@Sally_Rubenstone I got accepted to Penn State University Park and plan on attending but my senior year has been overwhelmingly difficult with my 3 APs in addition to issues outside of school. I used to be a A/B student but for this semester it looks as though I will be getting 2 C’s in APES and AP Lit and a straight F in AP Calc. I am not sure if they will rescind for C’s but the F is the real problem. Talking to my Calc teacher only gave me the harsh reality that the grade will stick no matter what I say or do.
I am desperate here and I hope to god that these grades will not kill my chances at going to college because my academic life is falling apart due to the excessive amount of strain these classes are putting on me. If the school only requires that I graduate, then I still have time to turn this around. Otherwise, I am stressed and distraught. What do I do?
@MbarrxLearner101 -You need to be proactive and contact the PSU admission official who oversees applicants from your high school. Send an email to him or her explaining what you’ve said here. Be more specific about the “issues outside of school” (unless they cast you in a bad light). Above all, explain any steps you’ve taken to pull up your grades (extra help from the teacher, tutoring, etc.) If you haven’t tried any of those measures, do them immediately and then wait a little bit before contacting Penn State so that you can claim in all honesty that you’ve tried these ways to do better. Colleges tend to be much more sympathetic to students who seem to be working hard and yet are still sliding than they are to those who are simply slacking. Good luck!
@Sally_Rubenstone Thanks for the suggestions! The “issues” mainly concern the deaths of a few that happened earlier in the school year and family stuff. I am working hard to keep my grades up and it is not the end of the world. Hopefully all goes well and this ends up being just a bad chapter in my record. Thanks!
@MbarrxLearner101 -You should definitely touch base with your Penn State regional admissions rep this month just to warn the school of your downturn and to explain the issues that have affected your grades as well as your efforts to improve them. Whatever happens, you’re right … it’s not the end of the world. But I do feel that making contact with the college sooner rather than later will work in your favor.
@koolvial-As I’ve said here often before, admission officials do not like to be blindsided by scheduled changes after applications have been submitted (and, ESPECIALLY after verdicts have been issued). So you should not drop any class until you notify the college that admitted you and ask if it will affect your decision.
As for the colleges that have NOT accepted you yet, you should tell them of your plans right away. If you are stressed out over your weighty AP load, you might want to drop the class anyway. But you want to make sure that the colleges know NOW and not in June or July when your final transcript arrives.
What impact will dropping this class have given that your schedule is so AP-laden? Well, it may have no impact at all or it may depend on exactly which class you drop. For instance, if you’re taking AP Physics and AP Environmental Science, it’s likely that dumping Environmental will have NO impact but dropping physics MIGHT because it’s considered a more heavy-hitter class than Environmental, particularly if you’re aiming for a major like engineering or computer science.
It sounds like you’ve bitten off more than you (or nearly ANYONE) can chew. But check with the college that accepted you before making any changes. And if you do make the change, tell all your other colleges pronto.
@Sally_Rubenstone hi Sally, I’m not sure if the transfer process is as clear in regards to rescinding, but I am applying for fall transfer; I currently have a 3.69 GPA. Worst case scenario is I end up around a 3.0 this semester; it isn’t really likely, but it could happen. If I somehow got accepted to a selective LAC or research university, could this lead to rescinding an admission offer? Thanks!
@SeinfeldFan1 -Getting a 3.0 instead of your usual 3.69 is not likely to be a problem. However if–up until now–you were getting A’s in the classes related to your intended major but, this term, you’re getting C’s in a couple major-related courses and A’s in fluffier electives, the admission folks might raise their eyebrows and contact you with concerns. Otherwise, you’ll be fine.
@Sally_Rubenstone Hi Ms. Rubenstone, I was wondering if you would know anything regarding guaranteed transfers? Last year I applied to Cornell University as a freshman and was given a Guaranteed Transfer Offer. I’m half-way through my first year at another school and am now in the process of transferring out to Cornell as well as applying to some other schools. A few weeks ago, I was put on disciplinary probation for underage alcohol intoxication. It was stupid and reckless and I have more than learned my lesson about the consequences of my actions.
I realize the guarantee is more than likely void, but I’m going back and forth on what they’ll decide based on reevaluation of my case. Other than this infraction, my application is pretty decent; I have a 4.0 in my major (3.8 overall), a job at the veterinary hospital on campus, a research position at a microbiology lab and strong AP scores (5s in Human Geo, Lang, Lit, Calc, Bio and 4s in Physics 1 and 2). I’m not hopeful about the other schools I’m applying to (Columbia and Penn for biophysics were long shots to begin with), but I can’t stand the idea that my stupid stupid mistake could cost me Cornell.
@esterling -Although I can’t say for sure, I don’t think that your misdeed is an automatic deal-breaker at Cornell. You should contact the admissions office transfer liasion (or whomever you’ve dealt with there thus far) and explain your disciplinary probation, what you learned from it, etc. College folks are typically more concerned with incidents that suggest that a student is a danger to the community (e.g., possession of weapons, violence or threatened violence, drug sales) and with incidents that impugn a student’s character (e.g., hate crimes, cheating) than they are with what I call “typical teenage foibles” (drinking, minor marijuana violations). So, while I can’t say for sure that Cornell won’t pull the rug out from under you, I’d guess that your chances of keeping your place there are good if you take responsibility for your actions, apologize sincerely, and point out what you’ve learned from the mistake and how you’ve been successful in other realms. Good luck and keep me posted on the outcome.
Hi Sally!
I got into NYU ED 2 with predicted National Exams scores. I did the tryout tests in November 2016, with these subjects:
Advanced Maths
English
Native Literature
Advanced Physics
Advanced Chemistry
Advanced Biology
Until last year, any 12th grader in my country were required to take ALL of these subjects.
But apparently for this year’s exam, our Minister of Education just informed us that they made a new law (after my admission decision this February) that other than the first 3 subjects, we should choose ONLY 1 between Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
Should I inform NYU about this ASAP or should I just ask my counsellor to write this information after getting the HS diploma? Will this somehow lead to any rescind? I’m very worried.
@alpenlibe -You have nothing to worry about. Your acceptance will not be revoked based on an official change in your country’s exam system. However, as a courtesy to NYU (to keep admission officials from being confused when your final transcript arrives), you should send a brief email to NYU now which explains the change in testing just as you’ve explained it here.
Okay so I’ve been accepted to a few schools. The second trimester of my senior year will be ending within the next two weeks. I have a 3.75 unweighted GPA, but this trimester I might end up with 5-6 B/B+'s and 1-2 A’s. Obviously a 3.75 GPA is a strong A or A- average, do I have anything to worry about this trimester if I get a few extra B’s? I have 5 AP classes, 1 Advanced course, and 1 regular (Spanish 4).
I’ve been accepted to a few schools as a freshman applicant. I reported taking a two community college courses: Critical Thinking, Comp & Lit and General Education Philosophy. Because high schools get last priority when signing up for Community College Courses, I was unable to get into the Critical Thinking, Comp & Lit class. Instead I am taking two US History Courses (Before 1877 and after 1877). Will my application be rescinded for not taking a Community College Course because of it being full?
@fboensch -Colleges will not rescind your acceptance for making this necessary change BUT you need to tell them NOW. If they spot the change on your final transcript in the summer and haven’t been warned that it was coming, they could get cranky about that. Frankly, I don’t think that they’d rescind your acceptance even if cranky, but there’s no down side to notifying them right away and simply explaining that you got shut out from the CC class.
Indian student here. I’ve been a 90% student throughout (LORs are probably 10/10), however, I feel like I may end up with something around 60-70 percentage (total including all subjects) in my Final examination.
Can that lead to any warning or something like acceptance being rescinded?
I really appreciate it from the bottom of my heart!