<p>thanks for the responses, guys. a few more quick questions too:</p>
<p>No2EULA, would you consider my weak grades something i could have controlled? they’re probably in my control, but the moving thing was not and i don’t know if the consequences, namely the grades, would be considered ‘in my control.’</p>
<p>Descartesz, the whole cohesive improvement theme plus a specialized skill sounds like the only way in. i’m going to try my hardest to achieve that theme, but would it be too direct to ask your teachers to include things in their recs? also, i’m a pretty avid artist (some awards, hoping for some national recognition) with a fairly strong portfolio and hopefully a strong supplemental rec–do schools like Yale sort of actively recruit kids with specialized talents that make them mind B’s less?</p>