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Final Grades/GPA thread/School/University Discussion
- Thread starter sora13
- Start date
The difference between a 34 and a 35 isn't that big and probably only matter for the elite private schools. Even a school such as University of Michigan will accept you with a 34.
Of course, it does never hurt to do it again
Of course, it does never hurt to do it again
A 34 will get you into virtually any school. Sometimes even the Ivy's take people with 30s and 31s and they may even get scolarships(usually need based). Since you scored a 34, you are in the 99th Percentile. Unless you are trying to get into Harvard's Honors Program, there isn't much reason to re-take. The only way you would get rejected from any college, would be a mediocre GPA(you probably have perfect GPA), no extra-curriculars, or a suck-ass essay(again, your essay will probably be top notch).
The one point difference should not matter much.
The one point difference should not matter much.
WarriorPrince, a 31 won't give you a prayer of getting into Harvard unless you have a hook like URM + low income or something like that. A 34 from a 35 might make a small difference but a 35 is by no means a "hook" to get in there. Basically a 34 MIGHT hurt, but a 35/36 isn't going to guarantee a spot. I've seen students on College Confidential with perfect scores, 5 gen legacy, athlete, everything and still not get in. It's that competitive at the top. The valedictorian at my high school got a 36 ACT 4.0 with solid ECs (she went to Jordan over the summer to do charity work/learn Arabic) and still got deferred from Yale and rejected from Harvard and Stanford.
Anyways, going to UW-Madison next year.
Anyways, going to UW-Madison next year.
Do all of you guys work extremely hard to get good grades, or does it just come naturally? And if you work really hard is it because your parents "threaten" you, or is it just you pushing yourself?
My grades are really poor and I know it (~2.4 GPA), I just can't motivate myself to do the work even though I realize how it has a direct effect on the rest of my life, and I know I'm smarter than what my grades show but I feel like the whole school environment/process isn't right for me.
My grades are really poor and I know it (~2.4 GPA), I just can't motivate myself to do the work even though I realize how it has a direct effect on the rest of my life, and I know I'm smarter than what my grades show but I feel like the whole school environment/process isn't right for me.
I am in the same situation as you.
Originally, in 9th and 10th grades, I had very good grades, but then things fell apart from there, and I started to miss school often; namely because of other people's behavior. (I think having Asperger's syndrome has something to do with it) Those issues continued, and in a "domino effect" of sorts, they affected my ability to perform well academically. I got held back my junior year for attendance purposes, and now that I am about to graduate high school, I wish I could have done better with my grades.
Also, as rekt said, I cannot deal with the school environment. To tell the truth, the schoolwork I receive does not challenge my intellect enough, and I get bored of the same rote memorization techniques and other outdated pedagogical methods.
Didn't you also get into Yale? Why did you pick Princeton. If I was five years older and I got into a school of only 200 students I would jump on it.
My advice is stop thinking it isn't right for you. If I constantly told myself that running isn't for me just because I'm not doing the best I can do, I would be 180 pounds right now. Instead, I tell myself that I'm going to work hard and do the best that I can do. Sure, I find school easy, but I have the right mentality; meaning I do my homework, I make sure I know all the material that will be covered on a test (note that this could range from constant studying to staying after school to ask the teacher questions to briefly reviewing the night before a test, depending on the person), and most importantly, I stay away from things that could make me less dedicated to school. I've only missed two days of school this year, and that was when I had a staph infection. The more you appreciate that school is right for you and you should be there as often as possible, the better you'll do.
Also, thanks for the advice everyone who answered:) I'm fairly certain that I won't be retaking it, but I will be taking the SAT soon so we'll see how that goes. My parents are really counting on me to get hefty scholarships, so that's the main reason why I'm worrying.
Hey, Blackhawk, you run too? Track, or just for fun?
@rekt Also, I agree with Blackhawk that even though your grades aren't the best right now, a right mentality is definitely going to bump that GPA up. Also, if things are distracting you, you have to remove them quickly, before you get hooked on them. For me, this was video games, and I had to make the decision to give those up so that my GPA wouldn't drop. If you really think you're smarter than what your grades show, you have to make it so that your grades DO show them. This obviously isn't going to happen overnight though; you have to work diligently daily, and I'm sure you will have success in your school career.
@rekt Also, I agree with Blackhawk that even though your grades aren't the best right now, a right mentality is definitely going to bump that GPA up. Also, if things are distracting you, you have to remove them quickly, before you get hooked on them. For me, this was video games, and I had to make the decision to give those up so that my GPA wouldn't drop. If you really think you're smarter than what your grades show, you have to make it so that your grades DO show them. This obviously isn't going to happen overnight though; you have to work diligently daily, and I'm sure you will have success in your school career.
I don't know much about the programs but New Haven is a much worse town than Princeton. Princeton offers one of, if not the best town in New Jersey. New Haven is... kind of dangerous (I've heard this from college books and from a friend who lived there). You also have to consider how much money each school gives and what else is offered to you there. I think chaos made the right choice ;)
On the note of Princeton, not a single person from my school got into any of the "Big 3" schools, or Brown, or Columbia, or MIT... Yea. (Edit: Note our class size is ~820, and we have a good amount of qualified people)
Where I live, we don't have "GPA" so we are just given a grade. So My Grades:
Bio: A* = 95% and above (I got 98%)
English Lit.= A=85% and above (I got 85%)
Hindi (Second language) A*(I got 98%)
Physics= Don't remember but it was good
Chemistry= A ( I got 85 %)
Math= B ( I got a 78%)
Economics= A+ (I got a 91%)
Global Perspectives= I think a B? or a C (Fucking teachers, if you don't write what they believe you don't get the marks!)
Bio: A* = 95% and above (I got 98%)
English Lit.= A=85% and above (I got 85%)
Hindi (Second language) A*(I got 98%)
Physics= Don't remember but it was good
Chemistry= A ( I got 85 %)
Math= B ( I got a 78%)
Economics= A+ (I got a 91%)
Global Perspectives= I think a B? or a C (Fucking teachers, if you don't write what they believe you don't get the marks!)
I'm almost done with junior year, my grades were good:
AP English: A-
Gym: A-
U.S. History: A+
Speech: A+
Spanish: A-
Pre-Calculus: A-
Chemistry: B+
Yearbook: A+
I will try to get into Rice Universtity; i dont know of any other
great colleges in Houston :-P
I want to become a Journalist and Author someday...
AP English: A-
Gym: A-
U.S. History: A+
Speech: A+
Spanish: A-
Pre-Calculus: A-
Chemistry: B+
Yearbook: A+
I will try to get into Rice Universtity; i dont know of any other
great colleges in Houston :-P
I want to become a Journalist and Author someday...
I'm going as well. I'll be sure to say hi if I see you around :)
This is for CS PhD, not undergrad. Princeton has a stronger program. I also think Princeton has a stronger undergrad program than Yale too (at least in CS, but maybe in general).
Don't worry about ACT scores. I recently got into the best undergraduate business program in the U.S., The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (Ivy League), with a 29 ACT, and 680 CR 680 M 760 W SATs. Not to mention, I had a 3.57 UW GPA. It's not all about grades and scores. You are sorely mistaken if you think that perfect grades and scores will help you get into the university of your dreams. You have to have passion, drive, and something that no one else has (whatever that may be), to convince an Ivy or a top 20 admissions office you will be a worthy addition to their student body. Don't stress over scores.
Calling bull right here, since Brown's admission percentage for a 2100 on the SATs was 7% but 30% for a 2300. If you don't have the grades don't bother. May I ask what you did to get in?
(ps: enrolling at Tufts!)
It's not bull; It's just it's less likely to get into a school up there with just slightly average grades, but not completely impossible. I see where each of you are coming from and you both have your merits, but to you Tennisace, Grades and scores aren't everything, and at that other dude, well, you're one hella lucky guy. Congrats on your acceptance.
So Toronto finally FUCKING got my shit. They'd better accept me before IB exams start.
I never said they were everything, in fact I believe that unless you're the super whiz kid applying to MIT then you need an extremely well balanced resume (and even then you need to have invented something before you enroll in that case). If you don't have the grades then there must have been something extremely special, which debunks his point of "grades don't matter".
Also during the process 4-5 schools lost my shit at one point or another but due to the sheer volume of applicants it's somewhat expected (though heartbreaking nonetheless). My guidance counselor had to sign an affidavit at one point stating that she did in fact send my transcript.
i agree. Getting straight A's doesnt guarantee you getting into a really good college. I personally know people who got 4.0 averages and didnt get into an ivy league college, because they didnt have much outsida academics. it must suck but hey i personally dont think doing a sport or two is that hard