<p>I've taken the hardest classes each year, and my GPA has continually increased, from 3.8 to 4.3 to 4.5. The thing is this year I might get a B which could end up in a 4.5 (which would be okay because the upward trend would kind of continue, but if I get two Bs-- I probably will-- then my GPA would slip to about 4.3/4.4, which means my upward trend will no longer be upward! Would the fact that I've continually increased from freshman to sophomore to junior year have more weight than the 4.3/4.4 I might get on my midyear report, or will getting that 4.3/4.4 completely ruin my chances?
I'm taking the same number of AP classes as I was last year, am in the top 10% (more accurate would be top 5%) of my class and ec's are SOLID, and my SAT math, w, and cr scores are all in the range of the students that got admitted last year (as shown in USC's freshman profile.)</p>
<p>I'm really worried because USC's website says: "We find that an applicant's mid-year senior year grades can help us make better admission decisions. These grades can show how applicants handle some of the most challenging courses of their high school career, and can further illustrate EMERGING TRENDS IN OVERALL PERFORMANCE. "
Any advice, thoughts, comments?</p>
<p>Your GPA is good(3.8) to very good(4.3) so don't worry about it. I would interpret what's written on USC's websites as USC will use the mid-year grades to your benefit. Just don't get any D's. However, some students never have to submit mid-year report. My daughter never had to.</p>
<p>Columbia_Student, I hope you're right! I've heard that a few people didn't to send a midyear report, but the reason I'm sure I'll be asked to send one is because they might want to see if my upward trend continues... and then if I get those two Bs they'll see that my upward trend is going slightly down. I really wish I didn't have to worry about it, but USC is my top choice, so I'm just so worried about that midyear report!</p>
<p>The end of my soph/beginning of my junior years were a bit rough too and I got a two C's (one in soph and one in jr year.) So the upward trend was really the only thing I had going for me, because those two C's are just going to jump out in a rather bad way. I really wish I could just even bring one of those B's up, but it's not looking too good.</p>
<p>I might also add my freshman and sophomore years were also almost straight A's. Just that junior year. I think I was going through a depression, but in my application I just said "I know I screwed up and will do better next semester" and I did. </p>
<p>There's also the ec's etc. Are you sure you can't bring up a B? Even with tutoring or extra help? I think you can :)</p>
<p>tumblweed32, I'd love to say I could possibly bring it up, but the semester grade for the class ends at the end of november/beginning of december, so I have only about 3-4 weeks to bring it up to an A and there aren't going to be that many assignements, tests during these last few weeks, that would allow the possibility of an A to even happen. I mean, I did horrible on one test, and just like that, I had a B.
I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to go to USC, so I'm hoping the midyear report just isn't too heavily weighted.</p>
<p>Don't sweat it too much, D had a dipping midyear report and got accepted with the third wave of "early" admissions. With a top 5% class standing a slightly dipping midyear report with a heavy class load should not have much influence on your admissions decision. There are literally thousands of applicants with much worse cases of senioritus than you.</p>
<p>Thanks GroovyGeek. I guess I'm stressing out way more than I should be about the midyear report. The B's will still bother me, but there's not much I can do now but work on the rest of my application and hope I get in!</p>
<p>Yeah my midyear report was just.. alright (6 AP's, all straight A's except one. =_= ) but i was an art major so they let me pass that by I think too (it was AP calc BC). Don't sweat it, what has to be done... has to be done. Just turn it in and forget about it.</p>
<p>I don't think you need to worry too much. While USC probably does look at your midyear report, I think they'd pay more attention to your sophomore/junior year GPAs. It shouldn't be weighed too heavily.</p>