There may be a lot of factors working in your favor besides GPA. The college application brings together many different elements of your achievements and experience. It's common for students to dwell on the negative factors and to become pessimistic about their chances of being accepted to their top-choice colleges. Keep in mind that this is not the same perspective the admissions officers will take.
2. Applications let you emphasize your strengths.
In your essay and interview, you get a clean slate. Take advantage of this chance to play up the best parts of your application. Highlight some experiences outside the classroom that have been especially important to you. Write about things you've accomplished, decisions you've had to make, and values that guide your life. Convince the admissions committee that you have what it takes to be a leader on campus and an asset to the school.
3. You can show an upward trend.
If you still have a few semesters left of high school, make them your best. Admissions officers love to see signs of improvement on a student's transcript. Show that you take your work seriously and that you've learned how to be a great student. Some schools don't even include your marks from 9th grade in their own calculation of your GPA. If you can do well in your challenging junior and senior year classes, you'll be prepared for college-level work. Seek extra help from your teachers to master the course content, and show them that you're doing everything you can to perform at your best. If your parents are willing to invest in tutoring, this is the time when it can benefit you the most.
4. If personal or family factors affected your grades, you can point this out.
College life is not easy. If you've faced challenges and worked to overcome them, this is a valuable strength that will help you to make the most of your college experience. It's okay if your grades went down around the time of a death in the family, a divorce, an illness or injury, or other personal circumstance. Even if you simply had trouble adjusting to high school and it took you a year or two to get settled, that may be worth writing about. Tell the admissions committee about these events in your life and how they've affected you. Not only does this explain your low grades, it personalizes your application and gives the admissions officers some insight into your life.
5. Many schools offer a conditional acceptance.
If you're an outstanding applicant except for some lower-than-ideal grades, you may be offered a conditional acceptance. You go to your dream school and, as long as you maintain a certain GPA during your first year (or two years), you're there to stay. This gives you a chance to prove that you can be successful in the new and exciting campus environment. Once you're in just do your best, seek help when you need it, and everything should work out just fine.
12 comments:
To all the high school students who don't have high GPA's and want to apply to college, I am encouraging you to please apply. Don't give up. If I could get a job as a school counselor I would. It is too often that I hear of counselor discouraging students from putting forth the effort to apply to colleges that appeal to students. This should be against the law. After all getting an A doesn't mean you learned more than the student who got a C. It's all about what are you learning. Keep up the good work, pursue your dreams and don't give up. Schools are looking for more than just grades. What is it about you that sets you apart from other students. Emphasize your qualities. All children are unique, we need you to run our country.
I didn't really apply my self in high school and now I regret it because I really want to be a music education major. I love music and I've gone through a lot of majors that I wanted to do and are really excited about this! But I'm so scared I won't get into the college I want to. I've loved this school ever since I went there to visit. Anyway, I was really depressed in high school and hated it because I just felt doing the same classes over and over was not to my ability. I think I would apply myself more in college because music classes and such is what I really want to do. I know I would work hard to do it. I was in choir in middle and high school and got nothing but A's and even though I never got up and did solos or anything my teacher and fellow classmates thought I was really good and I know I am, just a little scared. Hopefully I can convince this school that I really want to go there. I'll do anything to get accepted. This is what I really want to do.
What if you have a low SAT score, but good grades? I know someone with a 4.75 GPA & got like a 1740 on the SAT... how bad will that look for colleges?
Hi=]
I read your blog and I was really happy that I found someone to ask questions.
I am Ellie Kim.
Im junior at highschool.
We just finished the 2nd qtr.
So far I have 3.1 GPA right now.
I did not play sports at school.
I really want to get into the NYC...
I mean I will work hard one this 3rd qtr.
1st. qtr I did well but this 2nd qrt.... I had a emotional hard time.. cuz I had a boyfriend.. and we broke up.
It was hard for me cuz Ive known him for 5 years and he broke up with me at my birthday. so I did poor on this 2nd qtr.
Now Im over with this guy.
And rightnow I have passion to go to good university but the thing is I realized that I have a bad GPA..
I did not take the SAT yet but I will take it may be in this March or September.
and I have enough credit to graduate.
I took chem,bio, phy(what im taking it right now),
gov,wh1,wh2(im taking it right now),
eng9,10,11(im taking it right now)
algbra 1,2 Geo, pre cal, cal AB( im taking it rightnow),
art1,3 photo1, spanish 1,
esol credit (so it is up to me that taking the english 12 because finishing the esol program, it gives me one credit for the english.)
piano 1, finance, 2 credit for the PE.
The credit that im missing is US/VA history.
So basically
I will be going to the school for five years if i will attend the highschool next year.
I have few options for next year when I will be senior.
1. i can go to the NOVA(community college in VA)
take the US/VA class and may be on top of that I could take some other subjects too.( maybe english or science at NOVA)
2. go to NOVA in the morning class or evening class while I am still attending the highschool with the AP CLASSES
3. just finish the high school during the summer and go back to korea to and study for the SAT for 6 months to get good score on the SAT.
I think it would be better to go to NOVA and attend to high school and get a job and do some community service for a year or before the college app.
Please tell me what should I do..
what would be the best choice and do you think i can get in..?
FYI. I have been in the United States for 3 years right now.
I am from Korea.
Right now I am attending public school in VA.
...:) Im so confused and kinda in panic that questioning myself
`do I have way that I can get into this school, NYC where I really want to get in?'
I hope that you can email me back soon..>3<
thank you..^^
Keep working hard, I'm not the perfect student with the highest marks but I do try hard. I had a 3.256 first quarter and 2.862 for second quarter. It was my AP Economics class which brought me down because I didn't really grasp the concept, but I am willing to turn that around and aiming for as high as a 4.0! I am really worried about getting into college after coming from such hard working parents and having so many obstacles in the past ...it would be so dumb of me to lose and not be able to suceed. That's my biggest fear! To all the JUNIORS out there who are worried and scared they won't be able to get into the college of their choice, DON'T BE! Everything and anything is possible; with hard work, determination, and the drive.
If any of you want to get in contact: http://twitter.com/takemorerisks - everyone uses it right? haha!
Thank you, this piece was a huge help. My grades are less than stellar, but I feel like with the right motivation, I can succeed. Thank you for helping me not lose hope!
im a student still in highschool, i have a 2.5 gpa overall my junior year, i feel really frantic about the college i want to go to, but i want to be a doctor is there any chance that i could work in college and get into med school from there?
So, I got rejected from college after my first year and came out with a 1.69 GPA. I have a SAT score of 1240. Due to family, Parents want me to continue my education away from home and not in a community college. I'm doing transfer essays left and right. what should I do? Do colleges care about super low GPA? How can I show colleges that I am a student willing to learn instead of just looking at my numbers?
I'm in that category of people trying to get into a college with a low GPA.. My low GPA in college is due to personal problems and two deaths in the family. I was a high honor roll student all through high school, my ranking was 65/200 students, and just last month I contacted all my old high schools teachers asking them to write me a recommendation letter. Aren't those some factors that can look at as well? and I really like the conditional acceptance guideline you added in there because that makes me feel better too. I know once I get into that university my focus will be back on point and I will excel again. What do you think?
I know I personally have seen the importance of having good grades being less and less of a concern for landing the career path they want. Instead it all matters about your experiences and the people you network with.
I have a 2.7 GPA.
do you think it's still possible for me to get into a school like American University, Cal Poly, or CSULB?
I've been playing the violin for 13 years.
I haven't taken a single AP class, but I'm involved with the school's performing arts program.
What would be considered a low GPA? I have an 84 average, would this be considered very low?
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