I’ve been doing well in all of my 2nd semester classes, though I got 2 Bs last semester. From here onwards if I do my best, my GPA can only get up to a 3.75 (unweighted).
I know i’m probably overreacting and freaking out over nothing, but i’m just wondering if this is something I should be too much worried about? Especially if I can get my grades up as high as possible.
Your grades aren’t that bad at all and it’s really not too much to worry about. If you’re thinking about college admissions, schools generally say they like an upwards trend in GPA. Some colleges will also evaluate your GPA excluding freshman year.
A 3.75 UW is good enough to get into many colleges. Don’t worry too much and just do your best.
@Lagging I know, but I was also planning on getting into a top college like Harvard or UPenn. (Really original and uncommon for a college confidential user, right?)
And because the average GPA is 3.9, i’m a little scared how my freshman year might look. I’m probably overreacting though…
I was at a much, much, much worse stage than you were and I was able to get into some upper tier colleges (not quite Ivy Level). You’re fine.
Well, that’s foolish – you can plan to apply, but planning to get in is just setting yourself up for heartbreak when you realize the rejection rates range from 90% to 95% at those schools.
Work your hardest and then pick which schools fit your stats, not the other way around.
^Seconded. You definitely can’t (and shouldn’t) “plan” on getting into any top tier schools.
Yes, being below their average GPA will lower the already low chances of admissions. But do your best and then look where you can realistically apply. If you want to apply to one as a super reach then fine, but don’t plan on attending or getting in. Do you really want to attend a school if it means struggling to keep up with kids who took IB/AP and got stellar grades when you’re likely taking mostly non-AP and not getting As? Sometimes the best fit college isn’t the most “competitive” one.
Grades are also only a part of admissions. If you would like to be competitive for top tier schools then high test scores and impressive ECs are also generally encouraged.
@bodangles Maybe I worded it wrong, I meant I’m going to work hard and do my best to have a shot of acceptance. I’m well aware it’s likely i’ll get rejected, and i’m not going to be “heartbroken” if I were to see a rejection letter.
@Lagging I’m not struggling to get As, I’m capable enough to get all As. I barely need to study in any of my current classes and I still get all As. I could have gotten an A in the two classes I got Bs in if I were to work harder. I’m not going to simply give up my attempt because of a mistake on getting 2 Bs last semester, if that’s what you’re implying I should do.
I’m aware standardized tests and ECs are other important factors, I actually have decent ECs and awards at the moment; I placed in 3 state level competitions and I have a couple other “informal” ECs.
If you aren’t interested enough in school to do the minimal amount of work you say you need to get A’s why is it important to you to attend a highly academic college?
@mathyone What? So making a mistake with 2 Bs means I don’t care about school at all and I do the minimum amount of work?
One of the reasons I left CC on my old account is people like you who act condescendingly and make others look bad for a mistake.
That’s along the lines of what you said, yes: “I could have gotten an A in the two classes I got Bs in if I were to work harder.”
That’s twice now that you’ve gotten snippy when your own words are parroted back at you. Either you did your best and worked your hardest, or you didn’t. We’re only responding to what you are writing.
I see it more as an indication of your level of interest in academics than a “mistake”. You were the one who said you barely had to work to get an A, so if you didn’t get an A, then yes, apparently you did do what you thought was the minimum amount of work and the mistake was misjudging what grade that would get you. Plenty of people aren’t that interested in school and just want to get a degree and move on with their lives. Nothing wrong with that, but I was just trying to point out to you that it’s unrealistic to “plan” to get into a top school like Harvard or Penn from the information you’ve told us.
Plan on buckling down and getting nothing but As from now on. It’s good you’re upset with yourself now instead of Junior year… 
@bodangles @mathyone Apparently you’re both responding to more than the information I have. Because I got 2 Bs, you’re implying I’m not interested and I’m too stupid/unmotivated to shoot for top colleges. I literally only got 2 actual responses, while the rest of you are picking at a word I used and discouraging me from shooting for a top school, and acting like condescending idiots. I asked how bad a 3.75 would look, and you’re saying I am too stupid or something and I can’t handle Harvard or any other top school.
Please point out where anyone said “You’re stupid.” On the other hand, we now have a direct quote of you calling names. 
People said:
Don’t plan on getting in to any selective school.
If you’re capable of A’s, give the extra effort and get A’s.
Do your best now and choose schools later. If you’re not yet doing your best, work harder.
I don’t see any insults. Just generic advice that holds for just about anyone.
@bodangles4 Only two people said that, the rest of you were implying I’m not capable of getting into any top school and I should shoot for something lower. And again you’re picking on one simple word I said, “plan.”
If you don’t want opinions, then go and put your nose to the grindstone and get those A’s. Problem solved. Lottery ticket acquired.
I think what most posters were implying is that top schools are very competitive and have low chances of admissions even for applicants with 4.0s. Harvard’s common data set from 2014-15, for example, has 95% of the admits in the top 10% of their high school class. Unless your school is very harsh with grades, a 3.75 will not be in the top 10%. That puts you at a distinct disadvantage compared to applicants with higher GPAs. The 5% of admits not in the top of their class were still in the top quarter of the class and likely had some outstanding qualities (recruited athlete, major awards/honors, etc.) that influenced their admission.
Is it possible for you to get into a “top school”? Absolutely. Is it likely? Probably not (although you have three years to go so a lot can change).
It’s harsh advice but it’s realistic. No one here is attacking you but rather challenging your ideas/thoughts. There’s a distinct difference, and if you’re college-bound then getting used to arguing points rather than attacking people is a skill that will be useful and generally expected in college. Even a 4.0/1600 student shouldn’t plan on attending a top tier school. Statistically it’s just unlikely for a 3.75 GPA to get into a top tier school.
@bodangles What I clearly asked for was how bad a 3.75 would look, but some other people are implying that I shouldn’t attend any top school if I get accepted.
@Lagging What “harsh advice?” All you’re doing is blabbing on about acceptance rates and statistics, (both of which I already KNOW about.) You proceed to talk about how a 3.75 would look on admissions, even though I never said that this was my final GPA that will never change.
I’m “attacking” people because clearly you’re not giving a decent response. Instead, you and many others are saying I will continue with a 3.75 while attempting to discourage me from shooting for a top college.
Since people here can’t comprehend English or they proceed to condescendingly say I can’t shoot for a top college…
What I was asking in simple terms was how a GPA of around 3.9 with a freshman year of 3.75 would compare to a 4.0. I never asked for what college I should be aiming for, nor did I ask for anything you guys are giving me.