<p>Hi, all! I am absolutely in love with Barnard and have been ever since I discovered it when I was 13 years old. The trouble is, in the first semester of my freshman year, I got terrible grades. Two D’s and one C. The reason of this isn’t anything to sympathize about, it’s just because for some reason I became a huge slacker around that time period. However, from the second semester of my freshman year, until now (Almost the end of my first semester of my junior year) I have been working my ass off and getting straight A’s because I realized that if I wanted any chance at a good future and an education at Barnard, I would have to stop being lazy and start putting effort. I plan to continue working my hardest until my education ends. Do you think that my bad grades in my first semester of 9th grade will bring me down when I apply ED to Barnard next fall?</p>
<p>I think u can, well if your transcript shows a student that has consistently been keeping that good academic record and realizing their slacking off I think you can still apply ED. The best thing to do is to prepare for the SAT as much as you can & try to get a 2100 or take the ACT and try to get a 32 & up to be safe! If the rest of ur app material is strong & u have good essays I don't see y you wouldnt b able to have a competitive shot.</p>
<p>Hello, tortilla! </p>
<p>In my opinion, your experience through HS by recognizing the significance of your "slacking" early on...and the (hopefully) continued dramatic upward trend in your grades since that first semester, could even be a "plus" in your eventual application. Give serious thought to what led to your slacking off and what led you to seeing the importance of doing better. Be up front and explain that. You have a better insight, potentially, on some really tough life lessons than many who breezed through making straight A's their entire career.</p>
<p>Best to you!</p>
<p>Hi, tortilla :)</p>
<p>I was actually in a similar situation to you when I applied ED to Barnard. I had some pretty terrible grades freshman year (one quarter, I got an <em>gulp</em> F) and I wrote my essay on how and why I have changed since freshman year. I, like you, have gotten A's and B's, ever since first semester freshman year. I also got into Barnard ED, and trust me, my SATs were really no hook at all. </p>
<p>As long as you have gotten your grades up, they will really notice that you've made an effort to improve and are really serious about it. I think first semester Freshman year bad grades aren't really all that uncommon because you're going from middle school to high school, which is kind of like a transition from high school to college. You just don't know what to expect yet, and sometimes the standards can be daunting :)</p>
<p>Just thought I would let you know that Barnard is not out of reach for you because of a few bad grades :) I'm living proof that they try to look past that :)</p>
<p>Nygirl09- how bad were your SAT's because mine were pretty bad but my grades are good (3.7/4.0)? Did you send any supplemental material?</p>
<p>Thank you so much for the replies, they made me so incredibly happy! :)</p>
<p>Hey guys, I'm having a really bad first semester in sophomore year, like 1 C 2 Bs 2 A-s and 1 A. Do you think I'll be able to get in if I do really well for the rest of my high school career?</p>
<p>Sarahdisk, if you can identify the reason you are having difficulty with your grades this semester and then find a way to fix the issue (and I am not talking about having a "really bad teacher"....we are talking about your responsibilities, here), then yes I do think you have a "chance". At this point, it's all up to you and how you handle the situation!</p>
<p>Best to you!</p>
<p>Hey guys, I'm in a similar situation. Freshman and Sophomore year were probably the two most difficult years of my life, for many different reasons. I got mostly B's in those. It's only during my junior year that i started to become more focused and motivated, and organizing pieces of my life together. i'm getting mostly A's now, and am happier and harder-working than ever. but how do i explain this to barnard?</p>
<p>Kiwi, when you apply to Barnard you will have the opportunity to answer several supplemental questions. The admissions committee want to know more about you; about how you think, how you write, what motivates you and interests you, and of course how you would be a great fit for Barnard and Barnard for you. It's up to you to answer those questions in a way that conveys all that to them. </p>
<p>So if you feel your grades for your first two years of HS are significant and need explanation, then you should think about what the "many different reasons" you noted were and then how you were able to take the initiative to turn things around. Then find a creative and interesting way to work that info into your application.</p>
<p>Hope that helps some...</p>