<p>I estimate that I'll graduate my 9th grade year of high school with a 91 average, which is what? A 3.6 GPA? The transition from middle school to high school is hard for me, and my teachers aren't the easiest ones to earn good grades from. I really want to get into Cornell, but it seems that my grades are only average. If I do really well in my sophomore and junior year, and do well on the SAT, can I still get in?</p>
<p>bump</p>
<p>XD the best thing you can do for yourself right now, for Cornell and otherwise, is get off CC and go enjoy life. </p>
<p>bump</p>
<p>Don’t worry about specific colleges right now. Focus on keeping your grades high–which you can’t do while on CC ;)</p>
<p>I really want some serious answers from someone who has experience (no offense)</p>
<p>What do you want us to say? “Yes, I am positive you will get into one of the most selective schools in the country in three and a half years”? “No, you should give up now and quit high school”?</p>
<p>I want someone to tell me if I still have a chance or not, and what I should do to improve my chances of acceptance. </p>
<p><em>sigh</em>
You obviously still have a chance, and are looking for reassurance…Look, you got the grades already and can’t change them, so just focus on doing better for your next ~6.5? semesters or so. </p>
<p>The best thing you can do for yourself is to stop worrying about Cornell and obviously just take the hardest classes, study hard for SATs, stick to a couple ECs you enjoy, etc, and this will result in you enjoying your HS years and making the most of them, and maybe Cornell as a side effect.
Setting yourself up to direct the rest of your valuable high school years toward getting in to one college is just plain silly.</p>
<p>Maybe… I did pretty terrible in 9th grade as well then things got better the rest of HS. I was deferred ED from Cornell ILR. It could have been worse, I might have been rejected. I guess we’ll see in March. </p>
<p>It’s a silly question honestly. Sorry. But you can’t honestly expect a “serious” answer. </p>
<p>Silly freshmen…</p>
<p>You could say I’m silly, I don’t have any idea why, but I would like an answer to this question.</p>
<p>bodangles’ answer given earlier in your thread was absolutely serious and correct.</p>
<p>Think about why your grades are disappointing. Are there ways you can improve your study habits? Talk to your parents, top students at school, teachers, guidance. </p>
<p>Work hard in school. Find things that interest you and pursue them as EC’s. Prepare for the SAT’s. Enjoy your high school years. And try to stop worrying about specific colleges because you can get a good education and enjoy college at many schools. </p>
<p>I mean, I wouldn’t mind my grades alone, but when I compare it to the other kids in my school with 95 averages because they got easy teachers. Its only a grade, but I still care A LOT. You have to be at the top of your school in terms of grades to get good colleges, and right now my grades are only average.</p>
<p>So, you just happened to get all the “hard” teachers for all your classes and the other kids in your school all got all the “easy” teachers? No one else is in all those hard classes along with you? All those “hard” teachers only teach one section? None of this could possibly have anything to do with your actual performance, it’s all “easy” and “hard” teachers?</p>
<p>If your analysis is correct, well then, you’ll do a lot better next year when you get some of those “easy” teachers. Even better, because having had all the hard teachers must have made you better than those who were just coasting. But I have my doubts.</p>
<p>I’d say no chance since Cornell has “hard” teachers </p>
<p>I am only a sophomore in high school I have an issue similar to yours. I know this might not mean much coming from me but study hard its all about you yourself willing to put in the effort and do some extracurricular activities you enjoy. Its high school so enjoy it while you still can but set goals for yourself.</p>
<p>You don’t get to write on your college applications “I had hard teachers!” And you still have the rest of your high school career to improve your grades. If anyone here can tell you if you’ll get into Cornell, I’d like for them to tell me the Powerball numbers while they’re already predicting the future. </p>
<p>What do you think you can do to improve your grades and improve your chances of getting into Cornell? Study. Nothing someone here says is going to raise your grades or give you the magic password for straight As</p>
<p>You still have a 91 average, right? So don’t worry about it, it’s not that bad. Just focus on classes for next year, study during the summer (that’s what I’m doing), and enjoy yourself! A 91 average is not awful. Besides, “colleges like to see improvement”. If you can pull yourself into harder classes and a ~95 avg next year, and do the same thing junior year, then I think your upward trend will be attractive to colleges. You just can’t stay there. 
</p>