Hi, all! I never know where to post new threads – hopefully it works here. Note: I am aware that the below relies heavily on the assumption that the current trend continues.
Anyway, I am curious about “upward trends.” My sister had several C’s in her first semester of freshman year, placing her in the top 30 percent of her class (of course. freshman ranking is very volatile). She has since earned nearly all A’s in AP and honors classes. She is currently ranked just outside the top 10 percent but is climbing fast. Her counselor predicts, given her courseload and her turnaround, that she will probably land within the top 6 to 8 percent of her class by application time.
(Note that she had two grandparents pass away during the first semester of her freshman year, when her grades suffered)
Will admissions officers likely be able to overlook the poor first semester grades? Her counselor said that because she will likely be within the top ten percent, they will probably willing to do so. She even implied that this upward trend might appear more attractive than a more even performance. Did my sister probably misunderstand or was the counselor being presumptuous?
Thanks!