<p>I think the YourSpace part of the Vassar is a very fun and innovative part of the Vassar application, and I have some very creative ideas of how to fill it, but I have one small concern…</p>
<p>I’ve been reading of other people’s opinions of how students with lower GPAs that are perhaps not Vassar caliber should use the YourSpace to explain why the GPA is low. My GPA is about a 3.4 (on a 4.0 scale, I believe) and I’m ranked in the top 50% of my class. However, I really don’t feel like explaining my low GPA in “my space.” I would rather present my creative side…</p>
<p>What should I do? I am ultimately interested in bettering my chances at admission, but I don’t want the admissions office to see my low grades and read some response on why they are low. I would rather have them see someone who thinks beyond numbers and seeks only to present himself as an interesting person.</p>
<p>I’m in the same boat…i got a C+ last year in Trig/Pre-Calc and it really made my gpa plummet. I was told that it would be a good idea to explain that in my yourspace, but I really would prefer to do something more creative. </p>
<p>I’m still doing the creative thing. I think you should too. If need be, maybe you can split up the space somehow and do both? I don’t know, it’s really up to you. Maybe call the admissions office?</p>
<p>Not to be discouraging but C+'s, even one or two, are not going to get you into Vassar. You are competing with A/A- students with few, if any B’s. I won’t say don’t apply but if you are not in the top 20 percent of your class it is very tough. Most of the students who get into Vassar are smart and have a talent or creative ability or skill at something interesting. The wanting to think beyond numbers is a good idea and being interesting is a good idea but ultimately college is about doing well academically and that, fair or unfair is judged by how you have done in the past. If you don’t want to or don’t have an explanation for low grades B or below than just apply but don’t hold out high hopes. I remember one mother asking the Dean of Admissions “should my daughter take honors and get an A or take AP and get a B?” and he said AP and get an A because that is what you are competing with. Depressing perhaps but real. My s had one “B” each year in hs in a foreign language, everything else A and A- including some terms of straight A’s across the board, 700+ board scores, 10 percent class rank, all the other usual activities and he did not get in everywhere he applied. Lots of waitlists. Luckily he really wanted to go to Vassar so he did not care but I was surprised that he did not get in everywhere. I also read it is not where you ultimately go to college that determines your success in life but where you have the confidence to apply, so if you think you can do the work, apply where you want and be prepared to go to any place you apply including your “safety”</p>
<p>Thanks Barbie, I appreciate your honesty. Don’t worry, I have safeties lined up and I’m aware that I’m applying to an extremely competitive school. However, most of my grades are As, with the exception of some B/B+ and that one C+ in honors trig/precalc. Also, something really tragic hit my school last year and it really caused me to lose focus in the 2nd semester. I’m planning on explaining that to the admission people.</p>
<p>We’ll see. For now, I’m doing my best and hoping for the best. If it doesn’t work out, I know I’ll find my place on another campus :)</p>
<p>Oh, and I am in the top 13% of my class right now, probably will be top 10% by the end of this year (I’m pulling all As as of right now with honors and AP courses).</p>
<p>Thanks for that barbie123 (though I now fear my chances of admission.)</p>
<p>Any other thoughts?</p>
<p>Well during my 8 semesters at high school I got a total of 3 C’s and I still got in… and I’m white… and a girl. Vassar seems to be truthful when they say they look at other things besides just test scores and academics. I did a lot of extracurriculars and showed a creative style of writing, I am guessing that’s what got me in when looking at my test scores which were pretty much average for Vassar and my gpa/ranking which was subpar.</p>
<p>I’m not an admissions representative but it seems like Vassar put the yourspace there to show how creative you are. Just an essay about why you sucked for a year of high school isn’t creative at all. Hopefully they’ll be able to tell that you just hit a rough spot. I did horrible freshman year (as shown by my previously mentioned 3 Cs and slowly brought it up until I was getting straight A’s in IB classes senior year. Don’t let anybody say that you don’t have a chance because of things like one bad grade and one bad test score. I let that get to me and was pretty miserable during the whole application process. People don’t get in to colleges for certain very random reasons so just because somebody who looked better than you on paper didn’t get in, doesn’t mean that you won’t get in.</p>
<p>Thanks for that wilkorch. I think I’ve honestly done fairly well in HS. Sure, I’ve had some Cs (same as you, about 2-3) some B-s, but otherwise all Bs and above. My school has a pretty intense grading scale too and is fairly rigorous, something I hope the Vassar admissions will see. </p>
<p>Gah…I hope I get in. Applying EDII. And I’m having alot of fun with the YourSpace.</p>
<p>If it were my application I would explain in a cover letter and use my space to show yourself and do the creative work you had envisioned.</p>
<p>DS chose to submit one of his poems.</p>
<p>Thanks so much Wilkorch. You have no idea how refreshing it is to hear an optimistic opinion.</p>
<p>Can the YourSpace submission be sent in at the same time in the same envelope with the Arts Supplement?</p>
<p>Use it to be creative. Also . . . with C’s it depends mostly on 1)how rigorous your courseload was and 2) how rigorous your highschool was. I would say it is accurate if you took an easy courseload and your highschool is not that challenging that C’s are not going to do it. But then I know more than one Valedictorian that didn’t and more than one student with C’s that did get in so Vassar is not kidding when they say they’re picking on more than grades.</p>