I’m a foreign student, currently a junior and i moved right before my freshman year start. When i was a freshman i knew nothing about the american school system at all, thank god i found out what a GPA was at the beginning of my sophomore year. My GPA is 3.46 and my PSAT was 1050. I know it’s bad. And i really suck at math. Now that i have to think about college i see i don’t stand a chance. The good colleges don’t want average B students. Am i destined to go to a crappy college and have a crappy job for the rest of my life? Is this literally the end? I feel very hopeless for my life. What happens to B students after they graduate High School?? What colleges would accept students like me?
There are thousands of colleges in the US and majority will accept a B student. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and realize that a 3.46 is not the end of the world.
Try looking through this link to get some ideas: http://www.collegesimply.com/guides/3.4-gpa-colleges/?view=all
You can be successful as long as you are willing to work hard.
The PSAT is essentially meaningless unless you score well enough to qualify for a National Merit Scholarship - and most of those you can’t receive anyway unless you have a green card. What will matter will be your ACT or SAT score along with your GPA. Your GPA is fine for all but the most selective institutions. That means that you should still have scads of options provided you don’t need a lot of financial aid. Even if you do need aid, you still have options.
To better help you, we need more information. Start with answers to these questions:
- What is your immigration status? Do you have a green card? If not, is one in process? If not, what visa do you currently have?
- How much can your family afford to pay each year for your education?
- What state will you graduate from high school in? How long will you have lived there when you graduate?
- What do you want to major in?
- Do your parents expect you to attend a particular college/university, or one that has a certain ranking?
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Am i destined to go to a crappy college and have a crappy job for the rest of my life? Is this literally the end? I feel very hopeless for my life. What happens to B students after they graduate High School?? What colleges would accept students like me? <<
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Please be respectful to many others with a GPA of 3 and a PSAT score of 1000. I will be blunt with you: Please grow up. Your words are implying that those with a “GPA [of] 3.46 and… PSAT [of] 1050” are failing in the future. You are a very pessimistic child who only bases potential on merely numbers.
But do you know what’s worse? You are thinking that this “Is This the End of [your] Life.”
Look, the United States is a land of opportunity. There are tons of schools in the United States that accepts people with far lower GPA and help become successful.
Also, you are now a junior, not a senior. You can clearly raise your grade significantly with your junior grade.
I hate when people say they did not understand what a GPA is. Even if you didn’t know how to specifically calculate it, you must know that colleges would prefer as high of a grade as possible i.e. 90 is better than 80.
Your life is NOT over, you just won’t get into a top tier school, but there are plenty of schools you will get into.
PSAT does not matter. What matters is your SAT and ACT, so study for that.
Who,has been telling you this mumbo jumbo? This is just not true. There’s an old and very popular thread called Colleges for the Jewish B student, and other threads like Where did your 3.0 student get into, etc…
Agree you are feeling sorry for yourself. I was a mediocre student because I was lazy, but I eventually became motivated and have a fulfilling life. There is a college for everyone. It’s what you do with your education that matters.
All great advice in the previous replies @JennaJenna12 ! Your life is not at the end, it is only the beginning. College is what you make of it. Stand out and make something of your opportunity. Many colleges (good ones at that) will take you with your GPA. The best part is . . . you still have your junior year to bring your GPA up. I’d encourage you to look into taking an SAT and/or ACT prep course so you can maximize your test scores which colleges do look at. The PSAT does not matter.
Something else to keep in mind . . . while colleges look at your grades and test scores, they also take into account extracurricular activities such as sports you participated in, clubs you were involved in, or community service you volunteered for. It’s not too late to start building up your academic resume.
Please, my GPA is a 3.23 and I still got into schools. And no one cares about the PSAT unless you get National Merit. Just keep that GPA where it is or try to bring it up and study for the SAT or ACT
A few comments…
–You are being melodramatic. Take a breath and calm down.
–There are plenty of solid colleges that would be fits with your GPA.
–Study for your standardized tests.
–Your life is not defined by the college you attend. Life is long. Some people from “top colleges” falter and others from “lower tier” colleges go on to find great success.
–Life is what you make of it. Learn and engage at whatever college you end up at, apply your skills thoughtfully, be a good person and have a great life.
One great thing about the USA is that people constantly reinvent themselves. There are many paths you can take to the same goal. Concentrate on what you can change. Don’t make really stupid mistakes along the way (e.g. commit a felony or drive drunk). You have plenty of time, even now, to raise your GPA to 3.6 or 3.7. Even getting to 3.5 puts you in big dollar scholarship contention at many schools.
You should start studying for the ACT or SAT and take it a few times. Think of the PSAT as ‘practice’ SAT, you now have a starting point and can set your goal higher. Think scholarship levels too.
Even 2.0 students can attend community college and transfer to their state flagships. Some students do so to save money even with a 4.0 GPA. A 3.5 student would start at most state flagships (or #2) and might transfer. Students from the top few hundred universities attend graduate school at the top 25 all of the time.
You have a good story to tell, an immigrant starting anew, but that story only works if you show continuous improvement.
Take honors classes and AP 's.
Prepare for tests, spend a lot of time on eliminating every type of mistake you make.
There are lots of options for you if you do both things starting now.
What state do you live in?
Take a look at Colleges that Change LIves schools (ctcl.org) that are geared towards the late blooming B/B+ student. If your test scores don’t improve over time, check out test optional schools: fairtest.org
There is a college for everyone. You just need to identify ones that fit your academic profile. There are many! Most states have public universities with multiple campuses - chances are there will be one or more that will suit you.