In freshman year I got all As and 1 B. In sophomore year, my twin sister died in a horrible car crash and it was really hard for me to handle. I stopped eating, sleeping, and my grades tanked. I ended the year with all Bs and 2 Cs. This year I got all As and 1 C(in APUSH, teacher was absent most of the time). I have taken 7 classes per year. My SAT is near perfect, I have taken the most rigorous courses possible, and my ECs are unique, but sophomore year hit me really hard and now I am finishing up with a 3.3 UW. If i explain my circumstances in the additional info on the commonapp, do I still have a chance at ivy leagues and other prestigious schools? If not, would i still be able to get into a university such as uva(in state)?
Sorry for your loss.
Ask your guidance counselor to explain your circumstances in his/her letter of recommendation. And as I’d tell anyone, take an honest look at your academic stats and cast a wide net – apply to reach, match, and safety schools that appear affordable and that you would be happy to attend. The Ivy schools are huge reaches for everyone with acceptance rates generally under 10%.
Remember that there are a ton of amazing schools out there that can give you an great 4 year experience and get you where you want to go in life.
I am so sorry to hear this. How awful. I agree wih the response above. This is clearly an extenuating circumstance. Good luck going forward.
I’m so sorry! What a terrible tragedy for you and your family. I completely agree with @c53199. As they mentioned, you should have your guidance counselor explain your situation.
Yes, you still have a chance at Ivy League schools. But keep in mind that those schools are reaches for everyone - even kids with perfect test scores. I’ve seen students from our school with perfect test scores and near perfect grades denied at every Ivy they applied to. If you apply to a broad mix of reach, match and safety schools, you will end up with some good choices. Good luck!
First, my condolences for the loss of your sister. I can only imagine how devastating that must have been for your family. I won’t attempt to answer chance question. But I do think you should mention loss in your application. I would encourage you to think about writing main essay about the death of your sister–not to plead extenuating circumstances (although that would be implied) but to explore how one event shaped your life. Such a profound loss must have had major impact on your life and would give you opportunity to introduce yourself in very personal terms. I realize this may seem too personal or too painful and some people wouldn’t want to go there. But sometimes the subjects that are most painful—the very things we find difficult to talk about—make the most personal, heartfelt essays.
I am so sorry for your loss. What a tragedy. Having taken care of trauma patients for much of my career, I know a bit of what you went through.
I agree with most of the comments above. A couple of thoughts:
- You should certainly mention your personal situation, and have your GC address it as well. It is important. Schools will certainly factor in something this devastating, and will make allowances. But that won't guarantee admissions to top schools, even if you have an otherwise strong application.
- College is not the end of life, just one step on the journey. You have already dealt with a much more important and devastating situation than most young people. Whether you get in to your dream school or reaches is not going to determine the outcome of your life. Your personal tragedy will hopefully give you a perspective on this that many young people lack.
If you have a really rigorous course load, strong junior and senior grades, top test scores, strong and unusual ECs, and put together a really good application with strong letters, then you should get in to some very good schools (and there are lots of them). But remember that that is just one step on a long path, and won’t determine your life.