I got a C on my mid term report card in Algebra 2, high school obviously. I calculated my other grades and I should have a 3.5 GPA, will a C affect my chances of going to a good college? I'm a sophomore. Thanks

Jibba

United States22883 Posts

January 08 2008 20:48 GMT

Not really. Good test scores, 3.6ish and above, activities and great essays will really push you forward. At some schools a 4.0 may be needed because the competition is extremely high, but at most places you just need to show that you're a bright student. There's a lot of kids with 4.0s and even good test scores, who aren't so bright.

I had decent grades, great test scores, bad activities and I wrote very good essays and I interviewed pretty well. My biggest regret is not doing more activities, but I don't think I'd want to do Key Club or anything phony like that. I actually dropped out of NHS because it seemed so dishonest and shitty.

il0seonpurpose

Korea (South)5638 Posts

January 08 2008 20:54 GMT

Ok thanks, junior year is most important year right, is sophomore next important then too?

Luddite

United States2315 Posts

January 08 2008 21:12 GMT

Your life is over. You might as well just drop out and become a hobo.

In all seriousness, though, I doubt this will be the deciding factor on whether you get into a particular college.

Titusmaster6

United States5937 Posts

January 08 2008 21:14 GMT

First of all, no that's not a big problem at all, a 3.5 is solid. And your second question. Junior year is the most important for most colleges, but how well you do senior year could be greatly influential also. Think about it from their perspective, if you do well sophomore year, then average a 3.5 junior year, but then improve your gpa senior year, that could look very impressive. It would show them that you are still motivated and that you still have potential for growth.

Don't be like those stupid people who peak in high school only to get raped when they go to college.

zulu_nation8

China26351 Posts

January 08 2008 21:22 GMT

ROFLMAO drop the fuck out

AmorVincitOmnia

Kenya3846 Posts

January 08 2008 21:25 GMT

better start rappin

QuanticHawk

United States32084 Posts

January 08 2008 21:31 GMT

On January 09 2008 06:25 AmorVincitOmnia wrote:
better start rappin

fo sho

git yo hustle on too

fanatacist

10319 Posts

January 08 2008 21:39 GMT

No.

A college won't flip out over a C in 10th grade. A college is more concerned about your overall GPA annually and whether or not you made progress through out the years.

Also a 3.5 GPA is decent but not Princeton-standard anyways, and Ivy league colleges of that caliber are the only ones I can see flipping out over a C.

omgbnetsux

United States3749 Posts

January 08 2008 21:41 GMT

#10

Better work on your math for the SATs though.

Raithed

China7078 Posts

January 08 2008 21:53 GMT

#11

dont worry, youll do fine.

Rekrul

Korea (South)17174 Posts

January 08 2008 21:55 GMT

#12

You cannot change what has happened and worrying about what has happened is only going to make things worse. Even though you may have been brainwashed by your parents to believe you need to go to a good school, you don't.

Simplistik

2093 Posts

January 08 2008 22:23 GMT

#13

You could just become a Poker Player!

Oh wait, that's to do with Math.

But seriously, it's not a problem. Good luck.

fanatacist

10319 Posts

January 08 2008 22:24 GMT

#14

On January 09 2008 06:55 Rekrul wrote:
You cannot change what has happened and worrying about what has happened is only going to make things worse. Even though you may have been brainwashed by your parents to believe you need to go to a good school, you don't.

That's my belief too, but people don't want to accept it readily so I generally just give them the facts based on their brainwashed belief ):

Try

United States1293 Posts

January 08 2008 23:43 GMT

#15

Extracurricular Activities>Grades

a 3.5 is more than fine as long as you have a good amount of extracurricular activities. I've known people who have gotten into Princeton with a 3.5, given that they were active outside of just studying.

If not, then your fucked (jk, you'll still get into college, not sure how good though =/).

Jonoman92

United States9104 Posts

January 09 2008 02:02 GMT

#16

Like Rekrul said, it's really not a big deal.

There are plenty of decent state schools that are affordable and give a decent education. If you are planning on going to get a masters degree then where you get your bachelors matters even less, because where you go for your masters is where you'll learn all the specific skills for your field of work.

nA.Inky

United States794 Posts

January 09 2008 02:36 GMT

#17

Rekrul says: "You cannot change what has happened and worrying about what has happened is only going to make things worse. Even though you may have been brainwashed by your parents to believe you need to go to a good school, you don't."

Man, for the first time in... well, probably a long long time, I agree 100% with Rekrul.

First of all, even if you can't go to Harvard, your life is not over. Other colleges will take you even if you aren't academically perfect.

Second of all, I think you might ditch some of your stress if you realize that there are many ways to go through life, and not going to college is perfectly viable - just like Rekrul said.

Everyone wants you to think college is essential. It's not. Everyone wants you to think a career is essential. Again, it's not. Do what you believe in and what works for you.

nA.Inky

United States794 Posts

January 09 2008 02:43 GMT

#18

By the way, E = MC^2 at pretty much any college you could go to.

I had a professor once who had taught at Columbia. He said the big difference between the "really nice" schools and your plain state universities is that it is very difficult to get into the nice schools. But once you are in, it's hard to fail out. He said the opposite is true of your regular state universities - easy to get in, but you have to do the work.

In some of those "nice" schools, the teachers are pressured NOT to fail poor students.

In sociology, you learn that school is an extended hazing ritual, a kind of magical instrument for allocating people to status roles in society. It ain't really about teaching you anything.

So I wouldn't stress too much either way. Personally, I'd relax and focus more on enjoying the teenager years. Enjoy women. Enjoy your friends. Enjoy the outdoors. Study at your leisure. But that's me!

Jibba

United States22883 Posts

January 09 2008 03:07 GMT

#19

Some Ivy League schools (Brown) are like that (Brown) but many aren't (not Brown.) Early undergraduate work is about the same anywhere you go, although the types of students definitely varies, but if you have a particular interest, it makes a difference once you get into upper level work.

E=MC^2 may be the same everywhere you go, but the equipment and faculty is definitely a notch above when you get into junior and senior years, and possibly when you start doing research or development on your own. Anyone can teach 100 and 200 level courses, which is why graduate students often do it, but in some cases there may only be a handful of people in the world who can properly teach a specific area. But that's really assuming you KNOW you want to be a physicist or engineer. Most liberal arts areas are much more open.

The #1 criteria should really be how the school fits you, but that's a whole other topic.

In sociology, you learn that school is an extended hazing ritual, a kind of magical instrument for allocating people to status roles in society. It ain't really about teaching you anything.

Yeah? And how'd you learn that?

Lower level schools and especially standardized testing operate that way, but that's really not the intention of schooling, and colleges generally don't work that way. At least most modern programs try to emphasize the "try new things" part of college.