<p>Alright, so I’m making As and Bs to semi make up for my Cs last semester.</p>
<p>I just want to know how are Sr. grades important? I read as long as you don’t fail anything, you’re in the clear. So your class rank, GPA, etc, don’t even matter your Sr. year? Not even your 1st semester grades count when you send in the application, so I’m going to apply early to things (I thought if you applied regular, you’d get the first semester, but that was a LIE). </p>
<p>I’m in the top 10%. I have and will make atleast decent SAT scores. I took the most challenging courses I could /handle/ (making Cs means I couldn’t handle it so I had to drop some things). I only know 1 school I want to go to and will use this summer to find 2 more (that are within my reach. Since I’ve dropped so many things (non-academic as well) I don’t know what’s in my reach anymore right now)</p>
<p>So I guess I shouldn’t bother taking IB Spanish and AP Calculus and etc, etc. Right?</p>
<p>I should chill and focus on college admissions and scholarships, right?</p>
<p>High school is first of all, and most importantly, for your education, your self-improvement. Therefore, IMO you should try to learn as much during your senior year as you did in your other years.</p>
<p>Of course, if you feel you took on too much in the past, you should learn from that experience and adjust your load accordingly. But IMO aim to use this precious time wisely!</p>
<p>Actually, senior year can be a big boost in your college aps. A friend’s son feels it really helped him get into his schools because he got all As in his 1st semester of senior year, boosting his rank & GPA. Course selection is best discussed with your counselor to balance the effort & time needed for college aps with sufficient challenge to help you prepare for college.</p>
<p>Actually, it seemed to us that the senior courseload and grades received 1st semester were very important in the college applications and admissions process.</p>
<p>Every single application that our senior daughter filled out required her to list her classes for this year (both semesters). And she was required to send in a mid-year report to these schools with her 1st semester grades. That indicates to me that both were at least a consideration in the admissions process.</p>
<p>I think that colleges do examine what classes you’re taking your senior year to see if you’re still trying to learn as much as you can or if you’re just “coasting”. This, of course, is just my opinion.</p>
<p>I think that it’s good advice to talk to your counselor to choose a challenging but not “killer” senior courseload, especially if you feel like you’re overextended yourself in the past.</p>
<p>As mentioned above, first semester grades will be considered in the app process. Second semester grades will also be sent to the school you’ve decided to attend in case some seniors have contracted such bad cases of senioritis that they’ve failed or gotten C’s or D’s in classes. Schools have the right to rescind offers of admission in certain cases.</p>
<p>Enjoy your senior year, but think of it as preparation for even harder courses in college.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, one more thing about courses. In my son’s HS, once you’ve taken your AP exam, you’re done for the year & after the last concert, the band is done for the year. Since he’s taking only AP courses (5 for the 2nd semester) & band, he’ll be done with all his classes in mid-May & can enjoy the last two weeks of May doing exactly what he wants. He’s really looking forward to that time, bonding with his HS friends that will be scattering to all corners of the US & further.</p>
<p>Obviously doing better senior year shows the school that you are trying. How much it weighs depends on the school. A friend of my D’s had horrible grades for 3 years and decided he wanted to go to a private college. He was brilliant, just not motivated with regimentation of HS. I wrote him a letter as he had been my student, and explained this. He received a letter back from the school saying they would wait for his first semester senior year grades, and he had to send in quarterly grades thereafter, until the bitter end. He aced all his classes and was accepted. It worked in this case.</p>
<p>In my son’s case, he feels that taking all APs + marching band proves he can carry a college load & do well. His GC agreed that it could help offset the Cs he got in junior year & we’re hoping this is the case. He’s been accepted at one school with good merit aid & waits for replies from 5 others.</p>