<p>I have been really struggling with math, despite getting extra academic support, and I might end up with a C. If I have straight A's junior and senior year, my UW GPA will still be a 3.8. Will this be ok? Or will the C just look too bad?</p>
<p>Both my kids had one less than stellar grade on their records. One had a C one semester, the other had a D but switched to a different teacher and got an A the next semester and asked the guidance counselor to address the situation. First child ended up with 3.8 uw GPA; second was 3.75. Both admitted to top LACs.</p>
<p>Strong test scores, interesting and long-time commitment to ECs, and good essays help too!</p>
<p>No, one C will literally make zero difference, if you really do end up with a 3.8. Admissions departments at schools may seem distant and mechanical but real people do work there. They will understand a slip up.</p>
<p>Well, it’s better not to have the C than to have it.</p>
<p>That being said, you should be able to get into an excellent top tier school if that’s the only blemish on your record.</p>
<p>Thank you guys. :)</p>
<p>bronovan is right. I’ve seen several admissions reps from different schools, including top schools like Stanford and Harvard, and the way they described their admissions process is pretty holistic. They’re not just some machines looking only for the top 3000 or GPAs. They spend a lot of time figuring out who you are as a person and how you’ve developed and grown over the years. It’s only one C; so long as the grades improve, it will be alright. A transition from a C to a B or, better yet, an A shows growth, which impresses admissions officers.</p>