<p>I took 4 APs and a science course regarded in my school to be as difficult as an AP course, as a junior.... big mistake, ended up with 3 A's and 4'Bs.</p>
<p>Combined with the first 2 years, this is my gpa...</p>
<p>UW: 3.6 </p>
<p>However, I'm taking only 3 APs (AP Stat, AP Calc BC, AP Bio), 2 honors (History and English) and I'm already finding it noticeably easier, workload wise.</p>
<p>Q #1: Could a good 1st semester senior GPA prove to adcoms that I can withstand a rigorous courseload?</p>
<p>Q #2: My college counselor said my schedule was the "Most Demanding," would this ever label make up a bit for my lackluster GPA?</p>
<p>And I'm not planning to apply to any Ivies, but to ""lower ranked""" colleges like Boston College, NYU, Boston Uni, Emory, Villanova, etc.</p>
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<p>Potentially, however keep in mind that your senior GPA does usually not show up on the transcripts you send to college. Depending on when you get your transcript updated for the completed semester (late December, early January), I think the deadline for most regular decision college applications is January 15. Getting it to them for consideration before that deadline could be challenging.</p>
<p>I’ve heard it said before, you don’t want to rely on a bump up of your GPA from senior year first semester to get in. However, if you do well this semester, submit your mid-year transcript to the colleges anyway and they may see that you are capable of a challenging load. </p>
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<p>It won’t make up for it that much, but it will reaffirm that you did take the most challenging course load and that is one of the most important factors for admissions at selective universities. Look at the school’s common data sets and see how they weigh academic rigor. However you do want to keep in mind that applying to many of the same universities are kids who have the “Most Demanding” box checked and are getting all or mostly A’s.</p>
<p>I’d say you still have a good chance at those schools if your SAT or ACT is within the 25-75th percentile range, preferably in the 50-90th percentile-ish.</p>
<p>@Ctesiphon My school has a special senior grading period: All of the teachers have to turn in senior grades at the last day of October, so the staff could attach these grades and send them for people who are applying ED (latest deadlines are by 11/1).</p>
<p>^I’m guessing many other schools have similar special grading periods specifically for seniors (or no)?</p>
<p>I still have to take my subject tests this october, but my SAT is a 1540/1600, 2250/2400, so I would be at the 50 - 90% for most schools.</p>