Junior in Northeast public school. Hoping to apply to some schools including George Mason, American U, Old Dominion, Davidson, High Point U, Fordham, lots others. But that’s s sort of besides the point.
My GPA at the moment is 3.27 weighted, and my school doesn’t report UW. As you can see below, the reasons for it are pretty isolated below, and I should be able to get it up quite significantly come senior year. However, I am still very nervous even applying to places like George Mason w/ 65+% admission rated because they only admit 15-20% of people with my GPA.
My main questions are:
Has anyone been overqualified for a school in all ways but GPA? Stories?
How much have you gotten your GPA to rise senior year after taking heavily weighted AP courses?
Do I have a chance if I explain my woes Junior year and have strong upward trend senior year?
Is an upward trend in rigor of courses account for a slight down trend in GPA?
General Transcript
Freshman Year
World History Hon | B+
English Standard | B
Intro To Physics Standard | B+
Italian 2 Hon. | B+
Geometry Standard | B
(Italian I and Algebra I are the standards for Freshman, so in both Math/FL I was taking a year ahead courses for my school)
Freshman Year GPA | 3.41
Freshman Year Rank | 59/290
EC - Math Team, Reading to Children at a daycare 1 day a week, Robotics Team
Sophomore Year
AP European History | B- and a 3 on the test
English Standard | A+
Algebra 2 Standard | C
( ^The teacher left midway through the year and our substitute was not prepared)
Biology Honors | B+
Italian 3 Honors | B
*Added one honors course and one AP course compared to last yr
Sophomore Year GPA | 3.31
Sophomore Year Rank | 59/250
EC - Math Team, Queer/Straight Alliance, Reading to Children contd, Specific volunteer projects w/Queer Straight Alliance mentioned in my recommendations, Secretary of my class
Junior Year
AP US History | B+ and strongly expecting 5 on the test
English Honors | A+ and taking the AP Language Test, expecting 4
PreCalc Standard | C- or D+
Chem Honors | D
(^ Roughly 30% of students in the class get below a C-, known as impossible class)
Italian 4 Honors | B
*Added one honors class compared to last yr
Junior Year GPA | 3.1
Junior Year Rank | 105/250
EC - Math Team, Continuing to read w/kids, Queer/Straight Alliance with lots of volunteer projects/leadership, VP of my class, Working with volunteer organization at my school w/ lots of leadership positions and volunteer hours, started leftist student organization focused on activism/teach-ins/etc.
Planned Senior Schedule
AP Comp Gov
AP US Gov
AP English Lit
AP Italian
Standard Statistics
My Current Cum. GPA | 3.25
My Current Cum. Rank | 75/244
I got a 1190 on the new PSAT, and am waiting on my score for the new SAT, where in I’m almost certain I have 1200+, which puts me above SAT wise for places like George Mason etc, but still in a lower bracket for GPA.
Also I’m first generation college, under 25k income, white/female.
I’ve won 5 state awards for Art and Writing.
I have no trouble in humanities and history, and I plan to be getting B/B+ or higher in all of the AP ones, as well as a solid B/B+ in Stats, since it is considered extremely easy at my school. I don’t know how much it will lift my GPA, but I imagine significantly. I also plan to continue all my junior year EC’s, as well as expanding leadership in becoming Pres. of Queer/Straight Alliance, and continuing leadership positions in volunteer org. My recommendations will be very good, both by teachers who have known me for 3+ years and have a lot to write.
Thank you for any and all advice!!!