<p>I'm not lazy, really! My freshman year, I took three AP classes and had a GPA of 3.9 (one class got in the way because of differences with the teacher). But, come the end of sophomore year, I have just under a 2.0 for the year, and need to make up Alegbra 2 because I failed it. This was due to a mixture of two parts major depression (diagnosed), and one a hate for the way today's school system penalizes genuinely smart students.</p>
<p>I've only taken the PSAT once, during the beginning of 9th grade. I had something around two hours sleep the night before and didn't care how I did because "it doesn't count for anything." I scored the equivalent of an 1880. I've taken four classes at community college, PE twice (A and A), Humanities, which isn't transferable to highschool (B), and Psych 1 (A). I was also the co-president of Science Club.</p>
<p>Now, here's my question. What should I do to help increase my chances of getting into a good school? Should I risk taking 3 AP classes, and joining the swim team? Or, should I take an easier schedule and just make sure I get all A's? I also play the guitar fairly well, and practice Capoiera (an Afro-Brazilian martial art) twice a week. My school of choice is UCLA, but I doubt I can get in at this point.</p>
<p>Help, College Confidential, my future is in your hands!</p>
<p>if you have one bad year i don't know if UCLA is completley out of the question. One of the essays on the application asks you to address if their was any reason why your grades could have been low for a semester or two. However, if you really want to get in you need more EC's and your GPA needs to be around what it was your freshman year. Also I think you should risk doing swim and three AP classes = i think if you do well this year you have a really good chance with this schedule of getting into UCLA.</p>
<p>The best way to increase your chances of getting into a good school is to take care of yourself medically and psychologically</p>
<p>Why did you develop major depression? Will the pressure you put on yourself to take a rigorous schedule trigger another depressive episode?
What does your psychologist/psychiatrist think?</p>
<p>Your first priority should be to get healthy and the rest will fall into place</p>
<p>ucla only looks at sophmore and junior years so that sucks that you did good your freshman year and bad your sophm. year. sorry</p>
<p>Why do so many people who have no clue what they are talking about post? Future is correct. However all is not lost. 2 years doing well at a CC can get you to UCLA and you'll have the same degree.</p>
<p>"Your first priority should be to get healthy and the rest will fall into place"</p>
<p>I'm much better now, and being active would only help. In fact, a lot of it was because I was horribly under-stimulated at my old school (it was a very poor inner city school, I left). I had a similar schedule my freshman year, so I should be able to do it. I'm just not so sure that I should really strain myself that way, and possibly risk my grades.</p>
<p>And thanks for all the responses so far! I really have no one that I can go to with these questions. However, I did meet a college councilor once, and she said that a very good year and an informative essay can make up for a bad year because it shows both that capability and an effort to improve.</p>
<p>bumping this the hope of a few more responses, sicne there seems to be some disagreement</p>
<p>In your guidance counselor's letter of reccomendation, have them talk about what happened during your sophomore year. Schools don't see your PSAT score (I don't think) so don't worry about that. And just be sure to work really hard for the rest of high school and bring your grades back up to where they were during your freshman year. </p>
<p>Admission Officers are human. They understand that stuff happens and that sometimes the ***** hits the fan. Just be sure to have someone talk about it an essay that you send with your applicaiton so they know you didn't slack off and just be sure to get those grades right back up.'</p>
<p>EDIT: I would take the 3 AP classes. It shows you are committed and willing to bounce right back after you fall a little.</p>