Will one C+ in a senior year class ruin my chances of getting into my desired colleges?

Applying to College
1

I am a senior in high school with a 3.6 GPA on a 4.0 scale. By the end of high school, I will have taken 4 AP classes, a seminar/advanced class, and all honors classes. My SAT score is 2100 and my ACT score is 31.

I may end up with a C+ in my precalculus class, and I had to work hard just to get that grade. My other senior year grades are all A-'s; I am taking AP Literature, College Social Science Seminar, and Physics.

I am not planning to major in anything math-related; I am hoping to major in communications. In addition, I had a former math teacher and current tutor write my recommendation, since she could attest to how hard I worked even though math is not my strong point.

In addition, I volunteer weekly at my local library and am committed to musical activities that take up a lot of time.

Will this one C+ ruin my chances of getting into places such as Boston University, Northeastern University, and American University?

2

Is this C+ for first semester. If so, I don’t think it will “ruin” your chances, but it may or may not lessen them depending on how the rest of your transcript looks.

3

I don’t think so. Those schools are getting more competitive, so it’s hard to say for sure, but I was admitted to those schools with a C’s in mathematics (never a strong suit) during sophomore and junior year. Admittedly, I had a slightly higher SAT score and was very involved in my ECs. If that’s your only poor grade, I don’t think it will keep you out of those schools.