Gpa

LilyAskar · 03-08-2012, 02:58 AM

I'm applying for college soon and I really want to get into Northwestern! That's one of my top choices. Right now I'm doing supersupersuper good. I currently hold a 5.0 gpa! And it looks like it's going to hold! But the thing is will colleges care that I did really bad in Sophomore year and that's why my gpa got dragged down or will they let it go?

These are the classes I'm in now.

-Orchestra
-AP stats
-Honors Precalc & Trig
-AP Chem
-AP Lit
-AP US
-AP Chinese

last year....

2 honors classes
first semester 3.5 weighted
second semester 4.15 weighted

It's a huge improvement but last year totally destroyed my unweighted gpa!!!! I was being lazy.... VERY lazy.

Waverly · 03-08-2012, 08:23 AM

Every thing will be considered. Wat you have to keep in mind is that highly selective schools have to turn down most applicants who did super well throughout high school. So you need to give them a reason, probably through scores and ECs, to take you instead of the many with perfect grad throughout.

LilyAskar · 03-08-2012, 02:39 PM

Yes, I have gotten perfect scores on 2 subject tests and have extracurricular which I'm still trying to decide whether they are good.....

DrGoogle · 03-08-2012, 03:00 PM

What is your uw GPA?

LilyAskar · 03-09-2012, 01:58 AM

it's ok...could have been so much better if not for 1st semester sophomore year... =="
I have a 3.78 averaging out freshmen, sophomore and the 1st half of junior year.

LilyAskar · 03-09-2012, 02:33 AM

But if I get straight A's next semester and 1st half of senior it will get pulled to a 3.84 which is promising.

camomof3 · 03-09-2012, 11:29 AM

Yes, colleges will care, especially very selective colleges. Remember, you are competing against students who worked hard every semester as the previous poster said. However, if you continue an upward trend with your challenging schedule, this will be impressive to admissions. Work very hard from here on, get good test scores (try both SAT and ACT, some students do better on one than another), and work on your EC's.

zephyr15 · 03-09-2012, 11:49 AM

Lily

First thought -- you might want to go to the Northwestern Forum -- the people are very helpful there (My D is at NU now, and I know they were helpful to us last year).

Now -- camomof3 is correct. You're competing against people who worked very hard freshman-sophomore-senior year. So, a (relatively) poor year without a good explanation, will be a minus. It can be overcome, however. Despite what you may read here, you don't need to be the perfect candidate to get accepted at a place like NU.

However, it becomes super important to do your best from here on out.

LilyAskar · 03-09-2012, 01:54 PM

Yes, you are all very right. I was just hoping they would know I was capable of getting straight A's throughout sophomore year since I'm doing it now with a full schedule of AP's verses the 2 honors last year. If I bring is up to a 4.36 weighted and 3.84 by 2nd semester senior year won't I be fine though? Because I think that will reach their average regarding gpa right? Also I can still take the SAT! Should I bother to improve that score? What do you guys think? Are my chances for UCLA low? Forget the Ivy's I'm not good enough......

zephyr15 · 03-09-2012, 11:37 PM

Lily

Students with 'one bad year' are really hard for those of us to post to evaluate. What it really comes down to is that different colleges look at this differently. For some schools, It may be insurmountable, for others it wouldn't.

My guess is that if there is one school you really really want to go to and you can demonstrate a 5.0 ability -- apply. The worst that happens is you get turned down.

LilyAskar · 03-10-2012, 12:32 AM

Alright, but it's unlikely that I'll get turned down by all the school's that are like the one's I listed right? I mean there's a reason there are averages and therefore someone with my score's will enter one of these schools right? WHAT IF I DON'T GET IN ANYWHERE WORTH GOING TO AND GET TURNED DOWN. I should just go die somewhere if I have to go to cc....

Erin's Dad · 03-10-2012, 07:47 AM

OP, I saw somewhere that NWU's average entering GPA was a 3.87 - I don't know how accurate that is since they don't publish GPAs with their CDS. If you ONLY applied to schools like NWU there is no guarantee you will be admitted. The law of averages does not apply here. What is your safety school - the one you can definitely be admitted to and can afford?

DrGoogle · 03-10-2012, 10:14 AM

I think if both of your parents went to NU and you apply ED, not needing Financial aid, you have some chances.
Here is one example.
Now for the male twin!

zephyr15 · 03-10-2012, 11:11 AM

Erin's Dad --

Northwestern is generally referred to as NU, not NWU -- just sayin' (smile)

Lily --

Frankly, for schools line NU, if your GPA is much below a 3.7 (on a 4.0 scale) it becomes a reach. RE UCLA -- Their Common Data shows that last year, 97% of UCLA's enrolees were in the top 10% of their class. 92% had a GPA of 3.75 of better on a 4.0 scale. So, I'd say UCLA is a reach.

Though I'm a big believer in applying to a couple of reach schools -- I think for the majority of your applications, your grades should be at or close to the average for enrolling students.

You also absolutely need one or two safety schools, just in case.

DrGoogle · 03-10-2012, 12:05 PM

What is your list of schools? I'm a bigger believe in applying to more matches than reaches. D1 didn't get into any of her reach schools, she got into all of her match schools.