I know on the applications they also ask for past transcripts from 8th and 9th grades. My grades from 9th grade are good, but 8th grade I struggled a lot and my GPA was terrible. Do these boarding schools take that into account and does it hurt my application or show growth?
Let’s start by stating the obvious: The bad grades aren’t going to help. Showing growth is good, but better still is having been a consistent, diligent student.
And then the second obvious thing: What’s done is done, so don’t waste time worrying about it.
What schools will want to know is that this “new you” is here to stay. If there was an event - an illness, emotional trauma, newly diagnosed learning difference - that is now in the rear view mirror, disclose it.
If it was the result of something else, like maturity, new found discipline- you will need to convince the AO can be sustained. This kind of transformation isn’t uncommon at this age, so you’re not doomed. But if you are in 9th grade now, it’s imperative that you maintain the good start youve had. You may also think about how you are going to talk about this in your interviews and even possibly with your recommenders if they knew you before. People who work with high school students really like to see them succeed. Help them see that in you.
2 Likes
Eighth-grade results definitely matter. Admissions offices won’t evaluate your potential based on just a single semester of high school work. While they might take contextual factors or personal challenges into account, what’s done is done. Ultimately, their primary concern will be whether you can handle their tenth-grade academic rigor—especially with an incoming adjustment period.
3 Likes
Thank you! I am currently in 10th grade and have a 4.0 GPA, 9th grade i had a 3.95 GPA and 8th grade I had a 3.5 so I hope that that shows the admissions office an upward trajectory!
1 Like
First: 3.5 isn’t terrible.
Second: you’re reclassing for tenth so your last two years are more important than three years ago, which, again, wasn’t bad.
Third: Based on the preponderance of things in your favor for your Choate application, I wouldn’t spend a minute worrying about it. I wouldn’t worry about it for any of the top schools you may apply to.
Dead ears, but you should keep an open mind about other schools. Unless you don’t want to bother with the SSAT.
1 Like
By the way, being a 10th grader reclassing changes things. If you were a current 9th grader, my reaction would be, “The year is young, you have time to go down hill.” 
Because according to my calendar it’s only September…
Your grades are fine. 
1 Like
That was crucial information to leave out if you were looking for good advice.
3 Likes
Is there one particular subject where you’ve improved? Or was this a general trend? Have you done any specific work to improve that grade? Is this either Math or English where a teacher will have to write a rec for you? Depending on your circumstances, it may make sense to request a recommendation from the teacher that has seen this growth and can speak to the change in your approach to that subject–or to schoolwork in general.
Per their other thread, @ilovedogs_29 had an A- and a B+ in 8th grade math.
Going from A-/B+ to A/A+ is more than an epsilon improvement, but there wasn’t much to improve. Since math grades for last year were solid, I think they’re fine.
It’s not like the someone posting in September that they had a 2.5 gpa (or worse) last year, but that they were just slacking because they were bored, and have made a complete turn around this year. While I’m not saying that’s impossible, most schools would like to see a couple of good report cards as proof of a turn around.
What brought my GPA down in 8th grade was solely due to my grades in math, but in 9th grade i was able to show some growth (though I still got a B+ and an A-) and this year I am working hard to hopefully end with all A’s. I didn’t really like my math teacher from 8th grade/9th grade (I had the same one for the past two years), but I do really like my current teacher for 10th grade but it is my first time having her, so I need to make sure I have a good impression.
1 Like
Sounds like you’ve got to keep up the good work this year. Best of luck!
1 Like