<p>I plan on applying for some very competitive universities, including a "lower" Ivy.</p>
<p>My high school record isn't very good. I got in to a top high school in my country (western Europe), where in my fourth year (there are six years in total), I completely messed up. Realising that I would have to repeat the year, I started skipping 3-4 days of school a week, for about 6 months.
The next year, I knew that if I had to repeat the year again I would have to leave. (You couldn't have any grade below a 4 out of 10 or more than one 4, more than two fives, you did 13 or so subjects).
I was doing alright, I was on the edge this year, I knew that I would probably have to pull my grades up a little at the end of the year, when suddenly, in january, I got called in to the headmaster's office and got told that the school wasn't the place for me and I should look for a new school. (My parents had apparently signed off on this decision earlier that morning).</p>
<p>In total I missed about a year of education.</p>
<p>I decided to move countries and go to a boardingschool in England, where I started in year 12. (the year I never managed to reach in my own country) I wasn't the best student but I was far better than I was back home, I eventually achieved A*ABB on my A levels, which was below what I wanted, but not bad.
According to this (which isn't accurate, but an indication)
US</a> Admissions Criteria | Undergraduate Study in the USA | US-UK Fulbright Commission</p>
<p>My grades would translate to a GPA of between 3.725 and 3.925. I'd say I was more towards the higher end; I was half a percent off an A on one of those Bs and more towards an A than to a C on the other.</p>
<p>Should I use this in an essay on where I was to where I've come and what I've learned/how I want to go somewhere where I can keep improving and stuff like that.</p>
<p>Obviously, my actual essay would be a far better read, with far less specifics.</p>
<p>Would this, formulated well, make a good essay? or would it be seen as just a "sob story"? I would focus as little as possible on the actual tough part (the expulsion, depression following it etc.) and more on what I have gotten from the experience, stuf like that?</p>