I go to a school with an 8 point grading scale and no + or - grading scale. I have a few C’s on my report card but all but one recalculate to be at the very least a B- on most scales. The only real C was in Physics (AP level magnet class sophomore year first semester, with a six point jump second semester). Do you think that if I get a note from a counselor explaining issues sophomore year (panic attacks, bad teachers, tough transition into program, mental health) and have grades recalculated, I’ll be okay at most schools, probably the toughest being Kenyon, easiest being Centre? I have a strong ACT and extra curriculars and the program I’m in is brutal and has regional/national recognition as being incredibly hard. All of my other grades are high (3.56 unweighted GPA, 4.3 weighted) but I want some honestly regarding my slip ups. Looking mostly at LACs (Kenyon,Denison,Wooster,Rhodes,Depauw), not looking at any Ivy leagues
Wooster has a good history of looking past a few dings on a transcript, not sure about the others (especially Kenyon). You might want to throw some of the other CTCL options like OWU and Hiram into the mix just in case.
Yes, have the note from the GC be included.
But do include colleges like Hiram, Wooster, perhaps Lawrence or Wheaton MA which are harder to get into but may like the rest of your stats.
No, not the death of you. I personally heard the dean of admissions at one LAC say she would rather see a student transcript with a C in a tough course, than a student who has cruised through with A’s in easy courses.
Kenyon will be the toughest to get into in your group. They had 7,077 applications this year and accepted 1,689. A 23.8% acceptance rate. You’d need something special in order to get in there. At a campus visit last summer they said one thing they look for from their applicants is significant leadership experience.
Be careful how you and/or your guidance counselor approach the MH issues. Talk it over first with her/him seriously. You don’t want to raise anything that might be misinterpreted as a red flag.
My kid had 3 C’s on his transcript (but a rigorous course load and fairly high test scores) and got into Wooster, Lawrence, Beloit, and Earlham, all with merit aid. He had a few bumps in the road sophomore and junior years that were explained in his counselor’s letter. So, no, a few C’s aren’t the kiss of death.
You will be fine. If you don’t get into all of your choices, it won’t be because of a few C’s, but instead because there are just too many equally strong candidates. You will definitely be in the mix of them - not a sure fire acceptance, but defintitely not an automatic rejection either.
I agree with @MidwestDad3 about talking through this with your GC. You are without a doubt not the first, nor the last student, to struggle with a few challenging courses. Panic attacks are not at all uncommon among sophomores.
I would caution against using the phrase “bad teachers” but instead focus on the fact that those particular teachers’ teaching style or method was perhaps not a good match for the way that you learn best, at least up to that point in your adolescence. The fact that you jumped up markedly second semester shows great qualities about you - perseverence under adversity, determination, etc.
You are learning from this experience, which really is what high school is all about.
Best of luck to you.
Also, if you can afford the expense and time, and you are comfortable chatting with adults, you might want to interview at the colleges you apply to. At these small LACs, that could only be helpful.
I did not appreciate until my kid went through this process that many fine schools really do look holistically at applicants. My kid’s GPA is meh, a couple of year-end Cs (including one in 11th grade) and all the rest were Bs (some low, some high). Only in senior year is he getting a couple of As. Very rigorous school and fairly good scores, but no particular hooks or out-of-the-ordinary ECs (although being male and adding geographic diversity I’m sure didn’t hurt). He got into a top 20 LAC that just thought he was a good fit, intellectually and socially. There are many excellent LACS (including ones listed above) who will seriously weigh the other parts of your application.