<p>hello, i'm new but i've been browsing around for quite some time but decided to make a profile because i think something really bad may happen. here's the thing:</p>
<ul>
<li>I'm a sophomore in the top 5% of a very large class at a well known public, 4.5 + GPA, 2250 on my SAT's, numerous great SAT II scores, half minority, very well involved in EC's (i may be athletically recruited, great rec's from teacher, and a unique background. I will also enter the 2 year IB program ( I am moving out of the country so i will be considered an intl. student) next year. But, I'm terrible at math. So this week at a class that I've been struggling in all year (i am in the very low 70s) for several different reasons, I think I completely failed my final, which might cause me to fail the class. It was an honors course. </li>
</ul>
<p>So my question is: exactly how bad would it be for an otherwise excellent college candidate to fail a class at random? Granted, I have had several on going personal problems lately that may have affected my grade, but I'm not trying to make excuses and I am willing to live with it. Don't get me wrong, I've had a few B's here and there but I am still in absolute shock about this. Hopefully, I don't sound too much like a whiny with this, but I'm just wondering how colleges will see this.</p>
<p>I'm thinking of doing IR and I'm definitively not applying to ivy's and all that but I'm interested in: American, Middlebury, Emory, William and Mary, Wake Forest, U Virginia, George Washington, and U Chicago. I have safeties lined up, so don't worry lol.</p>
<p>Anyway, thanks a lot for reading all this and please be honest. Any tips or advice would be gladly appreciated and I certainly willing to return the favor!</p>
<p>Well, you may not have failed, but I'll give advice assuming that you did. Is failing a class not a big deal? No, I'm not going to insult you and say that. But it shouldn't kill your chances, and here's why: you should include a paragraph/letter (seperate from your essays) explaining (not complaining about) the circumstances that led you to receiving a bad grade and detailing the steps that you took to rectify that bad grade (tutor, summer school). Middlebury, UChicago, Emory, etc.--it might be harder for you at these level schools (but not impossible), but several others that you list (American, GWU, Wake Forest), while strong schools, are not so selective that all your other pluses cannot outweigh this one minus. So, you will have to do damage control, but I think that you are certainly not dead in the water.</p>
<p>Exactly. You're not screwed. What kind of math class was it? If it was an advanced course of some kind (i.e., above the regular level), you can also talk in that paragraph about how you weren't afraid to pursue a tougher class. (Colleges like to see that). I got into 8/10 colleges I applied to even though I got two C's in my junior year; however, they were both the toughest classes in my school and they were math/science courses (wasn't good at that). Also, when I interviewed, I said I loved to learn and I loved to challenge myself (which is true). </p>
<p>If those colleges give the option of an interview/campus visit, take it. I applied to all liberal arts colleges, and many of them recommended an interview. Some of them even said, "we take note of who visits". Granted most (if not all) of your schools are not liberal arts, but it can't hurt to look at that option.</p>
<p>" I'm a sophomore in the top 5% of a very large class at a well known public, 4.5 + GPA, 2250 on my SAT's, numerous great SAT II scores, "</p>
<p>Are you a sophomore, Junior or Senior? If you already have numerous great SAT II scores and 2250 SAT1 with 4.5 GPA at a Sophomore stage then even if you fail a subject I don't think it will kill your chances. Just make sure that you compensate it with strong Junior and Senior grades.</p>
<p>yes i'm a sophomore. well not anymore, i'm a JUNIOR as of yesterday! yesterday was our last day of class. </p>
<p>anyway, thanks for your responses first of all! advantagious, yes i'll definitively include some kind of a paragraph and i am planning on interviewing at all schools i'm looking to apply to, although that won't be until next summer. </p>
<p>newchick, yep it was alg 2 pre-ap. might seem easy to many of you calc people but i am TERRIBLE at math. in a way, i see this situation as a good thing. i'm totally pumped for IB now and i really wanna get really good grades. maybe i'll include that in my paragraph...</p>
<p>thanks again everyone! oh and does anyone have any good safety schools with great IR programs? cuz i have several safeties in mind but they're more for general studies.</p>
<p>Just re-take the math class and get a B or an A and you should be in good shape. Make sure you add the math class to any other math class you would be taking for your junior year.</p>
<p>Dude, you're stressing too much:) You look like a pretty solid student and your college choices are pretty realistic. You could even aim a bit higher. You have two years ahead of you, and you're going for the prestigious IB diploma outside the country, which should put you in good stead. Besides, having a 2250 at this time of your life is a big bonus.</p>
<p>Enjoy your summer, and focus on excelling at your IB program.</p>
<p>My performance dropped in my senior year and my SAT score was worse than yours.</p>
<p>relax, i dont think you're screwed.
but just wondering, what if you were aiming to apply to ivies? (same situation, except with a hmm... a B+ instead)</p>
<p>SCREW IVIES. (I should make that my signature or something.) It's not worth it! Why waste your life and all that teenage angst fawning over something extremely unlikely to happen?? Find an education that fits YOU. Unless you're the girl in my humanities class who started reading at the age of two and just writes so brilliantly you'd think you just had a religious experience (in other words, the girl is intellectually perfect, spotless and quite possibly the next Einstein; she got into Harvard) or you're my other friend who has won countless math competitions and is literally one of the best girls (actually she beat out a ton of boys, but int he National Math competitions or whatevers there aren't a lot of girls at the top; she got into Princeton as well as her brother, and her parents both went here for undergrad) in the United States at math, you probably aren't getting in.</p>
<p>And cooldude, I'm not sure you need to retake the class; it would seem to me that you're fine. Just take the next level and put the best you've got into it; that's what I did. (Then again, I was in my junior year and what was done was done). I took Calc G/T this year and am glad to say I passed the class with a B. You should talk to your guidance counselor before making that decision.</p>
<p>It is always worth it to apply to Ivies but don't kill yourself over it. There are other good schools that are a bit less selective that you can get into more likely. A lot of successful people went to community colleges and average state universities. And going to a state school saves a lot of money.</p>