Hello, I am planning on (attempting) to go to Clemson University when I graduate, but I am open to other universities within the South Carolina Area. However, I do have a few questions… I am not the best highschool student. I currently have a ~2.2 GPA and an ACT score of 21 (planning on retaking for a higher score). However, the reason for my low GPA is mainly due to me owning my own online business and working many long, and late nights to complete tasks that needed to be done. I currently run my own Online Server Hosting Business which I do own an LLC for and my day to day tasks consist of back end/front end website development, windows/linux/ubuntu server administration, and various forms of other software development.I make around 4-5 grand a month as a junior in highschool and have been building the business higher and greater since late 2015. This being said, if I were to write a very detailed, and convincing letter showing off my real world skills and experience I possess, and of course have a portfolio to display which would show all of my past and current projects, would Clemson see that I am a person of great potential despite my GPA? Or am I better off pursuing owning my own large scale. long term company and forgetting about college all together? What college do I have the best of chances at? I look forward to hearing from you guys. Thank you!
Yes you have good real world experience, but your low GPA indicates that you almost certainly have serious academic gaps. Babson would be a good place for soemone like you who has a strong entrepreneurial bent. However, your GPA might stand in your way. If you are interested in getting further education after high school, you need to carve out time for studying so that you can pull up your GPA. One possiblity would be to identify the courses you need for your specific goals, and to take them only one or two at a time as a non-degree student, at a community college, or online. After you have some college-level coursework under your belt, and an improved GPA, you could transfer to a place where you can finish your degree.
Colleges will think that you are a terrific entrepreneur who will be equally invested in your business during college and will thus be unable to keep up with your academics in college. They won’t take the Rik if admitting you. It’s much harder to add in college than in high school so your odds of passing even your first semester aren’t good at all.
Academically, you’re nowhere near what a selective 4-year college wants.
But it’s not too late.
Hopefully you have time to entrust your business temporarily to someone who can just watch the basics, so that you can complete and turn in any homework still pending and ace your finals. Then, see if you can take some summer classes to dilute your bad grades a bit. Take as any as you’re confident you can get a B or higher in.
If you have any D, make those a priority to retake and * ace * over the summer.
In terms of course rigor, how many honors classes have you taken? How many AP/IB/aice/dual enrollment/PSEO classes?
Have you taken
- math through precalculus or calculus
- 2-3 years of a foreign language
- biology, chemistry, another science
- us history+ 2 other social science/history classes
- electives in CS? Business?
?
How much have you saved from our business? Can you afford to pay for colegenfom your savings? Will your parents help you?
Generally, students with a GPA under 2.6 should start in community college. Some have dorms and honors programs where you may be able to demonstrate your work ethics, time management skills and study skills.
If you want a 4-year college, you’ll have to dedicate as much time to academics in the next 6-7 months as you did your business till now. You have to think of the changes it means for your schedule, what you can delegate, to whom, etc.
What’s your senior schedule like as of now?