Do I Have A Chance Of Admission After Poor Frosh and Soph Grades and Upward Trend In Rigor?

[CollegeFreak9488]

Could I explain the reason I could not take a core course like AP Biology would be because it would not fit into my schedule?

@lookingforward

The C and D grades are an issue. As are the Bs, for a competitive college. Period. The English grade and being asked to drop back from the first class is an issue for a humanities major.

CC talks hopefully about an “upward trend,” but reality is, that’s a rarer case where, say, a bright, dedicated kid got a B in some initial stem course, maybe a tough one, later hit it out of the park with an A in a much more rigorous course. (And a glowing LoR.) It “shows” the capability, as well as motivation. A relevant course, not any old AP or DE. This is NOT purely a numbers game. They want to know you ARE properly prepared for college and the track you want and look at your record-- not your dreams.

Adcoms look for a kid’s thinking level. That comes across in choices. The choice to take APES, known to be easy. Or sports mgt, rather than an academically enhancing core. The colleges OP named, all pretty competitive, will be looking for solid core performance, across the board. Kids ready to “hit the ground running.” Not hit or miss. Many top performing kids will use the schools OP named as their safeties. That’s the reality of the competition today.

There is hope, but it hinges on OP being realistic. And doing the leg work we all suggest. Your college possibilities, your responsibility to get off the dime, put in the right efforts. I don’t understand the hesitation. You’re just throwing out names and missing the work involved to earn a spot.