What GPA am I applying with if I apply during a gap year?

Applying to College
1

So I recently received my final grades for junior year, and I calculated my unweighted GPA. I had three As (AP Bio, APUSH, Latin 1), one B (AP Calc BC), and one F (AP European History), which completely screwed up my junior year GPA. I’ve been doing well freshman year, sophomore year, and the first semester of junior year, but that one class really brought my unweighted GPA down. It doesn’t seem like I’ll get into any of the schools that I had in mind (Cornell, Davidson, UNC Chapel Hill, Duke if I was lucky). It’s really not a GPA I want to send to any college.

I’m retaking the class I failed senior year, along with a few other AP classes. Although I’ll be applying to colleges during my senior year, I’m considering taking a gap year and applying again during the six months after I graduate. If I go through another round of the admissions process, can I send my senior year GPA, which would be higher than my junior year GPA? That would be the whole reason I’m taking a gap year: to show that I improved academically by hopefully sending my senior year GPA instead of my junior year GPA. I would also reassess the schools that I want to attend during the gap year, improve standardized test scores, and build up extracurriculars / volunteer opportunities.

Also, if I retake the class that I failed and come out with a better grade, will colleges take that into consideration? How highly (or lowly) will they regard retaking a class and improving?

2

When applying to colleges after senior year, your school will submit your final complete high school transcript for your applications.

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FINAL HIGH SCHOOL GPA

4

Not sure why this is confusing. Dont apply to top colleges until you understand the basics.

Ask your GC how your high schools treat a retake. We cant answer that.

But if one of those top colleges sees an F, they aren’t going to be excited you used a valuable academic slot to retake. They’re also going to wonder why the F and what…it…says…about…you, as a candidate. They know there are few reasons, incl shining on the class entirely or cheating. Not a good thing.

5

“Cornell, Davidson, UNC Chapel Hill, Duke”

I don’t know anything about Davidson. The other three schools, particularly Cornell, seem unlikely to accept students who have an F on their record. AP history classes are tough. However, top schools like to see students who can grind through in tough classes and still do okay. Universities also have classes that are tough.

I do think that it makes sense to retake the class and put in a much greater effort in it. If you take a gap year then universities will see your complete high school transcript. However, you also need to get a realistic list of schools to apply to.