<p>I’ve had some rough years in high school (particularly sophomore year) but I pulled it together junior year. My gpa isn’t top notch which probably makes all of these schools significant reaches, but I want to apply anyway. I go to a very competitive high ranking high school in California so I don’t have a high class rank either. Hopefully I’ll be able to write a really great essay. Sorry my wording sounds pretty stupid right now I’m really tired.
Female, senior
Unweighted GPA: 3.5 Weighted GPA: 3.8
Sophomore year WGPA: 3.05
Junior year WGPA: 4.6
SAT: 1950
Extra-cirriculars: Piano for 10 yrs, choir for 4 yrs, volunteer at homeless shelter every weekend, youth group board for 2 years, sunday school teacher this year, sunday school assistant for 2 years, been in JSA for 3 yrs, cabinet member on JSA, JSA state fundraising coordinator, leo club 2 yrs, speech club, going to jewish summer camp for 7 years (including a community service program summer before junior yr, Counselor-in-training program summer before senior year), i have 500+ community service hours
Other circumstances: raised/live with my grandparents, they’ve been suffering from many serious health problems during my high school years. for a while it was always just in and out of hospitals, and it’s took a serious toll on my sophomore year grades. Do you think if I talk about my hardships/special circumstances at home in my essay, admission officers will be able to overlook my cumulative GPA (soph yr grades)?
(also I have ADD) </p>
<p>Schools I’m looking at:
-in state-
UC Berkeley
UCLA
UC Davis
UC San Diego
UC Santa Cruz
UC Santa Barbara
San Jose State
Sacramento State
San Francisco State
Pitzer College
Occidental College
Whittier College
U of Redlands
-out of state-
Reed College
UWashington- Seattle
UOregon
Boston University
Brandeis
Northeastern
American U
Tulane
UPitt
NYU
UMass-Amherst
U-Wisconson, Madison</p>