College Admission

[0starter0]

Okay here's my issue. I'm a sophomore in high school and I've been looking at the requirements for college. While my ACT and SAT scores are great my GPA isn't so much. I could get a 32 on the ACT while asleep and even better if I actually studied, but I'm worried colleges will care more about my unweighted GPA of 2.9 last semester and most likely this semester. (Freshmen year was quite better)

BUT, will colleges consider the fact that my mom had cancer this year (still on chemo) and I started a job (13 hours a week) with Cross Country in the fall and Tennis in the spring? Or will they just look at the number?

My Junior and Senior GPAs will be a lot better, considering I might start doing homework.

[xriotx]

They care about extracariculars, and GPAs.

EDIT: Although my GPA was only a 2.75. I still got into a good school. It all depends on what schools you're applying to.

[YourFaceIsFunny]

I think as long as you raise it you'll be fine. Junior and first part of Senior year are the years they look at the most.

[trustworthy]

i think most colleges will kind of take one over the other? i got into a good school with crappy SAT scores but like a 3.8 unweighted GPA. it just shows them you're better at showing your knowledge all at once, i'm the opposite.

[gloriousmuse]

I don't think they care too much about illness in families unfortunately. It's all about being the first in your family to attend an University. But participate in a lot of extracurricular activities and sign up for AP/Honors classes if you're up for a challenge.

[blahme]

Well, first off, colleges don't look at your freshmen grades, and theres a main emphasis on your sophomore and junior grades. Volunteer and join clubs that matter. Write a personal statement about your mom's cancer, and it should be good. It just depends on the caliber of school that you want to attend. Obvious, if you want to go to a top tier (maybe an ivy), then well, a 2.9 won't cut it. But I think you could get into a state school in your home state (although, i know nothing about schools in Missouri, so yeaah)

[andrew4045]

they will mostly look at your SATs. if you had a 2.9 you should be fine. If nothing else, ball state will take you.

[amysaurus]

Try and bring up your GPA and write about your mom having chemo during your sophomore year in your college essay.

[Chancetobe]

Yeah, a lot of schools give you an opportunity to tell them something, so you should bring up your moms cancer. That should excuse a crappy GPA. But, that will really only work if you bring it way up. If they see a few bad semesters, followed by some great ones and good SAT's, and a good excuse, you should be fine.

[brentford]

eh dont go to college.

[LansingGaddis]

You still have time to bring it up right? Plus is your unweighted is 2.9 then your weighted is most likely over 3 which helps. And if your taking hard classes(AP, honors, etc) then that helps as well. Regardless you can get into some school. Maybe not a great one, but a decent one.

[Yes. And?]

God, I wish I had cared about college and GPAs in 10th grade.

[concernedparent]

Okay here's my issue. I'm a sophomore in high school and I've been looking at the requirements for college. While my ACT and SAT scores are great my GPA isn't so much. I could get a 32 on the ACT while asleep and even better if I actually studied, but I'm worried colleges will care more about my unweighted GPA of 2.9 last semester and most likely this semester. (Freshmen year was quite better)

BUT, will colleges consider the fact that my mom had cancer this year (still on chemo) and I started a job (13 hours a week) with Cross Country in the fall and Tennis in the spring? Or will they just look at the number?

My Junior and Senior GPAs will be a lot better, considering I might start doing homework.
They care stuff like your mom having cancer and your work experience, yes.

[LansingGaddis]

They care stuff like your mom having cancer and your work experience, yes.

Generally speaking, I'm not sure they would even know about the cancer stuff. Unless you wrote an admissions essay or something on the subject.

[concernedparent]

Generally speaking, I'm not sure they would even know about the cancer stuff. Unless you wrote an admissions essay or something on the subject.
On the admissions essays now there's a "additional facts you think we should know" section, and that's definitely a good kind of thing to put there.

[Kassie09]

They look for improvement.
You didn't get a HORRIBLE gpa, so write about it in your essay, show you kept a reasonable grade although the home life thing.

Show a lot of improvement, you'll be fine.

[MasonR5]

They care about extracariculars, and GPAs.

EDIT: Although my GPA was only a 2.75. I still got into a good school. It all depends on what schools you're applying to.
Auburn? a GOOD school? HA!

(haha, totally playin. i have some friends down there, and we give each other shit all the time)

but yeah, my GPA was decent, but i had a shitload of extracariculars and a 32 ACT, so that did it for me.

[MasonR5]

They care about extracariculars, and GPAs.

EDIT: Although my GPA was only a 2.75. I still got into a good school. It all depends on what schools you're applying to.
by the way, i love your avatar

[CrazyRockGirl]

fuck college admissions...I had such a high GPA but my SAT scores sucked to the ground...thus that is the reason why I think that the sat's are so damn unfair, they should look at the student as a whole and not just a stupid test score

I really wanted to get into a cuny or a suny school, but they are harder and very unfair with the admissions process, unlike the private colleges which look at the student as a whole and give them a chance...so sicne I didn't have the greatest SAT scores I still luckily got into all the private colleges cause they noticed how I had other good qualities besides the SATS, like my GPA, essay, etc

[xiNN0CENTeyes]

since you're only a sophomore, you do have time to bring your gpa up.

& i know a few college essay topics are like 'name one obstacle you have overcome' or something like that. you can mention your mom's illness in that.

i think working makes it better. they like to know how responsible you are.

[ascitiesburn101]

I'm hoping I can actually get into college/university when I'm of age. I totally fucked up my freshman year and ended up with a 2.8 or so; this year I've managed to bump that up to a 3.8. Hopefully the first year doesn't mess it up too much.

[vixsummer]

I had a fairly crappy GPA, but got good test scores and I got into good schools. The fact that you're realizing this now is going to help you out a lot, you'll have time to pick up your grades. I didn't realize this until I graduated and went "ohhhhhhhhh, homework isn't that big of a deal, and I could have gotten into an even better school if I didn't slack my ass off for four years... duh." But I wound up doing really well in college, so it all worked out. You'll be fine. And like others have said, if you want the schools to take your mom's cancer into consideration, write about it in your essay.

[pickett47]

All colleges have a formula they use to figure out how they think you'll do at their school. They factor in the scores you get on tests, your GPA, and various other factors like extra-curricular activities to figure out what GPA they expect you to get at their school. Get the best grades you can and work your butt off for the ACT. It's not just about getting accepted, it's also about getting MONEY. The better you do, the more cash you get thrown at you.

[Volo]

Auburn? a GOOD school? HA!

(haha, totally playin. i have some friends down there, and we give each other shit all the time)

but yeah, my GPA was decent, but i had a shitload of extracariculars and a 32 ACT, so that did it for me.

Psh, someone at MS State giving somebody a hard time about their college of choice? That's cute.

Anyways, @OP: Just try to balance out. A low GPA can be alright if you have extracurriculars and solid test scores. I think I graduated with like a 3.34 or something, but SAT, ACT and band were enough to get me accepted everywhere I applied. You're still early enough into high school that you can rebound and pull your GPA up pretty solidly, too.

[KrebstarKansas]

In the end it reaaaallllly depends on where you want to go to college. Some schools, especially state schools, just look at GPA and ACT scores. Places like KU for example, you need a 3.0 or a 21 ACT score for out-of-state (in state's even less) and you're in. A lot of state schools also don't look at extracurricular things either. More private schools and 'better' state university (like the UC's in California) do require essays, personal statements or whatnot and there you could definitely write about your experiences. That's also where the extracurricular things look good.

So like I said before, I think the biggest thing is to think about the kind of school you want to go to and go from there. I knew in high school that I was totally content with going to an easier to get into Cal State school (I ended up going to CSU Monterey Bay) and therefore got away with no real extracurricular activities (unless you count concerts and marijuana), 21 ACT score and a 3.2 GPA. In addition, I got into 4 other schools. A lot of people aren't content with that though, and you obviously have to act accordingly and work hard if you want to get into a tough school.

In my opinion though, "tough" schools are really overrated. It may not have the same prestigious name as some places, but I know I'm getting an awesome education at KU and I didn't have to sweat and stress throughout my high school years like all those kids now going to Berkeley or UCLA.

[seesky?fly.]

wow, sounds like you have a problem. too bad i'm english ha

[tkidu]

Can you take AP classes? I ended up with a 4.2 GPA my senior year, that should help yours out a bit if your high school allows that stuff

[popdisaster00]

I got into college with a 2.9gpa and a 22 on ACT, don't worry bud. I worked 30 hrs a week from sophomore year to graduate because I valued money more than ...well, studying every night.

But if you write a good enough essay, you are totally fine.

[popdisaster00]

I got into college with a 2.9gpa and a 22 on ACT, don't worry bud. I worked 30 hrs a week from sophomore year to graduate because I valued money more than ...well, studying every night.

But if you write a good enough essay, you are totally fine.
As a side note, I just realized that I pretty much botched my first sentence there, ultimately making me look pretty stupid, and probably causing you to not take my advice on getting into college.

But seriously. You're fine.