<p>I think this question has already been asked before, but I couldn’t find it. I was just wondering if colleges will admit someone based on potential. Maybe a student with average gpa but above average test scores, and one that had hardships in their life or something that limited them. If they wrote good essays, will college admissions officers accept them because of their potential?</p>
<p>Depends on the essay, college, student, etc. </p>
<p>I bet it’s been done before but the traditional study hard and compete with everyone else possible route may be safer.</p>
<p>wat about for extreme low income students who had to work on their parents job (but not get paid) ?but still kept up a really good academic report (12 Ap,s 6 college clases… almost all a’s), with the exception of one year? (second semester 10th grade first semester 11th grade? 3C’s)</p>
<p>waiting_waiting, your applications will likely have a space for “any other notes” wherein you can briefly mention your unique situation.</p>
<p>yes, i mentioned this unique situation,… how much do yout hink it would help me though?? i reallie worked my butt off compared to my peers LITERALLY … its just that i screwed up one year, not “screwed up” but had too much work to do … not school work but working to help my family</p>
<p>waiting_waiting, there are programs, like QuestBridge, that help students in similar situations to yours. QuestBridge has a longer application and allows students to talk about the difficulties that they’ve faced [such as working long hours, taking care of siblings/parents, etc.] It gives colleges a better picture of you.</p>
<p>But since you’ve already applied, just hope for the best. Do you really want to go to a school who disregards your situation? I wouldn’t. Whichever college accepts you realizes your potential and all the colleges that reject you lose a great student. </p>
<p>That’s how I think of it, anyways.</p>
<p>How much does mentioning such a “handicap” help you? I’m like waiting_waiting, I had to help out my parents at their business without pay, and I had a lot of family problems my junior year and went from 3.83/3.67 sophmore year to 3.33s junior year. I didn’t mention this because I felt that it would make me seem whiny and desperate and trying to make excuses for my bad grades. I’ve worked really hard though, gotten all A’s in my AP classes, 10 APs, and I’m a AP scholar with distinction. Will the fact that I didn’t mention me working hurt me for college admissions? I thought I wrote pretty good essays though. Since my top choice is a LAC i’m hoping that my essay might somehow help me.</p>