I got 3 C’s and 2 B’s my freshman year (family problems)
But I picked it up sophomore year and got 1 B the entire year (~1 AP and 3 Honors) Next year, I am taking 3 AP Classes, and I’m taking prep classes over the summer so I can get A’s.
Freshman Year GPA: 3.46
Sophomore Year GPA: 3.93
Total:3.66 (as of now, if I get a 4.0 all of junior 3.78)
What are my chances at colleges such as Cornell/NYU/CMU? I’m president of a few clubs/1 varsity sport
(No financial aid, planning on ED’ing one of the three mentioned)
Thanks
With a solid junior year, and strong test scores, you should have a good shot at these schools. Go to the Common Data Set for each school you are interested in (google it) and go to Section C to get a sense of your chances. Naviance, if your school subscribes, is another good option to get an accurate read on your chances.
An upward trend is good. Not as good as a consistent high performance, but way better than a downward trend. But you knew that, right? The advantage of holistic admissions is that you will have the chance to explain so make sure you take advantage of that:
Make sure your guidance counselor is aware of the family problems that impacted your record freshman year, so he or she can mention it in their recommendation. Talk about what you did to overcome those problems. You may want to share it with those teachers writing a recommendation for you as well. Your academic turn-around is impressive and praise-worthy.
If your future academic or professional goals relate to anything that was happening that year, you might want to reference that too. For example, serious medical issues in a family could lead to an interest in medicine or healthcare. Difficult family dynamics could result in an interest in psychology. If there is not connection, don’t feel obligated to make a meal out of it - you don’t actually have to bring it up at all if others will do it for you.