I did quite poorly my first three years in high school. It was due to a mix of dealing with my mom being in and out of the hospital most of that time and me just being a bit of a slacker. I had a 1.8 GPA at the end of my Junior year and ended up raising that to a GPA of 2.8 this past year. I took my classes online and worked really hard to finish many courses early so I could get some extra credits in to make my GPA higher. I made all A’s this year but my first three years I failed some courses and made many D’s and C’s. My ACT score was a 34 which I know isn’t bad but isn’t the best either. I’m scared no college will admit me because of my GPA and past failing grades. I worked really hard to prove myself by raising my GPA and volunteering places. Do you think there is any college that will be willing to give me a chance? I want to go to college so bad and I am passionate about learning now, it just took a while for me to get to this place. It won’t be the end of the world to me if I have to go to community college and I know I will be okay in the end but I know I could be successful in a different college as well. Some schools I am looking at have a 90% acceptance rate, but even those I am paranoid about applying to.
I truely think there are many colleges out there that would love to accept you. Although you failed classes early on in your high school career, you completely turned it around junior year and had excellent grades. Additionally, a 34 is an amazing ACT score- within the top 1% of all test takers nationwide! Your newfound passion for learning and your personal conversion might also be a springboard for a powerful common app essay. In the extenuating circumstances section of your application, you could include that your mother was in and out of hospitals which affected your grades - and most likely mental status too. Do not feel paranoid applying to colleges- put your best foot forward and be confident knowing that you finished strong. Hopefully you have also participated in some meaningful extracurricular activities throughout high school. Best of luck to you- do not settle for community college without applying to other universities if you would prefer not to attend community college. Write strong essays, have a successful first semester next year, and be optimistic! A bright future is ahead of you!
Thank you so much for the advice! I feel relieved hearing that I don’t have to settle for CC. I’ll remember to put extra effort into my essays when I apply and hopefully I’ll get accepted somewhere that’s meant for me.
One person that I know messed up high school just as badly, went to a “not very good university”, aced everything (all A’s and A+'s), and with one year of superb university grades got accepted to a very strong university, aced everything there, got into strong graduate schools, and ended up being a respected and tenured professor (at a university that he never could have gotten into straight out of high school).
It sounds like you have finished high school, but haven’t applied to universities yet. Is this true? If so, what are you planning to do for the upcoming year?
I think that you need to see where you get in. If you get into a “pretty good” university then you are set (assuming that you can afford it, and that you will study hard when there). If not, then you might need one or two years of very good GPA at a community college.
“Do you think there is any college that will be willing to give me a chance?”
Yes, I think that there will be. To me, having even one year with straight A’s in your senior year of high school, plus an ACT of 34, ought to get you into a school with a 90% acceptance rate. If it doesn’t, then you can do a year or two of community college, but I would certainly apply to some 4 year universities and give it a try.
I think that many colleges would give you a good chance. You have proved that you want to get an education by working hard. If you apply to schools that are right for you and you absolutely smash your essays then you could have a good chance - as long as you don’t apply to schools that are unrealistic. You can always apply to CC just in case.
You can apply to schools based on the grouping system. Like apply to one school that is a reach - you don’t know if you will get in but you would love to go.
Apply to one that is a 50/50 shot - you have a 50% chance of getting in
and apply to a school that you are fairly sure you can get into.
You may have to go to a CC or a very very high acceptance school. You can really work on raising your GPA and if you end up being unhappy you can look into transferring. You may end up being happy at a CC.
I know that in Virginia, professors at NOVA- a Community College also teach at William and Mary - which is one of the best VA schools. You never know where you’ll end up being happy!!
Best of luck to you!