Hey y’all!
I’m interested in applying to some very selective schools (UChicago, Stanford, Brown, UPenn) but I didn’t decide I was interested in that caliber of school until the summer after 10th grade. I’ve generally been pretty bored in my high school classes so I didn’t really have an incentive to put time into good grades until then; had much more of a focus on auditing college classes that I couldn’t afford to put on my transcript. My 9th-10th grades are UW: 3.6 W: 3.79 and 11-12th are UW: 4.0 W: 4.82. I have solid test scores (36) and ECs (national/int’l awards) but I’m worried this could disqualify me from my top choices, even with holistic admissions. Is there any way I can address this in my application, maybe in the additional information section? What would I say?
Thanks!
If by “this,” you mean the fact that your grades weren’t stellar earlier in your high school career, it really depends. Your perfect ACT score is a nice boost, as are your EC awards.
Here’s the thing: colleges want to see that you are academically ready for college. The admissions officer who picks your application up might see that you didn’t try as hard as you should have, but that you pulled yourself together and improved drastically. Therefore, you ARE academically qualified for top schools (you made your UWGPA a 4.0, not sure how many APs though? Also, what have you gotten on the AP tests?).
It’s very obvious, especially in your case, that your essay(s) will be extremely important to your application. Sometimes, they make the difference between an acceptance or a rejection. In your case, it will be even more important.
In short: It probably wasn’t the best move you could have made earlier on. But people have gotten into Ivies and the like with less qualifications, and many have gotten rejected with much better qualifications than you.
Good luck 
Thanks for the input!
Re: AP questions
I took 2 AP classes in 9th and 10th (9th for me was middle school which didn’t offer APs)
I took 3 AP classes in 11th (APHG, Calc AB, Stats) and 6 AP classes in 12th (Micro, Gov, Art History, Comp Lit, Calc BC, Physics), most of the rest were honors - basically the most rigorous course load possible at my school
I’m submitting six AP scores, all of which are 5s
What in those essays would show that I’m ready for their school?
Something changed that made you care about doing well/applying yourself. If you can capture some part of that in your essay, I think you’ll do fine. It doesn’t have to have been a huge thing, btw.
There is not one specific thing that would make colleges want you, essay-wise. Just be yourself.
And as a side note, in your essays…never use the word “passion” directly. Colleges abhor it. “Passion” this, “passion” that. If your essay can’t SHOW your passion for something without actually saying the word “passion,” then you aren’t passionate about that topic. It’s that simple.
The trend can be seen in your grades. I don’t think “I didn’t care, but then started to” has any value in your application. I would not address it, not sure what you could say about it that would help you. It isn’t an excuse that reflects well on you or engenders any sympathy on their part.
Why would a highly competitive college want a student like this? I only do well when I want to… Don’t address it. The upward trend is evident.
Thanks the tips! I won’t mention it and my reasons for starting to care will probably come through in some essays anyways. Just gonna go with the old fashioned finger-crossing route