<p>I want to apply to Michigan next year. I did well in my sophomore year (4 As and 1 B, so 3.8). All was going well until this year when I screwed up in AP Biology. I got caught cheating twice, once on a lab and once on a test. So i got 0s out of 100 on both of those assignments. Luckily, this information will not be reported to colleges since my school only sends this if I do it for a third time. Unfortunately, my grade sucks in that class, and I will end up getting a C for the year. I will not be able to get a B, as that is virtually impossible. Also, I will be getting two more Bs this year, and I cannot bring those up to As. So at the end of this year I am projected to have 3 As, 2 Bs, and 1 C, which is a 3.3 GPA for junior year. My overall recalculated GPA will be a 3.55 when I apply next fall. I was stupid enough to cheat, or else I could have gotten a B in AP Biology.</p>
<p>I got a 2220 on the SAT (800 math, 730 writing, 690 reading) and I will take SAT II Math level 2, SAT II Bio, and AP exams for Bio and US Hist. I have decent extracurriculars with a couple leadership positions. I will get my recommendations from two teachers that like me, and my guidance counselor also likes me. And I will work very hard on my essays this summer. I am an Asian (Indian) male from a competitive public high school in New Jersey.</p>
<p>...is there any hope?</p>
<p>I am really not qualified to say as I don't know how U of M ranks your particular school, which can make a difference. However, I do believe that:
1. Heavier weight is given to GPA performance versus SAT
2. Trends are relevant, so straight A's in the first semester of your senior year could conceivable get you off the deferred list if your essays are unbelievably brilliant and your recommendations stellar (not to say you'd be initially deferred for certain but it is more probable in your GPA range...)
3. I know children from a gifted/talented school known to be rigorous that have gotten in with GPA bordering 3.5 and up...but they're in-state, and the admit ratio is higher in-state than out-of-state. Realize, however, that at 3.5-3.6 you'd be in the bottom 14% of admitted students based on 2007 stats.
4. U M gives "weight" in terms of favorable assessment to students who take the most rigorous courses available so if your course load is especially rigorous that will work in your favor.</p>
<p>Now, why exactly can't you pull up those other two Bs??? You still have time to create a miracle! Or retake some of the courses in summer school to show you're serious about improving your chances, and tell Michigan you're committed to so-doing! And make sure you write authentic, engaging essays.</p>
<p>I am sorry you learned such a painful lesson, and learned it the hard way. I hope you find a way to overcome the obstacles your past choices have created.
I am confident you have what it takes to do so.
Cheers,
K</p>
<p>Thanks for your reply. A lot of kids from my school, despite being from NJ, get into UMich, so I think that UMich likes to get students from my school even though we are not in-state. My courses have been rigorous (5 APs and 10 Honors by end of senior year), so hopefully that will add more "weight." And I have gotten over the whole cheating situation and I will not do that again, but it has really negatively impacted my grades.</p>
<p>There's definitely still hope, but I would hard in your first semester next year. I had a friend who had a 32 on the ACT and a 3.55 GPA, and he got deferred. I think that by the time he applied, he had about 5 AP classes (including senior year). I, on the other hand, had a 31 on the ACT and 3.8 GPA, and got accepted. He ended up having to send his first semester grades from senior year, and will be hearing back later. I think that if you work hard next year, write good essays, get good recs, and really show them you want to go to U of M, you still have plenty of hope.</p>
<p>Can you let me know if your friend gets in?</p>
<p>Ya. I don't think he'll find out for about a month though.</p>
<p>There is always hope. My sophomore year is riddled with a couple Cs...and I have been working hard junior year to get all As, and I have done so to this point, my GPA will be about the same as yours at the end of this year and I still see hope. Deferral is probably likely, but if you look impressive enough and apply early, they may just accept, colleges have lots of reasons for accepting. While GPA is important, and one of the most important factors, a relatively low GPA can be accepted.</p>