Hi everyone! I just had a quick question that may allay my fears. Im currently applying to several schools that require a mid-year report and I want to know whether that will make or break my application.
My junior year was pretty strong, I maintained all A’s save for an 89 in French in the second semester, so I’m pretty confident with that going into applications. However, I’ve noticed that some of my grades in classes I historically score very high in drop several points. For example, my Chemistry class where I’ve historically scored high As in have dropped to low As, and the same with Biology (both with new teachers). My school has had several teacher changes this year (we have an extremely high turnover rate), and that brought a lot of grading changes and more. I’m hoping that those changes in teachers are also reflected when my counselor submits their mid-year report for me.
The changes from last year to this year aren’t too bad, manageable at least, but should I be scared that a somewhat different transcript for my 1st semester might lead to offers of admission being rescinded? I’ve been trying to push myself hard this semester to maintain the same grades I had last year, but I’ve been having trouble with senioritis and mounting IB coursework. So in all, I’ve got no clue whether I’ve been pushing myself too hard over this midyear transcript/report, or too little.
I hope this makes at least some coherent sense. Thank you!
This is a little confusing, because I don’t see anywhere that you applied early to any of these schools, so I don’t think you mean to be asking if offers might be rescinded - because regular decision offers won’t have gone out yet. I think you mean to be asking if midyear grades could impact regular decision, and the answer is very clearly yes, they can. Schools do understand that seniors are carrying a heavy load beyond classes and are dealing with other issues, but yes, those grades matter. (I’m not sure what your school reports, and if it’s just letter grades, nobody cares about a high A or a low A. You just don’t want to show a meaningful reduction in performance.)
If you did apply early and are accepted before your grades are submitted, then a small decline in grades at midyear is unlikely to lead to having your admission rescinded, but a substantial decline (think multiple Cs or one D - depends on the school and other factors) could.
You are worrying about a “low A”. Please don’t. If you don’t get accepted to the reach schools on your list, it likely won’t be because of a couple of “low A” grades.
For admission, a “low A” grade is likely not to make a speck of difference. So just wait and see. If American is your safety school, I hope you are showing a LOT of interest.
Offers are only rescinded AFTER you are accepted, and I don’t think you have been accepted anywhere yet. And I’ve never heard of an offer of admission being rescinded because of “low A” grades.
Hi all, thanks for all of the responses so far. Just to clarify some things:
because I don’t see anywhere that you applied early to any of these schools,
I realize now that I probably should have clarified, and seeing the response that @tsbna44 said about evaluation time I feel somewhat stupid. The only school that I applied early to was to Georgetown through their REA program. All the others are planning on being RD schools. However, American might also join it as I’m applying to their Honors program and Sakura Scholars program.
If American is your safety school, I hope you are showing a LOT of interest.
I’ve got a bunch of other schools on my application list, so American still sits as somewhat of a reach for me. Those schools in the list previously were the only ones that required the midyear report, all the other ones don’t need it which is great!