my understanding is that colleges don’t care how you do in senior year, as long as there isn’t a SIGNIFICANT drop in GPA. is this true? i ask this about not just grades but about courses, too. for instance, what if you took fewer classes, most of them being “fun” ones, like drama or computer programming or something, instead of AP Calc and Physics, etc. Do you they care in senior year that you aren’t challenging yourself and are instead choosing to take it easy?
<p>this depends on the school. If you are trying for a super selective school then, yes it does matter. When colleges and universities accept you earlier in the year it is under the pretense that you will keep up your performance. This isn't the case with every school though, just don't think you'll get into MIT by taking only 5 classes.</p>
<p>The answer is yes. I mean come on, I doubt you needed US to tell you it's better to take AP Calc and AP Physics than mall etiquette. They ALWAYS care.</p>
<p>Like the other two comments have said, course selections and grades do matter ... esp. at the lower acceptee-percentage schools.</p>
<p>AP Calc and Physics are always >> then computer programming and drama. It shows colleges something about your attitude about education ... they want to know that you'll work hard at their university/college .. they'll think you're taking a vacation from school before college!!</p>
<p>But if your school doesn't offer a lot of the upper courses (like mine) then it's better to take the hard ones that are offered and then fill up your schedule with other choices like computer programming than just go home after the hard courses. :)</p>
<p>If you took two or three AP classes a year - or any amount that suggests a rigorous curriculum in your school - prior to your senior year, and then took only one in your senior year, it will probably raise eyebrows. Likewise, although a substantial drop in GPA will cause them, probably, to rescind their offer, that does not mean that you should feel free to go from an "A" avg to a "B+" avg just because you can. It might be a good idea to simply counterbalance your harder courses with easier courses, maybe that way you can have the best of both worlds, and still maintain a good GPA.</p>
<p>dropping strength of schedule senior year is a bad idea...</p>
<p>philosophia... there are advanced classes in comp sci + drama that would not show a weaker schedule as well.</p>
<p>soccerguy...: Yes, that is absolutely true ... but my school does not offer them. lol ... people basically take them for an easy way out of classes ... this year I'm stuck taking HTML, Basic Computer Programming, and C++ b/c I wanted to fill my schedule ... there was absolutely nothing for me to take ... I mean they're all easy A+s, but I would have perferred a harder classes that are more interesting ... whether that be advanced drama, etc ... we have nothing at my school ... it's depressing...</p>
<p>In my high school, after the 2nd marking period (today, actually) there is the GPA freeze. So after today, as long as do don't go above a C, I don't think colleges see it.</p>
<p>what do you mean by a GPA freeze. I am unfamiliar with this term.</p>
<p>We have that too...our final rank and GPA are calculated NOW, and they aren't changed until after graduation for our final transcripts! IN OTHER WORDS...IT'S PARTY TIME BABY! :D</p>
<p>the first semester of senior year is just as important as the rest of the years, if not more, since it is more recent.</p>
<p>First semester of senior year is arguebly the most important semester in high school. A bad mid-year report might kill your chances of acceptance into top colleges. However, the second semester is the least important. As long as you don't get straight Cs or fail classes you wouldn't have a problem, even at the very selective schools. Something VERY drastic has to happen for them to rescind your admission.</p>
<p>Yeah, slack of second semester (which is the current one)</p>