<p>I have a terrible 2.9 GPA (on a 4.5 scale, so even worse than it sounds) because I never cared about school, had no plan to go to college, etc. I am getting ready to go into my Junior year of high school and have changed my mind. I want to go to George Mason University (GMU, in-state). Is there any chance of this? What could I potentially raise my gpa to (keep in mind the 4.5 to 4.0 scale)? What about my SAT score (I think I should get a really good score because I do really good on multiple choice testing)?</p>
<p>Because you have to submit your report cards from Junior Year, you would have a very hard time getting admitted even if your GPA got drastically better. And you can’t change it from a 2.9 to a 4.0 just because you decide to. Try to work a lot and see how much you can get it up!</p>
<p>Most colleges care mostly about your sophomore and junior year grades. With that being said, if you are serious about going to college, you are going to have to buckle down this year. Start caring about school and get active on campus! Join some clubs and focus on your studies. If you do remarkably improve (which is possible if you work really hard), you could write in your college essay about how you changed your mind and are truly a hardworking, motivated student.</p>
<p>The SAT is a pretty tough test, so I would recommend that you study. Just because you do well on multiple choice testing doesn’t automatically mean you will do well on the SAT. The SAT can be cracked, but with lots and lots of practice. I would recommend investing in the Official SAT Study Guide book from collegeboard.org and buying a book called “Direct Hits” (both volumes) and memorizing every word in those two books. Doing both of these things is what really helped me improve my score.</p>
<p>And you can always go to a community college first and then transfer to GMU. I know lots of people who are doing that - it’s a great way to save money! Best of luck! You will end up in the school that’s right for you!</p>