Will having one B (with all the rest As) affect my chance for a scholarship?

Student Lounge International Students
1

<p>Hi! I am still in 11th grade and have always had very good grades. Last year I finished with a 95% average on the top 10% out of a class of 120 students. I just received my first 11th grade report card, I am taking three APs and scored 99% in two AP classes and 97% in the third one. My other grades are between 90 - 95% except for pre-AP Calculus where I scored 86%. </p>

<p>I have never liked Math, and plan to major in something related to Writing (or where little math is required), however I do need to apply for a Scholarship or else my parents can't afford to pay for my education abroad (Yes, I am an International, Female Student from and Underdeveloped Country).</p>

<p>I have put a lot of effort in this class but the Teacher gives out homework and tests with very few problems, so if you get one answer wrong, you can loose up to 20 points from your grade. My Parents are freaking out because they say this 86% will destroy my chances for a potential scholarship because it will lower my GPA, however I tell them that since it is the first trimester I still have a chance to improve my grade and I hope to do well on my SATs. </p>

<p>I practice sports, I am a member of the National Honors Society do a lot of Community Service and have kept a very good record at school & with my extra curricular activities.</p>

<p>What is the reality? Will this really affect my future chances? Is it really seen as a bad thing if I score low on pre-Caclulus but do very well in all of my classes? Please Help!</p>

2

<p>No, one B will not significantly affect your chances negatively in any significant way. Don’t forget that plenty of candidates with perfect grades and near perfect exam scores don’t get into top schools - or get in, but without enough financial aid to attend; plenty others who are admitted have a few less-than-perfect grades. In the US, the ‘total package’ is what counts: the combination of grades AND scores AND interesting ECs AND lots of luck :slight_smile: </p>

<p>What WILL affect your chances are: the level of competition from other students in your country trying for the same scholarship(s), the overall number of international students applying to the same school(s) and the availability of financial aid for internationals at said school(s).</p>

3

<p>Thank you very much for your response, it helps to know how things work. I attend an American School and it is quite competitive, however among the 120 students in my class only three of us are taking 3 AP classes, then about 25-30 are taking 2 APs and the rest are either taking only 1 AP or none at all. I hope that admission officers have a chance to receive this information so it shows that I am challenging myself as much as I possibly can (my school only allows a maximum of 3 APs per year). I do intend to raise my grade, but I am not sure if the admission officers look at the final average or if they review the entire school year per term? Any other input you can provide me with, will be very much appreciated! Thanks :)</p>