<p>Im a very smart and outgoing person. I go to a very prestigious school and get a’s and b’s, but i’m concerned about my chances of getting into college. I do community service outside of school, as I would rather do it out of kindness and not out of desire to look good and get hours. I am taking 1 AP this year and 2 next year. My main question is do colleges look at the person behind the application rather than just the numbers (test scores,gpa). The reason that I don’t have the greatest GPA is that I have a small learning disability as a side effect from having Leukemia as a child. I have to work twice as hard at everything I do just to be at the same level most people are on the AP track at my school. My question boils down to, with a 3.9 GPA, lots of community service, and I manage the schools championship division 1 soccer team, can I get into decent colleges such as the UC’s?</p>
<p>Disclaimer: Sorry if this is in the wrong section.</p>
<p>Depends on the school. Some schools care more about good SAT/GPA, others assume most of their applicants have them and look at the person. Your stuff seems really good to me. 3.9 is good, community service is good, it’s even better that you do it because you enjoy it (maybe you can write your essay about this? It might be easier). Soccer management is good. I think you are a strong applicant.</p>
<p>People on this website spend all their free time doing community service or ECs to stand out in applications, so colleges definitely do care. Otherwise students here would not do so much!</p>
<p>You can also mention your condition and how it affected you and helped you work hard, but don’t make the whole focus of your essays.</p>
<p>Don’t interpret this the wrong way or think that I’m trying to minimize what you’ve been through, but you’re probably better off for admissions with a background like yours. If you can write a good essay about having had leukemia and how it’s changed you, you’re in great shape with your other qualifications as they are.</p>