Will my mid-year report screw me over?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Cornell University
1

<p>Let me first say that I've never made a "B" in my first three years. My weighted GPA is a 4.083 and unweighted is 4.0. However, I may have screwed myself due to my first semester grades. The first 9 weeks I got all A's, with the exception of an 89 in AP Biology. The second 9 weeks I got 7 A's...and a 60 in AP bio.</p>

<p>Yes. A 60...which means I'll have a 75 average for the first semester. If I get 85's the next two semesters (which is possible and I can do it), then I'll have a B average.</p>

<p>However I'm just really worried that my mid-year report will kill me and I'll be an automatic REJECT because it probably appears that I have senioritus.</p>

<p>In my defense, I have 4 AP classes this year and we're on a new schedule called "A/B Block". It's like college in that you take classes every other day...however instead of 2 classes a day, we have 4. So we're taking 8 classes at once. The past 3 years we've done regular block where we take 4 classes per semester, which, in my opinion, is fair to the student. 8 classes at once with half of them being AP's is rigorous. However, I do acknowledge the fact that a 60 is unacceptable.</p>

<p>I'm worried! Anyway, here is the rest of my stats from a past "chance thread".</p>

<hr>

<p>General: Senior, Male, Alabama.</p>

<p>Ethnicity: White.</p>

<p>Career Interests: Dentistry, culinary arts, broadcasting, Spanish (not as a career, but if I double majored). </p>

<p>School Info: Our school first opened in 2005 when I was a Freshman. I'll be apart of the first four-year graduating class. My school became an IB school this past year, however, you have to be a Freshman when you begin the IB program, so I wasn't able to participate in the program.</p>

<p>School Stats: GPA: 4.0 Unweighted. 4.083 Weighted. This year was the first year we could take APs, and I got an A in both of those classes (AP US/AP 11 English). Senior year I should have 4 AP classes, and an honors Spanish 5 class which'll be on a 4.5 scale? lol. That's just what my Spanish teacher told me. Anyway, If I get all A's again, I should complete high school with just over a 4.2 weighted GPA. Toughest courseload offered.</p>

<p>Rank: 1/130+ (not sure on exact #, obviously).</p>

<p>*Testing: *
30 on ACT.</p>

<p>EC's:
-National Honor Society (1 year; Senior year)
-National Spanish Honors Society
-Spanish Club President (4 years; President - Senior year)
-School Webmaster (1 year; Senior year)
-Varsity football Quarterback. (Freshman year we just worked out because we didn't get a coaching staff in time. Sophomore year I was the Varsity backup (although I did play in some Varsity games), started JV and was the captain of JV. Junior year, I was the starter and team captain and was second on the team in touchdowns---only behind our all-metro WR/RB. Senior year...I doubt I'll play. All of our coaches were fired and I knew back in November that I was done. I worked harder than anyone, and I was just sick of the BS. I was no longer happy playing, so I will just move on. Yeah, the attention that goes along with being the quarterback is cool, but that's not what matters. Happiness matters, not highschool "fame".
-I had a Private quarterback coach for football for 2 years. I would go to school from 8-3:10. Football practice from 3:30 to sometimes 6:30, and then a two hour session with private QB coach after that. I did that in the football season and in the summer for 3-4 times a week.
-Art. I placed 3rd in state for a 2D art contest. I also got honorable mention in state for this "Post-Card" contest.
-Quiz Bowl (2 years - fresh year we didn't have it, soph year I did it, this past year I tried to do it but it was SO unorganized, and I'm going to do it Senior year).
-A college preparation website for highschool students (Coming Soon still under construction)
-If I don't play football, I'm either going to do Mixed Martial Arts, play Piano, or play Baseball or Soccer in the spring. A job is a possibility, as well as getting a trainer at the gym (lol, only feels right considering I won't be playing football).</p>

<p>Community Service:
-This summer I got around 150-200 hours with Big Brothers, Big Sisters. I've gotten around 70 at my Uncle's golf course, and another 10 or so with Spanish-club related stuff.</p>

<p>*Awards: *
-Letter from the Mayor acknowledging my achievements in highschool due to seeing me featured in the newspaper.
-Principal's Award.
-A honor roll.</p>

<h2>-As stated before, 3rd in state in 2D art competition, honorable mention in another contest, and 2nd in state in this QuizBowl-esque thing for this Spanish competition (same event that I won 3rd in state in for Art). </h2>

<p>Chance me for RD.</p>

2

<p>you're a strong candidate! very likely to be accepted</p>

<p>but like you say, it probably appears that u have senioritis /senioritus, tho a courseload of 8 classes simultaneously is a bit insane, in college you wont have to deal with that load so good luck and the workload should get easier </p>

<p>if you've been accepted it wont kill you as long as you dont fail</p>

3

<p>If you want, you can send in supplemental paragraph with your application explaining the 60. This may help alleviate admission concerns at Cornell's end.</p>

4

<p>I emailed a Vandy Admissions person and she said I could write a formal letter explaining it.</p>

<p>I will send that same letter to Cornell as well.</p>

5

<p>Thanks hyp.</p>

<p>I appreciate your response. Hopefully they use the same logic as you. lol</p>

6

<p>Bumpppppppp</p>

7

<p>I would think that it will definitely reduce your chances, but by what margin, no one can say for sure. I would guess they will question your work ethic because grades are very important. Write a sincere short (less than 50 words) paragraph and attach it to the extra info section. That should help a bit. Also, if you have a decent relationship with your counselor, you could talk to him/her about it, and see if they could write about if for you in your rec letter.</p>

8

<p>I don't think it's the C that would have a bigger impact. OP got 30 on his ACT, what about other tests (SAT IIs, APs). Without those scores, what's going to hurt him (he asked for chance here, which I don't normally do) is he is going to an unknown HS. The HS has no track record of placing its students in top tier schools. An A at his school could be a B or B+ at other top HS. When you go to an unknown school, it is even more important for you to take those subject tests to show adcoms where you are relative to other students. </p>

<p>You are geographically desirable, EC average for top tier schools. I think you will need very good essays to get into Cornell. I am assuming you are applying to A&S(I don't see any particular interest for other schools), which has the lowest acceptance rate. I don't mean to be harsh, but this is turning out to be the toughest year for college acceptance. I would make sure you have a good list of matches and safeties.</p>

9

<p>Yeah. I've gotten full rides to all the in-state schools. The top schools I'm looking at are Vandy, Notre Dame, & Cornell.</p>