Low GPA/high test score kid aiming high.....

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>GPA 3.35
Upward trend
Dip in grades junior year...two of my family members passed away, along with one of my friends...</p>

<p>Took mostly AP/AC classes...will graduate with 6-7 AP's.
Very strong public school</p>

<p>33 ACT
Retaking hopefully for a 35 this fall</p>

<p>Symphony Orchestra
Played at Carnegie Hall
Numerous state awards</p>

<p>Business Professionals of America
Leadership
Two national level awards
Three state level awards
7 Regional level awards</p>

<p>School Paper
Editor-in-chief
Several awards</p>

<p>Photography
Published photographer
Attended international photography convention
Finalist in nationwide photo contest</p>

<p>Two Varsity letters (not good enough to get recruited though)</p>

<p>Vice President of three smaller clubs (may not list....too "laundry list")</p>

<p>Riflery
Pro Marksman
Marksman
Marksman 1st class
Sharpshooter
Sharpshooter Bar I
Sharpshooter Bar II
Sharpshooter Bar III
Sharpshooter Bar IV
Sharpshooter Bar V</p>

<p>instate at umich (feeder school for umich...100+ sent every year)</p>

<p>Bunch of smaller clubs and awards.</p>

<p>Low income, extremely low EFC (zero last time I used the calculator)</p>

<p>Amazing recs (teacher told me)</p>

<p>Writing/english is my strong suit so hopefully a very strong essay.</p>

<p>Rec from Umichigan retired professor on my behalf</p>

<p>Letter from psychologist/social worker to explain my grade slip.</p>

<p>If I can get a 3.8-4.0 senior year, what are my chances at:</p>

<p>Umichigan (submitted application already...yea I know, but it helps to apply early- rolling admissions) - number 1 choice btw
Michigan state
Chicago EA
Carnegie Mellon
Boston College
UWashington</p>

<p>Thanks
Badkarma89 is online now</p>

2

<p>If you can explain that dip in 11th grade to adcom you have good chances at all school you listed. What grades you got in 9th/10th grade?</p>

3

<p>3.1 fresh. year, closer to 3.6 soph year. I slacked off fresh year, no other explanation, but I started getting my act together. Then my friend passed away first semester and I crashed. </p>

<p>The thing is, I think i'm capable of doing better than even 3.6 work...I just never had time to prove it. I hope to do that first semester senior year....lets hope they give me the chance.</p>

4

<p>michigan doesn't look at frosh grades so that should help.</p>

<p>bump......</p>

5

<p>It depends. Did you do badly grades-wise even before the junior-year-dip? If you had low grades even before then (meaning during freshman and sophomore year) then that may hurt you. High senior grades can't make admissions officers overlook bad freshman and sophomore year grades...even if they understand why you did bad junior year.
Other than grades, you are phenomenal. You could aim even higher if you wanted.</p>

6

<p>Attention All Little *****es On This Board: A 3.5 Gpa Is Not Low< Ur All A Bunch Of Nerds</p>

7

<p>I did bad freshman year, but michigan does not look at freshman year period, meaning they recalculate GPA without it. </p>

<p>Mallomar:
That's the thing. I did bad frosh year, but soph. year I picked it up and got a around a 3.6 UW GPA taking all honors/AC/AP courses. I was aiming for a 3.8-4.0 junior year but due to outside events I did poorly grade-wise.
Catching up in classes like spanish and chemistry was very difficult for me because the material is based off of previous material. I got A's and A+'s in all my other classes.
Junior year kinda broke my "would be" upward trend, and i'm counting on a great senior year to "prove" to colleges that I can do well in school. I know some schools might be more lenient/understanding towards stuff like this (holistic reviews) while others may not (infamous "numbers based" schools), hence the chances thread.</p>