Hello all! In order to understand the full scope of my issue, you need to read thoroughly all. New here 
I am worried about a specific matter right now. First off, let me introduce myself. I’m a high school sophomore and I am truly dedicated to education and school, primarily MY education. Nowadays, most kids don’t care about their education, and just throw it out the door like it’s some sort of game or something. However, that’s exactly how I felt last year in my freshman year. I felt as if education was something to push aside, and to live to the fullest without the need to “study” or “pay attention” in class. There was a reason behind this, however. In my district, 9th grade was in the middle school, so everybody (or most people) considered it “middle school”, and not “high school”. Thanks to this confusion, I didn’t take freshman year as seriously as I could have. - Now, I wasn’t a “bad” student that year. Actually, I was a extraordinary student. I took a AP class, got a five on that exam, was apart of the National Junior Honor Society, got good grades for some of my classes, and set an example for other kids in the school. But here’s what caused me to stumble: I kind of messed up in a few classes such as Geometry, and most of all, French. (For French, the teacher was AND IS still a annoyance to me and my family. Actually, she likes to play around with my grades and set me and my high overall grade back.) This had caused me to stumble in my Freshman year back to around the lower 80s as an OVERALL grade.
I’ve visited Columbia University last summer, and I knew it was the place I wanted to be at and study. So this year, I stepped my game up and did the most work ever had. I am in two AP classes, and other core classes. In addition, I’m in that annoying, despised French class with the same teacher who screws up my grades. So that’s a low, but I have one more year with that. Anyways, my grades improved drastically. First quarter I got a 93, and this past second quarter I got around a 91-94. A major improvement. I study and do all my work every night, and take my class time very seriously. I feel like I’m the only one in school that does the extent of work as me. (I’m sick this week, so I missed five days due to the flu, but I can catch up.) But I am satisfied with this year, and I believe my overall average for sophomore year would be around a 95-ish. And in addition; I signed up for four AP classes plus Precalculus next year in 11th grade. I’ll also take MUCH MORE into note extracurriuculars next year, as this year I’m focused 100% on IMPROVED grades.
BUT: HERE IS WHERE MY PROBLEM and QUESTION lies. I want to go to Columbia University for undergrad, and medical school. I know they’re very selective with grades. Since I did…well…sketchy (maybe low-ish 80s) in my freshman year of HS, and probably would excel in all classes from 10th to 12th grade, would that “low” factor I wrote about above in 9th grade pop out to admission counselors/officers…or no?
PS: Sorry for the long essay.