Screwed Up Junior Year

Applying to College
1

I did really REALLY poorly this semester. My GPA was a 3.92 before this semester (using 4.0 for A, 3.0 for B, +0.5 for AP, but capped at 4.0… so an A in AP Gov is still a 4.0, but a B in WHAP is a 3.5) with 3 B’s, but I think I may have gotten 4 B’s this semester… I’m not sure what to do. My weighted numerical GPA dropped from a 103 to a 99 between freshman and sophomore year, and sophomore year was also when my 4.0 GPA dropped to 3.92.

I kind of set myself up for “failure” this year, I guess. This year I’m taking College Calculus (I’m not sure of my exact grade, but I had a 91 pre-final.), AP Bio (again, not sure, but 90 flat pre-final; expecting grade to drop to a B), AP Lang (89 after final, 90 pre-final), AP Physics (88->87), and AP Chem (Only a 86 pre-final; expecting grade to drop following trends in other classes). I’m working really hard now that I’m on break, but thinking about grades and my future is really stressing me out.

There’s no doubt that these B’s will significantly impact my chances. I used to want to attend an Ivy League, but after this semester, I’m reassessing myself. I’ve already cried for 2 straight days about this, but now I know there’s nothing to do except get better next semester. So, my question is, if I get all high A’s next semester, despite my downhill trend throughout high school, will colleges notice the improvement?

I’m also going to take the redesigned SAT and ACT next semester, and I’m working really hard in extracurricular math, which is the only extracurricular I’m “better than average” at. I know MIT looks at AMC scores, so would high standardized test scores and AMO qualification help?

Also, I know it’s hiiiigggggghhhhhhllly unlikely I still have a shot at Ivy Leagues, right? My friends are trying to reassure me… But they’re probably just being nice… :frowning:

2

You need to get some perspective here. Go get Frank Bruni’s book, Where You Go is not Who You Will Be. Most high achieving people, even those with 4.0s, will not be attending Ivy League or other highly selective colleges. Most of them will be in the honors college at their state school or at other excellent but less selective schools where they stand out. More importantly, many of them will make major successes of their lives by capitalizing on the opportunities they get. So will you.

3

I realize that Ivies are difficult to get into (and that I probably sound like everyone else on this website), but going to a prestigious college still matters to me, especially since people have been telling me my entire life that Harvard would be my safety, that I would be president of the world, etc. The point is, although everyone is greatly exaggerating my skill and giving me way too much undeserved credit, I still feel like anything going to anything short of an Ivy would be a letdown to not only my peers, but me, especially, because I know I once had the potential to do great things, but instead messed up a year of high school (or maybe all of high school) and destroyed my future. On second thought, this sounds kind of harsh and extreme…

It’s probably better for me to study now instead of worry about how badly I screwed up. Thanks for your advice, though!