Hi! I’m stuck on my college apps because my GPA is very low (3.4 weighted) and my teacher recommendations are both from my elective teachers. I don’t know if I will even get into a college at this point. Should I ask some core subject teachers for recommendations? I’m afraid because they might reject me since apps are due in two weeks.
Your GPA is NOT low, no matter what some on CC might tell you. A low GPA is would be almost all failing grades, which you don’t have. There are multiple schools in the nation (public schools tend to fall into this category,) that don’t require letters of recommendation, so that’s a non-issue.
What type of school are you looking for? Large or small? Urban/sub-urban or rural? Have you considered your in-state options or potentially attending a community college and transferring after 2 years (some states, like CA, guarantee admission if you meet certain requirements.)
There are 4,000 colleges in the US. The key is finding schools that are looking for students like you. I agree that if you provide your location, what you are looking for in a school and your academic interests, posters can help you find great options.
Also, I’m not sure what applications are due in 2 weeks. There may be some EA deadlines that are approaching but most schools have general deadlines for January. That should buy you some time to find the right schools.
Very highly selective colleges and certain competitive STEM programs do prefer LORs from certain teachers, but your GPA makes most of those high reaches anyway. Most other colleges will be happy to take letters from your elective teachers, if they require them at all. You can check the admissions requirements web page from each college of interest, and if they don’t specify, then don’t worry.
My S19 had @3.4 gpa, 26 ACT and was accepted to 2 state regional colleges he applied. These were the only 2 places he applied. I thought these were great choices for him and the one he chose was a great fit. He even received a small ($300?) scholarship by completing the “Raise Me” scholarship application. I liked these 2 college options because they were part of the state system, but a smaller campus where he could get in-state rates—one as a resident and one with reciprocity. There are many posters on this site who can help advise if you post some of your interests/what you are looking for in a college/budget.
- Your GPA is just fine for many colleges. Apply wisely to schools that fit your academic stats and that appear affordable (run net price calculators).
- Look at what each college wants in terms of teacher recommendations and follow those instructions. Many schools do want teachers of core subjects to write the LORs.