An adoption family issue, JUNIOR YEAR!!!

akahmed · January 1, 2008, 5:35pm

I go to a relatively competitive school, nothing extraordinary, but nothing easy, and have a low GPA

Here are my grades, I took all Honors/AP classes available

Honors Geometry A-
Honors English 9 A-
Spanish 1 A
Western Civ A
Earth Science A-
keyboarding/Comp app A-/A
Orchestra B+

Honors Spanish II B+
Honors Algebra II A-
Honors Chemistry A
Honors English 10 B
Honors Global Studies A-
Biology A
Orchestra A

AP Chemistry A
AP Humanities 11 C
AP US History B+
Honors Spanish III C+
Honors Pre-Calc A-
Physics 1 A

^^ My grades plummeted ( I explained it in the app, it was a family thing, seriously)

Senior year so far
Honors Physics II A
Honors International Relations A
AP Calculus BC A-
Anatomy/Physiology A-
Biotechnology A-
Creative Writing A-
Women’s Lit (next semester)

So basically, if I show that I went back to my usual standards in senior year, will they understand? My family was going under a lot of stress concerning an adoption, and it seriously affected my grades. Do you think I am automatic reject?

I am sorry if I sound stupid, or annoying, but I am worried and need someone to help me.

Its around a 3.5 ish

akahmed · January 1, 2008, 6:12pm

anyone have an idea? Its for Harvard

jmarin · January 1, 2008, 6:13pm

What the hell is AP humanities?
I have never heard of that.

akahmed · January 1, 2008, 6:26pm

It is a humanities class, but you can take the AP English exam. It doesn’t prep you for it at all. Any thoughts about my grades?

tapedDuck · January 1, 2008, 6:28pm

Send it in… doesn’t hurt to give it a shot

same question as jmarin, whats AP humanities?

alexx · January 1, 2008, 6:32pm

Think of it this way, even if you weren’t an automatic reject, chances in general are slim enough to be considered automatic to most. Send it in! It won’t hurt. It’s not like they have varying degrees of rejection.

Cheers,
Alex

akahmed · January 1, 2008, 6:43pm

I love humanities, so I put it on as a first choice major for Harvard, won’t the C look BAD!

AP Humanities includes studying different art periods, music, a little history, literature and architecture. Our tests were based on these things, but there is no such AP Class as AP Humanities. Its labeled that way on my transcript but, it means is also for all the Students that want to take the AP test for Language/Comp.

So two Cs Junior year is not a shoot down?

IvyBlog · January 1, 2008, 6:44pm

Here is what I see. First, the admissions officer would look for an overall trend in the transcript. They would see a slump downward into junior year, and a very strong rise up for the past semester. Given your explanation, they would then see how the adoption affected your grades. If it was a personal issue, independent of school, it should affect you more or less evenly across the board. What I notice is that the slump is mainly in the humanities, as opposed to the sciences. English went from an A-, to a B, to a C. Spanish went from a A, to a B+, to a C+. Yet, sciences are A-, A & A-, A; and maths are A-, A-, A-. This doesn’t show a trend across the board, it is specific to english, humanities, and spanish. The question rests somewhat in your school’s transcript. Have you seen your transcript (what they send to colleges), or just your report card. Transcripts may only report final grades, or they may report semesters or even quarters. They may display final examination grades, if available. If they see that the grade drop in those classes is really at a specific part of the year (say, mostly 3rd quarter and less in 4th quarter), they may be more pursuaded. If the transcript only displays final year-end grades, then the officer will have to guess what happened. The officer would then look to see how you went forward. You concentrated very hard in the sciences and math (three science courses), and opted out of spanish. This puts you very strong in the sciences, but does not show a rebound for the humanities. So, the admissions officer would have to look at other parts of the application:
-Who are your teacher recommendations from? Science and math teachers, or humanities teachers? Are they the teachers of classes you did badly in? Could they give support, that you were a great student but under too much pressure due to personal issues?
-What does your guidance couselor have to say?
-What was your note like? Did your guidance counselor report the same thing? When the explanation comes from the student, its sound a bit like an excuse. When it comes from a teacher or guidance counselor, it may have more credibility.
-What about your extracurriculars? Are they math and science based? Are they strong in these fields?
-Test scores? High SAT IIs or APs in English, Spanish, or a humanities would really help. They would show strong knowledge, despite pressures.
-Essays? What is your personal essay about? Does it position you as someone passionate about science and math?
-What college is reading this? Liberal arts college, national university, technology school?

You are definitely not an automatic reject, or anywhere close. The fact you took the most difficult course load available is a major plus. Think about it on a holistic level. Your transcript shows a weakness in the humanities, with a trend seen in sophomore year, but particular pronounced junior year. That’s fine, colleges want a well rounded class, not necessarily well rounded students. You may get in on science and math achievement alone, especially if you have strong extracurricular achievements in those fields. Do the other parts of your application either a. make you very appealing for math and science, or b. explain the decline in these areas?

-ivyadmissionsblog.com

akahmed · January 1, 2008, 6:58pm

I realized that it may sound like an excuse

I didn’t want to tell my guidance counselor about it because its so personal to my family. They gave their daughter (my sister) to their brother-in-law and sister-in-law after the couple had lost their two week old baby out of pity. Well, the couple, my aunt and uncle decided to keep her away from us, and 14 years later we finally got to see her and be with her. Well, it caused many fights.

I realize my grades show me descending in only some select classes, but its just that the other classes come easy to me, so they weren’t a problem.

I had a Global Studies teacher and a Chemistry teacher write my rec, my app says all over it that I am a math science guy.

My SATs, were 710CR (high since my life’s been a jumble of six languages)
780M, AND 750W with a 12 essay.

I got a 780 for the Math 2, and a 680 for Chem. I will be retaking for Chem, do you think I should add on another more humanities test for the third?

Basically, Junior year was such a mess for me. I just hope it won’t keep me out of my dream school. What else can I do right now, send something, another letter from the GC, since I think she already sent one in?

Is there anything I can do to iron this over?

My essay was about how I excel at problem solving and how it will help when I become a doctor (yes when, not if :))

My ECs show community involvement, but are pretty well rounded

National Honors Society (230 hours to date)
Math Club 3 years
Model UN 4 years
Orchestra-Violin 6 years total
Vice Prez Junior Year
Kent County Hospital Intern for a summer
Naval Undersea Warfare Center Intern for a summer
Active member in my Islamic Community
Tutor for the SAT
Invisible Children, providing aid to Ugandan Children
Capitol Forum- US Foreign Policy, Rhode Island Statehouse
Hybrigene- Biotechnology Intern for a summer

Is there any hope, because I realize I’m up against straight A+ students.

jmarin · January 1, 2008, 6:59pm

and you tell us here and not your guidance counselor?

alexx · January 1, 2008, 7:01pm

He just explained this…

Alex

akahmed · January 1, 2008, 7:05pm

Well, I’m not talking to you guys face to face.

And I joke around a lot with her and am generally a cheerful person, when I come up to her talking about bad grades from last year, and I have this new secret, what is she going to think?

Do you think I should ask her to write a short letter and send it in, because Jan 1st is not the deadline for GCs.

Any other thoughts?

IvyBlog · January 1, 2008, 7:24pm

First, don’t lost faith. You definitely have a good shot at many top colleges. Harvard, as well as others, reject students with 4.0s and 2400s every year. They look at much more than just a transcript! This is also partly dependent on what was your final ranking. What does a 3.5 at your school mean? Does it have ranking, percentiles, weighted or unweighted gpas? If you’re still in the top decile, this shouldn’t matter at all.

Now, if your guidance counselor can include some support in her letter, that would be helpful. They lend credibility and impartiality. If she has already sent a letter, I don’t think a second one would be a good idea. Since you’ve already sent a private letter, an unorthodox second letter would not help; it would be very apparent you asked her to write it. If you find out she hasn’t sent her letter in, I suggest you consider whether this is something you want to share with her. It may not be necessary. You do not need to put yourself through that. Admissions officers will give you the benefit of the doubt, especially if your letter is honest and forthcoming.

I would suggest taking an SAT II in English, Writing, etc., if you would do well. A 500 on an English SAT II would definitely not help. I think a high SAT II score in english would be very helpful.

If you want to go into medicine, a strong interest in Science and Math helps. Your extracurricular involvement over the summer is very good; it shows initiative and passion. Your SATs are very strong, and the high scores on the Critical Reading and Writing portions are very helpful. If your recommendation from your Global Studies teacher is good, that will be particularly helpful. Most of all, remember: even Harvard doesn’t just want applicants that are simply well rounded, nothing more. They will be more than happy to give you the benefit of the doubt and overlook tiny things (your transcript and test scores are very strong overall) if you show you will make a contribution to the campus. I know students who have gotten into Harvard with C’s, and without a reason as good as yours. Don’t worry, breathe, and accept that some of it is simply up to chance.

[Ivy</a> Admissions Blog: Secrets from within Ivy League admissions](<a href=“http://www.ivyadmissionsblog.com%5DIvy”>http://www.ivyadmissionsblog.com)

akahmed · January 1, 2008, 7:28pm

Thank you for your reply

Well, my ranking is 24/282, which is top 8 percentish so I guess I’m fine

I hope my counselor has not sent in my letter yet. If she has and there is no mention of the issue, is that going to hurt tremendously?

I am thinking I should take the SAT II literature, but I don’t know how well I could perform. Don’t my CR and W prove it already?

Other than the letter from the counselor, is there anything else I can do but wait?

tapedDuck · January 1, 2008, 7:35pm

STOP WORRYING!!! - I started getting gray hair at 16 because I worried to much… (the first thing my GC said to me at the beginning of the year after she hadn’t seen me for 3 months was, “Do you know you have gray hair?”)

None of the things you have mentioned are going to automatically get you rejected! (You are actually a fairly strong candidate… almost all Harvard applicants are) It will be a combination of things and the sheer competition of just getting to Harvard that will be the reason for rejection, not just because you did bad on one thing. Complete your application to the best of your ability and send it in. It’s up to the adcoms, not us, so the only way you will ever find out is if you actually apply.

alexx · January 1, 2008, 7:39pm

Nah, the SATII exam is a bit different from the SATI. I had the feeling the passages were more challenging, but it’s been a while since I’ve taken it. Memory’s a bit blurry.

And like tapedDuck said, relax. The application process is going to be torture if you lose hope before you started.

Cheers,
Alex

akahmed · January 1, 2008, 7:44pm

Wow, that reapply shook me up TapedDuck, :)

I already have a few white hairs btw ;)

I hope things go well, but I guess the most important thing to understand is that adcoms are people, not computers,

Thanks everyone

IvyBlog · January 1, 2008, 7:51pm

If your letter was honest, if you gave an open explanation (instead of just two or three sentences), I would not worry. Admissions officers will give you the benefit of the doubt, especially when the slip is localized. They will err on your side. Other than the letter from your counselor, if you have already explained the issue, I would not suggest taking any further actions. There is nothing new to say, so what will more letters from you add?

As for the SAT II, take a practice exam. See how you would do, then decide whether to take the exam. If you decide to take it, practice so that you will continue to attain high scores. As for whether the Critical Reading and Writing on the SAT I already prove your talent; the SAT I is about aptitude, the SAT II is about knowledge. The former shows how well you understand, and utilize, English. The latter shows how well you know literary works. SAT II scores that show strength in a subject can be very helpful in rebutting a bad grade. Grades have a different meaning at every school, indeed with every teacher, in the country. A C at one school is not the same as a C at another school. In order to gain some uniformity across all applicants, admissions officers rely on scores from the College Board (SAT I, SAT II, AP). If your teacher gives you a C+, but you get a 760 on an SAT II, chances are the admissions officer is going to err on the side of the test. Now, the rule of thumb is take SAT II’s right after you finish the course. Halfway through senior year is an odd time to be taking an SAT II for a subject you had a long time ago, or never had. Can you take a Creative Writing SAT II? Would you do well? These are questions to consider.

Most of all: Getting your guidance counselor to mention something in her letter could be helpful, but isn’t necessary. Also, a high SAT II score in the right area would act to assuage any worries about your abilities there. Other than that, sit back and relax. You’re a strong candidate. There’s nothing else I would do.

An adoption family issue, JUNIOR YEAR!!!

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