<p>In 8th grade I took Algebra 1 and other high school classes in advance. At the beginning I had a tough time and ended with a C first semester, but I worked very hard and was able to bring it up to an A+ second semester, with one of the best grades in my class. I am now a junior in high school and take honors precalc and will take AP calculus next year. The thing about it is that all the grades from high school classes in 8th grade were transferred to my GPA in high school. In reality I should have around a 3.94 GPA and a 4.9-5.0 weighted GPA but because of the struggles I had back when I was 13 years old, it brought my GPA down to a 3.8/4.8. Since I got a C, I believe might really affect me. I was about to apply for the University of Chicago bridge program but unfortunately it says I "must have earned a grade of B or higher in all high school courses in the subject area requested for study at UChicago", and I wanted to do either math or science. If I don't have a chance at a math class in the bridge program, do I still have a chance at a science program (if I do get accepted into the program)?
Overall I am scared I won't be able to get into UChicago at all. What do you think? Any advice or comments? Anything could help me
Thank you very much if you read this :) </p>
<p>Don’t know how helpful this is:</p>
<p>I took Algebra 1 in 7th grade and Geometry in 8th grade. I got C both semester in Algebra, and a D+ and a C- in geometry. Those grades still show up on my transcript. Why? No clue! Kinda weird they keep my MS grades there… only difference is that they don’t impact my GPA (ended with a B- in BC Calc this year yay). Going from a 3.94 to a 3.8 because of one grade? That doesn’t seem correct… By junior year you have too many grades for a single one to impact it by .14 Ask you counselor about it. Mine said she could pull my grades off of my transcript, but we chose to keep them there since I had improved so much and wasn’t supposed to be in that class anyways. </p>
<p>Are you sure it’s touching your GPA? It might just be listed since it’s a course everyone has to take. Best thing you can do is ask your counselor. Mine shows on transcript but since it’s from MS it doesn’t touch my GPA :] I was waitlisted at UChicago with a 3.5 UW GPA lol, no clue how I wasn’t rejected. </p>
<p>@FeralCat it’s not only that C in algebra, it’s also one or two B’s in english 1 that I took in 8th grade as well (I don’t even remember what my grades were exactly back then, it was 4 years ago!). That C and 1 or two B’s in 8th grade a long with only two other B’s during all high school, one in the hardest class for many people (precalc) and one in honors english 2 (1 semester). You are so lucky it didn’t affect your GPA but it has affected mine. I talked to my counselor and she confirmed my suspicions about why my GPA was so low and said I could do nothing about it. </p>
<p>If you’re taking a rigorous enough course load to get a 4.9/5 weighted GPA, then I’m sure you won’t need to worry about your middle school grades. Some colleges (Stanford, UCs, etc.) don’t even consider grades before 10th grade when calculation your GPA.</p>
<p>what is the summer bridge program ? can anyone join? also is it in chicago only ?</p>
<p>First off, without using the “t word”, I can’t imagine how someone with your quality of writing was invited to take 9th grade English while in 8th grade. Secondly, I’m sure the spirit is that you must have earned at least a B in all high school classes in that subject while in high school. If you’re still unsure, the website has a “contact us” button, ask them.</p>
<p>In terms of admissions as a freshman, whether or not you get admitted to Chicago will not be because of a C in 8th grade.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>@skieurope I am not exactly sure what you are trying to get across. I wasn’t “invited” to take a 9th grade english class my 8th grade year. I took an entrance exam to get into a rigorous middle school program in a high school and I was accepted. I also took an entrance exam to get into one of the best high schools in my state, and was accepted. I am currently in the top 5% of my class of 1,200 students and yet I am still humble, still trying to improve. I would appreciate it if you didn’t judge my writing based on a question I asked on a forum. I can assure you with my 34’s in english and reading on my ACT’s that I am not the best writer, but I am certainly not terrible.
Also, I like how you deduced that I got a B in all my english high school classes =D> With hard work and dedication, I have earned A+ in all of them, including AP english language. </p>
<p>Enjoy the rest of your day. </p>
<p>@ZUES25 On the website, it says the summer bridge program is “a partnership between the Chicago Public Schools and Northwestern University”. I’m afraid it is only for those attending CPS schools, sorry! 
</p>
<p>I deduced nothing. Sorry if I was unclear. “That subject” refers to math. I was paraphrasing the bridge program when they require that one “must have earned a grade of B or higher in all high school courses in the subject area requested for study at UChicago.” I was saying that I do not believe that they are including high school courses taken before high school. However, if you still have doubts, ask them. </p>
<p>If you have a “C” on your transcript, do not waste your time and money applying to UChicago.
Tell you my story: I have very good SATI/SATII/ACT scores, good GPA, NMF and a national award in art, good ECs, and more importantly, a stellar essay tailored for UC.
But I was waitlisted.
Why? I have a C+ in my AP calculus BC (actually ~79%, very close to a B-).
I made a stupid mistake by taking the most rigor courses in my senior year (2 honors and 5 APs), knowing that I could burn out. Many kids in my school take easy classes and they seem to get in good colleges, but I am struggling.
So what can I say, being cheated by the information that top colleges want you to take rigor courses? I believe the adcoms barely take a look at the context of my transcript.
In my school a C+ in AP Calculus BC is better than a A- in AP Calculus AB. But in this holistic admission process, no adcoms will appreciate my effort to challenge myself. They only noticed a C+ grade. </p>
<p>@ProblemNow Do they even take into consideration that it happened 5 years ago? Because I haven’t gotten a C in any class during high school. Just that one time in middle school. Plus, it was first level algebra. I have obviously improved significantly in 4 years of rigorous math classes, going into AP calculus. </p>