My grades are a bit low for UVA, and our class isn’t ranked.
I’m wondering how holistic their admissions process is, if anyone could tell me? My GPA is not AWFUL, (3.75–3.8 unweighted, 4.5 weighted, depending on whether they will calculate my high school credit classes taken in 8th grade as part of my grade point average), but I’m concerned because I have 2 C’s from sophomore year. I was hospitalized for illness twice that semester, which is why my grades slipped, and I do plan on having my counselor explain the slip (all A’s and one B with an all honors/ap curriculum, all of 8th—11th grade, so I think it’s worth explaining), but IDK if they’ll even consider that or if they’ll just scrap my application without even giving me a second thought. 
from an objective standpoint, I think the other parts of my application are strong; I’m in several honor societies, I own my own nonprofit business, I have national leadership positions in 2 different activist organizations, I have a book published, and I’ve done a LOT of work that specifically fits with my political science goals (like holding town halls, writing legislation for my town, leading a youth political campaign, organizing voter registration drives, etc). My SAT superscore is 1600, and my highest sitting is 1570 (2 sittings, 1570 in both.) I think I have a good story to tell, because I’ve overcome a lot and done a lot of work for my community, so i think my essays will be alright. I’m also from a poor part of Virginia with working class parents (military dad and underrepresented minority, but not technically first gen because my mom has an associates degree in early childhood education.)
I think I’m a (fairly?) good applicant other than the C’s, so if anyone could tell me whether they’ll review my whole application or just trash me based on my transcript, I would appreciate it!!!
Have you had a chance to read the admission blog? I cover the basics of holistic review.
Remember that GPA is not where we make a decision, as students with identical GPAs can have very different courses and grades. The transcript gives us the detail we need.
FWIW, we read every application, front to back, during our review. We don’t cull the applications using cut offs.
HI,
Im going to be a freshman at another university this upcoming fall. My high school grades were not that good, at about a 3.2. If I were to get a 4.0 and be heavily involved outside the classroom do I still have a chance?