Need advice on gaining a chance, please help!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Washington University in St. Louis
1

So, for the first two and a half years of high school, I was an utterly depressed mess and got terrible grades in school. My cumulative unweighted GPA is a measly 3.11, simply because of my choices as a 15 year old. Now, however, in the second semester of my junior year, I’ve been working harder and have a 4.0. I signed up for as many weighted/A.P classes as I could for senior year, knowing that if I just work very hard I can get straight A’s. I know I can do it.

Here’s the thing. I’m just now caring about my future, and I really, really want to go to WASHU. I want so badly to go to this school, but my chances are abysmal because of my choices freshman and sophomore year. Here’s my stats:

White, lower-middle class female. Weighted cumulative GPA: 3.333 Unweighted GPA: 3.111
NO EC’s except for a leadership position in the school’s art club, and section leader of my orchestra freshman and junior year. I’ve won a couple awards for the 2015 NHD competition and the Scholastic writing competition, but that’s it.

Classes Taken
9th grade:
Honors Biology
Themes in US History
Geometry I
Gifted Honors English I
Health 1st Semester, P.E. 2nd Semester
String Orchestra
Spanish 2

10th grade:
Honors Chemistry
Modern World History
Algebra II
Gifted Honors English II
P.E. 1st Semester, Study Lab 2nd Semester
Concert Orchestra
Introduction to Engineering

11th grade:
Physics I
APUSH
Pre-Calculus
Gifted Honors English III
Piano Lab 1st Semster, Personal Finance 2nd Semester
Concert Orchestra
German I

Next year:
A.P. Physics
A.P. Government
A.P. Calculus
A.P. Literature
Computer Science and Engineering (weighted)
potentially Chamber Orchestra (weighted)
German II

I haven’t taken the SAT or ACT yet, but I will soon. I’ve taken the PSAT, but I got an terrible score (a measly 1290).

Please help. I want to go to this school so badly, yet I hardly have any edge in the competition. Is there anything I can do? Thanks in advance.

2

I’m sorry about your freshman and sophomore year! You should definitely explain this to your admissions counselors when you apply. Then I would also try taking the ACT because you might not be a SAT person. Also, ED always has an advantage.

3

You need a real solid essay relating to what obstacles you overcame and why you have an interest in WashU. Is there a particular program or professor at WashU that you can connect with on a passionate level? WashU is one of the best schools in the country. Without any obvious hooks, such as being Black or Hispanic, and having borderline credentials…you’ve got to really hustle.

4

Whatever you do, do NOT use your main essay as an excuse for your freshmen/sophomore year grades. They’re not going to appreciate that in admissions (this is not some special circumstance - tons of applicants are going to have poor early grades and will want to explain it away).

By all means, include it in the extra info sections, but don’t waste your main essay on this.

5

Not sure what you want to study, but you mentioned you had a leadership position in your school’s art club. You could supplement your application with an art portfolio. Or you could apply to the Wash U Art School - it probably has lower GPA and test score requirements.

6

I would strongly recommend applying ED as that can boost your chances significantly. Also show A LOT of interest in the school. Visit, interview, get to know an admissions counselor. Make sure you have good recommendations. I feel like you can explain your grades
during the first two years (don’t try to make excuses). You need a high act (34-36). Also, try to get more involved in clubs and maybe start your own. Make sure you have an amazing common app essay. Good luck!

7

Agree with all above. I would also focus on getting standardized testing as high as possible to offset gpa. Your low psat score I assume is based on new sat so 1290 would mean 600 + on sections which is good not great but with studying could be great. Agree you should take a practice act you could do this free online and compare with psat score to see if act is more your test and than focus on studying for either the sat or act. If you can’t afford test prep spend 30 dollars and get the prep book by the college board or act makers and self study . Your gpa is not as bad as you report it sounds like b+ average also you downplay extracurricars but nhd and orchestra are good I hope you are continuing them. Finally and this is important don’t just fall in love with one school . Wash u is great but other great schools too if you don’t get into wash univ. Never good to put eggs in one basket.

8

Like what vh1818 said, definitely try the ACT instead of SAT. I found out I was just not an SAT person, and the first time I took the ACT, my score jumped by about 200 points compared to my highest SAT (used the score comparison chart https://www.act.org/aap/concordance/estimate.html). Use The Real ACT Prep book though, but only use those tests for fully timed mock exams (those tests are precious). If you are just gonna do a few practice problem, you can get something like Princeton Review’s 1296 ACT problems book.