<p>How do college admissions use our senior semester grades? I got a 2.9 freshman year. 3.4 Sophomore year and a 2.9 Junior year. A close friend of mine committed suicide my junior year and my grades took a plunge. But my senior year grades are looking fantastic. As of right now, I'm sitting at a 4.3 right now with 3 AP classes and 2 honors courses. My extra curricular activities for all 4 years great. So what I'm trying to figure out is how badly my dip during junior year will effect me. I'm hoping that colleges will see my first quarter/semester grades and see how drastically I've improved.</p>
<p>Colleges will see your grades for the first semester of senior year (unless you apply early decision). Though it’s great to see a rising trend in grades, it will by no means cover up your junior year grades. Junior year is arguably the most important. Very arguably.</p>
<p>It depends on college. A large number of colleges, including majority of public universities make admission decisions based on grades through junior year and then use senior year grades only to determine if an admission already given should be withdrawn.</p>
<p>Other colleges either require, or in some cases recommend, that you provide first semester senior year grades after you have applied for regular admission and those grades are considered along with other grades in determining admission. An upward trend helps but for higher ranked colleges great grades the first semester senior year are not likely to make up for a low GPA through junior year with only a 2.9 in junior year.</p>