I’m applying to top schools with straight A’s the past three years but I got a THIRD A- in Spanish!! Will this affect my chances at all?
Nope. If you don’t get in it won’t be because of A-s in Spanish.
Your A- won’t but your insane idea that you must only get As might spill over and spoil your application.
You’re being silly. Have a good friend dope slap you back into reality. Don’t be that kid who cries over an A-.
I amend my statement. You are screwed. Because you’re a stubborn worry wort and not because of your stupid Spanish grades.
If this is how you are with strangers, I can only imagine how your teachers think of your attitude of perfection. Earlier I wrote to you: "Did you ever watch those Disney shows where there’s the annoying goody-two-shoes kid who cries when he/she gets a 97%?
That’s you. "
Now you’ve confirmed it. Seriously, you need to shake this. This kind of thing annoys the hell out of teachers. They have and will talk among themselves. Not the thing you want to do when their rec letters will make/break you.
I think you need to relax a bit. There are many pieces and parts to your college applications. You can read hundreds of threads on CC where kids with 4.0 / 2400 didn’t get into whatever school. Get passionate about something other than school. As someone said above, your attitude will spill over into your essays and on your teacher recs. Admissions officers can read that attitude and I think it’s becoming more and more of a turn off in application files. Thousands of kids are qualified to attend top schools, but who’s going to contribute something other than 4.0? They are looking for community builders as well as research junkies. They are looking for cheerleaders and soccer players. They are looking for student council leaders and club members. Be something other than your A-.
I agree. You really need to relax. That is not to say you shouldn’t work hard and try your best, but nobody (including you) is perfect. Expecting perfection from yourself is a path to an unhappy life as it is an unreachable goal.
Good grief. I agree with the other responders. Top colleges want students who expect to be challenged and won’t fall apart at the first setback. And an A- isn’t even a bad grade, especially if it’s an advanced foreign language class. If you make it to the top colleges, wait until you get a C on your first paper like my D did. Are you going to despair or are you going to pick yourself up, go to the writing center for help, and go to the professor’s office hours for help? And I agree with @T26E4 that your attitude could affect your LOR’s if your teachers talk among themselves (as teachers do) and you’re earmarked as a fragile whiner.
In another post you said you’re a senior and was already accepted at Pitt. What gives?