAT scores, but at this point does it even matter?
Is it possible to still have a shot at some schools if I do well senior year and explain why my junior year grades were so terrible? I’ve been working through what I mentioned above, and expect my marks to be so much better this upcoming year.
I wouldn’t worry about it. There’s a school for everyone and schools admit students of all different backgrounds and standing. On these forums, it may seem that to get into any college you need a 1600 and a perfect GPA. While that could help, it isn’t the case at all. I think it goes without saying that ivies or highly competitive colleges are a long shot but you definitely have a chance at state schools or less competitive schools. Don’t lose hope in your future!
Oh, don’t worry! Compared to most others on here, most of which post things like “Chance Me: Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Princeton, etc.”, I suck academically! However, compared to those I go to school with, I’m an amazing student, and it’s because the percentage of students aiming at top universities is less. Now, you won’t be getting into Harvard or Yale anytime soon, but you can most definitely apply to colleges and get in just fine.
So, you have an 83-84 GPA. Hardly terrible at all. That’s probably like a 2.8 on a 4 scale.
There’ll be hundreds of colleges interested in your application provided you are flexible geographically and study hard for your SAT/ACT. (Use Khan academy for instance, it’s free.)
Have you registered for the august/September tests? Do you have any scores?
What classes are you taking senior year?
What state do you live in?
What do you want to major in?
Scores in the mid to high 80’s are not terrible. In fact, if I were to compare you with the seniors I taught this past year, you’re probably at or near the median.
You can’t consider the kids on this site as your competition; this site draws an incredibly skewed group of high achievers; not the typical mix of college applicants at ALL.
Where do you live? What major are you considering? What do you think you want in a school?
–There are over 2,000 four year colleges in the US and many are geared to take students with GPAs in your range.
–Yes, standardized tests do matter at many colleges so study for them and do your best.
–Talk to your parents and find out what, if any, limitations they have on your college (ex. geographic limitations, what they can afford to pay for college etc.).
–Think about what you want in a college (academics, social, anything else).
– It would be helpful if your guidance counselor mentioned that you had health issues junior year in his/her letter of recommendation to colleges – that way it will come of as a factual statement verified by a third party rather than an excuse. I would stay with the generic “health issues” as mental health problems can be viewed by some colleges as a red flag.
I registered for the SAT in August. I’m waiting to see my June scores.
Senior year I’ll be taking AP Gov and Lit, as well as college Eco.
I live in New York, and am interested in nursing.
I considered writing about it in my essay? But now that you mention it, perhaps not. It was definitely something that built character, cause I feel like if I can get through this I can get through anything. But I wouldn’t want colleges thinking I’m crazy
You can major in nursing at SUNY Buffalo, Brockport, Binghamton, Delhi, Alfred, Farmingdale, Plattsburgh. and Canton. Also CUNY-- the College of Staten Island and Lehman.
Your essay should highlight the part of you that colleges would want to admit.
If facing a tremendous issue and surviving it is an essential part of who you are now, make sure your essay highlights resilience, ability to find coping mechanisms, grit, etc.
A good college essay highlights something that makes you unique from the other applicants. A college doesn’t want to hear what every single students’ goals are. They just want to get to know you better. Was there anything big that changed who you were? Did you have an experience you had a hard time going through, but ultimately found a way through? Did you learn something that you can relate to lessons in the real world? If any of these applied to you, write your essay on one of them. For example, I will be writing my essay on my cross-country move from Colorado to Massachusetts and how at first, I hated it, but ultimately pulled through. Just find something that’ll make you stand out.
The college essay should serve to: 1) say something about yourself that can’t be found elsewhere on the application and 2) give admission officers a reason to want to have you on their campus.
Do keep in mind that nursing is a very competitive major at most colleges and one often needs academic stats to be higher than the norm to get into a direct admit program.
