<p>Hi, clearly im new to these forums but i'll get right to the point. (sorry if this is the wrong section)</p>
<p>I'm going into senior year in high school and am very worried about college. I slacked off alot during high school so my gpa is around 2.0 and my act is a 26 ........... my biggest regret in my life is not trying in high school because now I realize that my chances of success are much more slim. I need help please...im so worried and dont know what colleges I can get into. I really want to change my work ethic and become a serious student. this senior year im going to try very hard and get straight A's. will that help at all? will any college accept me with these grades? thanks .</p>
<p>Maybe you should post this in the “What Are My Chances” Forum. What ApatheticLove has said is true, though. Community College may be your only option at the moment. Even if you do get straight As I don’t think it will matter. A 2.0 is incredibly low and an ACT of 26 is a little above average. Have you done any ECs, taken any advanced courses, won awards, etc maybe these could help. You could try to apply to some in-state universities as well. And also, there is nothing wrong with community college. You could always go to Community College for 2 years, do incredibly well, and then transfer to a great Private University. Don’t feel bad and don’t stress to much about it.</p>
<p>It’s great that you want to be serious about high school, My advice is to focus VERY much on your grades…maybe bring it up to a 3.0 or higher. I’m sure colleges will notice the improvement and notice that you worked hard for it. Another factor that will help your chances of getting into good colleges is your involvement outside of school… Extracurriculars, Community Service, and Clubs. But remember not to overload yourself or try to cram everything during your senior year because it DOES get very stressful trying to do so many things at once. The point is, colleges favor students that show effort not only in school, though tests and scores are* important, but in activities outside the schooling arena. They want to know who you are as a person and if you are right for their school. Also, leadership positions help, in your student body or clubs or ec’s. Another idea is to start your own club with your interests in mind of course - find something you enjoy and create a club for it.</p>
<p>Anyways, even if you do go to a community college, you can ALWAYS work your way up to better colleges! Best of Luck!</p>
<p>Beware, this is CC where most kids are crazy brainiacs (fyi,26 is a good solid score a 21 is average)</p>
<p>I think that you’d easily be able to go to an instate school-especially if you are able to explain to colleges that you have buckled down and are ready to be serious about school</p>
<p>I agree that it makes the most sense to go to a community college and then try to transfer. Community colleges are inexpensive, and students who do well at community colleges have a lot of great transfer options. </p>
<p>By the way, don’t bother with community service or ECs you don’t care about. Your grades right now are MUCH more important. Community service is for trying to differentiate yourself from other students who want to go to Harvard, it’s almost useless for trying to get into the University of <strong><a href=“your%20state”>U</a></strong>.</p>
<p>thank you very much to all your answers so far. I will study and get straight A’s this year… I’ve known my whole life I have the potential… time to apply my self… just hope its not to late</p>
<p>also, let’s say my gpa is 2.0 … im taking 7 credit courses i believe this year (possibly 6) …if i recieve straight A’s how high can my GPA become? Also…i have to begin applying for college soon…they will see my crappy gpa how do i tell them i will raise it?</p>
<p>Focus on your grades, and take the ACT again, with a bit of studying (don’t let the occasional ACT study session interfere with your grades though, it’s more important for you to raise them, as 26 isn’t bad for the average state university). Apply to some of your state universities (regular decision, so they can see your first semester senior year grades before making a decision). If you don’t get in anywhere, or don’t get in anywhere you want to go, attend a community college. Focus, study, and perform very well. Have a transfer goal in mind (perhaps your state flagship university), and make sure you meet ALL requirements for general transfer and the major you want (if you don’t already know, don’t worry, you’ll be taking classes in many fields at a community college). You can apply to private universities, too, but don’t count on getting admitted, as private universities are less likely to admit transfer applicants than public universities. That said, don’t be afraid to apply to a few you really want to go to, and you may very well get in.</p>