the woes of a charter school student - suggestions?

Applying to College
1

<p>Hi guys,</p>

<p>I'm looking for some consensus on how colleges will view my transcript (and suggestions if I can do anything to improve it). Originally I didn't have too much concern, but because of this awkward situation I got myself into...</p>

<p>Here's the situation.</p>

<p>At the start of second semester of junior year, I transferred from an International Baccalaureate school to a charter school. There were a few reasons for this:
- mostly the fact that although I could get As in my courses, I was becoming quickly overwhelmed.
- My parents were also separating, creating additional stress. A transition felt appropriate.</p>

<p>I chose to transfer to this charter school specifically because I had formed relationships there with the faculty as a junior high student, and it was right across the street from the place we were moving to.</p>

<p>Unfortunately:
- I transferred too late to register for classes at the local JC for that semester.
- I got stuck with 5 CP classes (English, American History, Biology, Spanish 3, and Latin 1A). However, I did take two long-distance classes at CSU Dominguez Hills: Music 101 and Theater, Film, and Television 100.
- They didn't have a teacher to teach the second half of calculus to me, even though they promised they would.
- My back up plan to study on my own and take AP tests for my previous IB classes failed because the "college counselor" screwed up and didn't register me, despite my repeated efforts to make her do it before the deadline.</p>

<p>So. My question is, what will colleges think of a student who took 2 years of all honors (Pre-IB), half a year of full IB, and half a year of a few CP's/CSU classes? Currently I have 2 Bs on my transcript (sophomore history 2nd semester, junior history 1st semester). Of course, all As for the CP classes.
This next semester they will probably also see me taking some CCC classes, but only up to 11 units. Will they think I'm pathetic? Unfortunately, I'm not doing much else meanwhile. I was editor-in-chief of my old school's newspaper (haha.. well, they were able to fill in the spot), and I founded a newsletter at my new school.</p>

<p>Also, if I try register for AP tests again, will colleges see it at this time?</p>

2

<p>make sure you tell them that. explain it in the supplement</p>

3

<p>Thanks for the reply.</p>

<p>If I put all those explanations, do you, uh, think they would sound like a bunch of excuses? I’ve been told that there’s a box to describe special circumstances, but I wasn’t really sure what would be considered legitimate “special circumstances.”</p>

4

<p>you didnt do badly - you just had less of a choice in curriculum, it seems. </p>

<p>definitely take the Ap tests and do well and ensure that your SAT scores are top notch. If you get all A’s on a easier curriculum and then get a 1700 on the SAT, they will wonder</p>

5

<p>Be very careful how you word it. For instance: “My back up plan to study on my own and take AP tests for my previous IB classes failed because the “college counselor” screwed up and didn’t register me”. You do know you can sign up directly for AP tests?? This is not the counselor’s fault but yours.</p>

6

<p>Thanks for the advice. Will they be able to see that I registered for AP exams?</p>

7

<p>@Erin’s Dad,
When I transferred, I asked my counselor about registering to take AP tests. She told me that by that time of the year and because they had no other students registering to take them, she would have to make calls to the AP coordinators of other schools.
I never thought to call them on my own… I thought that it had to be arranged between authorities. That makes me feel terrible now.</p>

<p>EDIT: and I can’t help but put in that it was very irritating of her to give the impression that she would make the arrangements every weekend (it kept on being delayed) but never keep her promise. Hence my attitude. Although, in the end, if I could have done it myself, it is my fault. :(</p>