I applied to Ivy Leagues, UCs and a CSU…
I got three B’s and two C’s my junior year because I was struggling with financial and family problems at the time. I let the UCs know this through the application but didn’t mention it with the Common App for the Ivy Leagues because there was no section for it. But I don’t think colleges takes “excuses” anyway so I’m not sure if that even matters…
SAT I: 2070 (Reading: 740, Writing: 720, Math: 610)
ACT: 29 (SAT equivalent of over 1900)
Math II: 550
Literature: 640
Biology E: 690
World History: 600
AP World History score: 5
AP Composition: 4
AP Biology: 4
AP US History: 3
AP Chemistry: 1 (worst class during my junior year)
UC/CSU GPA: 4.13 (top 10% of class)
8 APs and 2 Honors English classes
The summer after my junior year I attended Brown University for a pre-college program. I’ve been doing journalism for our school newspaper for two years, played piano for 10 years, participated in Science Fair for 8 years, and have done recreational dance for 10 years. I’ve volunteered at my local hospital for 3 years (with leadership positions), at two retirement homes (two years for the first, and one year for the second), Community Food Bank, and planting trees at River Restoration. I’ve joined the effort against the war in Uganda with a school club (3 years with leadership), along with 10 other school clubs that focus either on ethnic awareness or community volunteering.
I’m very dedicated to community volunteering and leadership; I suppose that’s my “niche” if I get accepted. I want to be a doctor to combine this passion with my love for biology (favorite class in high school and exposure to this environment with my volunteering, among other reasons). I still have to go through interviewing with an alum, but with my statistics do you think it’s possible I have a competitive chance to get into the colleges I applied to? I know I messed up that one year but I’ve become a much better student (and mature person) since then… I have the possibility of getting one or two B’s this semester of my senior year but the rest are all A’s. Thanks 🙂
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Will Getting A Lot Of B’s And C’s Affect My Admission?
Posted on January 24, 2011.
It definitely depends on where you want to go, but a lot of schools – even Ivy League schools – will forgive bad grades if you have a good SAT score, a good essay, and a ton of extracurriculars. The fact that you’ve taken so many AP classes will also be a big bonus… and since I’m assuming you got the B’s and C’s in those AP classes, just let me remind you that in those classes a C is equal to a B and a B equal to an A. Honestly, the fact of the matter is a lot of extremely intelligent kids who got perfect grades in high school fail miserably in college, because they don’t have the character and work ethic to succeed. So the admissions people are more concerned with whether or not you have good character, integrity, a strong work ethic and sense of humanism, which judging by all your volunteer and leadership background you definitely possess. My best advice is to get recommendations from teachers praising you for the above qualities.