Can any current JHU students that got in with low gpas please explain their experiences of what they did to get into the prestigious JHU? JHU is literally my dream so I’m worried my gpa will hold me back 
Does anyone know how much an academic interruption of moving schools will play a role in a low gpa that has an upward trend? Will Hopkins appreciate an upward trend??
Anyone?
Short answer is yes, a low GPA means you’ve dug yourself into a hole and now the other aspects of your application (standardized test scores, course rigor, extracurricular activities, letters of rec, interview, personal statements) will need to help you enough to compensate. Unfortunately admissions officers from Hopkins have stated again and again that they place more emphasis on GPA than test scores, but they also state they take a holistic approach to applicants and value diversity.
Unfortunately even current JHU students will have a hard time “chancing” people since each entering class’ stats are always improving significantly (and are consistently record-breaking for the school). Keep in mind though that the stats you are seeing are the 50th percentile, meaning 50% of students were accepted with GPAs and test scores below those listed. An upward trend is important since universities want to know who you are now, and not who you were. Trends show consistent behavior, maturity, etc. Remember that these committees are made up of adults who know you were 14 as a freshman and were still learning how to study and balance all of the obligations in your life (lord knows I still am). If your grade fluctuations match you moving schools then you can make a convincing narrative and explain that during an interview or in a personal statement. Self-reflection shows maturity, and given how scrupulous these committees are at selecting the right students, attempting to hide your shortcomings will be near impossible.
Hopefully your upward trend is a trend stretching over more than just a semester, and hopefully you did take some honors/AP/IB classes if they were available at your school to show that you challenged yourself and maybe got a bit ambitious. If that’s the case then I would reduce the rigor of your schedule so you can continue to show improved grades at all costs. I would also recommend sending in high (700+, or even 750+) SATII subject tests related to fields you want to study (or particular topics you got less than stellar grades in) to show improvement and convince the committee you have learned from your mistakes. Try to step back and look at your application as a whole. Be critical and find your weaknesses and then see how the evidence available to the committee would convince a rational person that you have addressed and overcome that weakness.
Moving forward here’s what I would do: Keep those senior year grades high (and if possible show even more improvement) so you can make a strong case for yourself at any college looking over your file. Subjects you showed previous weakness in can be pursued if you are confident (and/or take a subject test if you’re committed) in order to show improvement. Most importantly though, the first semester senior GPA has to continue the upward trend. Strong recs can make a significant difference in your case since teachers can compare you to other students in the class and can credibly state that you have what it takes to succeed at Hopkins. I would recommend that you encourage letter writers to compare you to current and past students/interns in their letters and hopefully they will make a strong case that you are exceptional amongst your peers. When I ask for rec letters I type up a list of traits I believe I demonstrated and examples of how I demonstrated them and provide that list to the letter writer. Unfortunately most letters admissions receive are praiseworthy yet vague, and aren’t comparative so they often don’t add much to the committee’s opinion in ranking you above other applicants. See if you can contact your letter writers to ensure a strong, detailed and comparative letter is written. Lastly, emphasize leadership roles and what makes you unique as a candidate. Be creative and thoughtful in written and interview responses and strive to write something you’re convinced no one else is writing about. Discuss details about the school (research, faculty, programs, etc.) to communicate your passion for Hopkins and your program of interest. You need to stand out so that admissions will say “yeah he had some bumps in his career, but he can offer a unique perspective and skillset that will add to the educational experience of all the students at Hopkins.” This is who the bottom quartile of students are, those who show improvement and offer something the school is willing to take a “hit” to get.
@NixonDenier I am in IB and my school is quite rigorous (competitive class). And yes, this upward trend has been showing all throughout junior year…even though I haven’t been getting straight As (sophomore year I barely made an A whereas junior year I made 3 As). I only went down in Spanish 4 (I had C) as my teacher was ridiculously hard. I am continuing to show my upward trend this year…and I decided to take the challenge and do AP and HL Chem. I am definitely filling out the self reflection section on commonapp and explaining my situation. So if I continue this year (with 7 academics) to increase this upward trend and get maybe 5 As with no Cs…would that look amazingly better? What if I got a consistent B in English and History but improved in the math and sciences?
Well you definitely don’t want to risk getting any C’s. It seems odd that you’re aiming or preparing for B’s when you really should be striving for As. If you think (and maybe are even preparing) to get some B’s then I would either drop a class or switch an honors to a regular course. It may be too late for you to switch classes, but if you are planning on taking SAT I or II exams, are involved in leadership positions for clubs, plan on attending senior activities, and are applying to college - you’re going to have more on your plate this year than past years. You don’t want to risk the B you’re preparing to get in English or History to possibly turn into a C. That’s just my opinion, and ultimately you know yourself best, but don’t forget that straight A’s send a strong message, and reducing a course load to get there shows maturity. If you can’t switch classes at this point and are concerned then reduce your involvement in groups or even drop a club that’s not as important to you, etc. GPA trumps all other metrics for most schools, and continuing that trend you’ve worked so hard on will not only help your chances at Hopkins, but every school you are applying to. Just my two cents. And besides, this is your senior year and there’s no reason why you need to be miserable during it.
Well definitely I’m not aiming for a B, that is my worst case scenario. My goal is always an A, and being in the IB program there isn’t much flexibility in terms of dropping courses. I am happy with courses I currently have, and I really do want to do the best. I think what I was mainly worried is that would colleges at least notice that I have done well in senior year, so that they can see that I have matured and worked harder which is why I would be as competitive as someone as who had straight A’s all four years. But your advice has really helped me, so I thank you so much for your time!