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Ask the Guru a question.I Didn't Do So Great In High School
It’s always been said that colleges are looking for “well-rounded� students. I’m involved in many extra-curricular activities, but have only found time to play basketball. (I was previously on the ski team, but ran into conflicts with student-directing the musical.) How many sports is “enough�? Yes, I know they all differ, but do I need to worry about doing more?
The thing most students don’t get is that it is not the quantity of the things you do, but the quality. If you played 10 sports but rode the bench in all of them, I don’t think it would speak as highly of you as would playing one sport but being “all-state.” College admissions people are on the lookout for “clubbers”—people who join but don’t do. They want to see passion for a couple of things you really care about. My advice: find the couple of things you really enjoy and try to excel at them.
I am a high school junior currently attending Lowell High School in San Francisco. I really want to attend a prestigious Ivy. However, my grades are not too sterling (around 3.5 unweighted). Also, being Asian I don’t think helps me, considering so many Asians apply each year. Please respond and tell me honestly if I have a shot.
College admission committees look at more than your grades. Among other things, they look at the courses in which you got those grades, your experiences outside of school, the competitiveness of your high school, etc. The fact that you’re Asian might or might not play a role in the decision; it really depends on your credentials and the applicant pool at the time you apply. So do you have a shot? Again, that depends on the applicant pool at the time you apply. But it’s worth a shot. You might also consider why it’s so important to you to attend a “prestigious Ivy.” You’d be better served if you considered what you want from college and then looked at schools, both Ivy and otherwise, that provide the best match for your desires. If, for instance, you want to go to medical school, check out the med school admission rate for a number of different colleges. You might discover that a “non-Ivy” will prepare you just as well.
I am a freshman at the University at Albany. I am very interested in transferring to Cornell University for the fall ’96 semester. What do you think I need to have (academically) to make this dream possible?
OK, first, let me say that I am not an expert on Cornell’s admissions criteria. Second, I’m going to assume that you applied to Cornell out of high school and for whatever reason, didn’t get in. Every university has a unique transfer policy; many schools welcome transfer students with open arms and go out of their way to make it easy for them to do so. Your first step in making your dream come true is to find out what Cornell’s policy is. Call the school’s undergraduate admissions office, tell them you’re interested in transferring, and ask for all the appropriate information. As a prospective transfer student, you will need to structure your current academic work so that it will transfer as credit for graduation to Cornell. This means you need to review Cornell’s requirements for graduation and begin to work toward that goal even though you are not a student there. This will likely require some contact with Cornell to ensure that the courses you are taking in Albany do transfer in the way you expect. Keep in mind, though, that you may eventually want or need to finish at Albany so it is best to try and take courses that “work” at both schools. The Back Door. This does not work at every school and has an element of risk, but I’m going to lay this out for you as truly an alternative for dreamers. Many universities have an evening college or continuing education school where you can take courses offered by the regular university, often at the same time of day. The difference is that 1) you are not a degree candidate; and 2) you aren’t going to get certain benefits of other students (like the option of living on campus which, for freshmen, lessens the college experience). The strategy here is to rack up a number of hours (maybe 30-50) toward your intended major, then apply to the school for admissions as a degree candidate. If you’ve done wellin these prior courses, the school typically admits you as a degree candidate. Again, there is always the possibility that you won’t get in, but if you discuss this possibility with Cornell openly, you may feel good enough about your chances to give it a try. I know a number of students who have gained admissions to colleges a nd earned degrees by this back door admissions approach. But by all means, apply to the school first as a transfer student. Good luck with your dream.
I noticed you have stressed how junior year is the most important year. That’s great. I’m a junior now, and on my way to honor roll. However, my other high school grades from the past two years are lower, and I regret that. Nothing can change those, however. If I shine through this year with flying colors and do well on my SATs (Please Lord), do you believe that most colleges will care much about my C average? Or have I pretty much blown it already and should consider Junior College, or Bartending School?
Washed up at 16? I don’t think so. You should see the questions I get. What pressure students feel to be absolutely perfect. Do well the next two years, work hard to score well on the SAT, get involved in things you enjoy, and you will get into a great school. Maybe it won’t be Harvard or Stanford, but who cares? There are many excellent colleges out there who will love to have you, you’ll get a great education and have fun in the process. So relax and enjoy high school with the confidence that your future has good things in store for you.
Where can we go to find a list of noncompetitive colleges that will accept a high school student with a so-so grade point average, but is very intelligent.
Personally, I’d set my sights a little higher. Your grade point average is only one part of your application. Perhaps you’re an outstanding baseball player. Or maybe you play the flute. What about your SAT/ACT scores? Select a group of five or six schools whose admissions reguirements range from non-selective to selective (you can find these in any college handbook in your local bookstore). Then structure your application in the best possible way. You might surprise yourself. There’s no reason why you can’t attend a good school and make a great living afterwards—especially if you are “very intelligent.”
What are your thoughts on students who begin their college career at a community college? Do they have the same chance of transferring to a good four year college as those who are transferring from another four year school?
In earlier questions, we talked about transferring from one college to another, and the same strategies apply. If your intent is to end up in a specific four year college, and you’d like to start out at a community college, you need to begin your studies with that in mind. Some four year colleges actually have “feeder” community colleges that they look to for transfer students. A few calls to the admissions offices of the colleges of your choice will help you discover what they are.
I’m a student who is taking all the college prep courses in high school that I can. My grades are sometimes very good and sometimes awful. I sometimes get Ds. But I’m involved in almost every club in our school, and I volunteer a lot. If I would write it all down you would say, “Wow! That is a lot.� So what I’m asking is if my extracurricular activities will make a difference in how the college will look at my application. Also I am ward of the state. How will that effect my college future?
Extracurricular activities matter (there are questions below and in the Guru archive which address this subject thoroughly). Whether they can overcome Ds is doubtful. You need to do better in those classes, and if you can’t do better, get out of them. My dad used to tell this joke about the kid who brought home three Fs and and a D on his report card, and when his father asked him what the problem was, the kid says, “I think I’m spending too much time on one subject.” The point is that maybe you can spend less time on the subjects you do very well in, and more time on the subjects that are kicking your butt. Also, when you get around to applying to college, make sure you select schools that match up favorably with the work you have done. Put some thought into it. As for being a ward of the state, it probably won’t affect decisions on admissions at most places. On the other hand, you have obviously had to deal with problems that others have not, and you should, on your application (perhaps in the essay), describe your less than ideal home life and in particular, how you have overcome those things to achieve anyway. Admissions people love a winner. I believe you will find a college that is right for you, and with a college education, you have the potential to create a far better life for yourself than you have had growing up. Good luck.
I’m a freshman in high school, and I guess you can say I’ve been a BAD student all my life. I would had failed the 8th grade for my second time last year, but my dad knew some people. So I went into high school this year with high expectations and new goals for myself. But the first semester was no different from the rest, and I failed. My GPA is currently 1.0. I was diangnosed with ADD. I seriously want to change my life and prove everyone wrong. If I turned my school life around now, do I still have a chance to get into a good law school? All I need is to be accepted. My parents can afford to send me anywhere. But I think I’m going to be a drop-out. Thank you very much.
Gee, where to start? Well, first, law school comes after undergraduate college, so no point in thinking about that for about six years. I think you might be better off trying to figure out how to get out of high school and with luck and hard work, a decent college. I’m sure it’s hard to think of yourself in a positive way, but that’s the first step. What do you do well? Sports? Mr. Personality? Hard-working? Try to build on those things. Next, you say you were diagnosed with ADD. Are you being treated, too? If not, you’re only halfway there. Since your folks have money, encourage them to spend some of it on other testing. You may have learning disabilities that are holding you back and not even know it. Check it out. I’d encourage your folks to spend some money on tutoring, too. You are probably so far behind in everything that just wanting to do well is going to be tough. Check out a Sylvan Learning Center or the host of private tutors to help you. You can catch up. Finally, do not count yourself out of the game at age 16. You have much ahead of you to live for. I personally think you’ve had some crappy support along the way to be in the situation you’re in. Write me again and let me know how it is going. Note to the many educators reading this column: Please look around your school tomorrow and see if there’s a kid that fit’s the description above. I’ll bet there is. If so, reach out. There’s a cry for help.
Is there any way for a student who’s not real good in school to get into a good college? Is there a chance to be successful even though you aren’t really good at school? I would like to be successful, but with my grades I’m afraid that I won’t get anywhere!
How do admissions boards weigh your GPA against the SAT? Myself and a handful of students in my year have mediocre GPAs (hovering around the 2.7 mark), but scored well above the average on the SATs. Do good SAT scores partially make up for a bad GPA?
Colleges typically prefer students with higher GPA’s and lower SAT scores to those with high SAT scores and lower GPA’s. The reasons for this are many. Among them: Grades reflect your performance over an extended period of time while the SAT only reflects your ability to take a particular kind of test; some students just aren’t great standardized test takers; standardized tests don’t reflect your intelligence, just your ability to take tests; and admissions committees prefer students who live up to their academic potential in high school to those who don’t. After all, they want to get a sense of your commitment to your high school education so they can gauge how likely you are to succeed in college when you lack the structure (and parents) that help keep you focused on school.
All of that said, it’s important to remember that college admissions aren’t based on your SAT scores and GPA alone. Admissions committees also closely evaluate recommendations, essays, and extracurriculars (and leadership in those extracurriculars in particular). Consequently, low grades don’t have to be the death knell of your application. Good luck!