I recently moved to a new highschool and have had a lot of personal problems that have been dragging me down, and as a result I am doing very poorly in my Freshman year in all CP classes. My question is if i ever have a chance to get into an elite college. Next year and the following years after I obviously plan to do much better and I plan to take my AP classes in my Junior year, if I end my doing really well my Sophmore year. So how is it looking for me so far?
Do really well moving forward. If you get really good grades from here on out, your chances will not be significantly harmed by your freshman year grades. That being said, many students think they will turn the corner from one year to the next, but don’t. This is because they often fail to address the underlying issues. Accordingly, make sure to get good on all the material you struggled with this year–a bit of professional help to make sure you get up to speed can be very useful. Also, make sure your study and time management skills are strong.
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make sure your guidance counselor knows about your problems. You may get counseling/assistance/extra time on classes from them. Also they can note that when you apply to college.
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Don’t worry about Eltie colleges yet. Most people don’t go to elite colleges. Worry about doing better next year.
What you did last year didn’t work…try getting more help. Here are ideas:http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/high-school-life/2026961-what-to-do-when-you-arent-doing-well-in-a-hs-class-p1.html -
Your goal should be to do well in your classes next year and then try to take some honors/AP classes in junior and senior years. Colleges can appreciate an upward trend…you are doing in better in harder classes.
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Do not think 'Every point I get off of a homework or test is a point away from going to Harvard."
Think: “I need to do my best, and there will be a college that is right for me when I graduate.”
Do not think “If I don’t go to an Ivy League School/Top20, I am doomed forever.”
Think: “No matter where I go, I can bloom where I am planted. I can get involved and shine.”
Do not think: “My life is over…the kid in my math class is taking 20 APs and I am taking 5. I will never succeed.”
Think: “I need to challenge myself, but only to the point where I can still do well.”
4 months ago you wrote
Now those last 3 marking periods are in. Today you write [quote] I am doing very poorly in my Freshman year in all CP classes.. Next year and the following years after I obviously plan to do much better[/quote]
Your plans didn’t work 4 months ago, why are they going to work now?
I hope you can figure out what’s going on and fix it. Your big problem isn’t Ivy admissions even though you keep focusing on it, it’s figuring out how to take care of your personal problems that are significantly affecting you in school. So far you haven’t been able to do this despite your plans and efforts to do so. You should be working with your GC, talking to your parents, perhaps working with a mental health professional. You don’t want to be writing this same post a year from now.
I agree with @mikemac . You need to focus on doing well in high school so that you have some college choices, full stop. Without wishing to sound harsh, I can’t see elite schools on the horizon for you, barring some hook we are unaware of, and the possibility of stellar test scores and very noticeable improvement in your grades over the next couple of years.
Having said all that, we have no idea what your grades are, or what your test scores will be like. You need to prioritize doing well in high school and worry about college later. That does not mean you must get A’s in all classes.