What kind of school does it look like I can go to?

My classes are very mixed in difficulty right now:

English (honors)
Algebra 1 (on level)
Matter & Energy (on level)
US History (on level)
PE
Spanish 3 (honors)
Chinese 1

next year, my courses will be different:

English (honors)
Geometry (on level)
Biology (honors)
National, State & Local Government (on level)
Computer Applications
Arabic 1
Chinese 2

My GPA last year was 2.8, I’m hoping it’ll go up next year for several reasons. I’m want to take AP English, as well has advanced science and language courses, sticking with Arabic and Chinese throughout high school. I hope I can study abroad before I graduate.

By the time I graduate, I would have completed 316 community service hours, become an Eagle Scout, played on squash, cross country and sailing team, debate and attended Interlochen Center for the Arts – writing program (an arts intensive summer program) and several other things.

I hope to study language/ linguistics. What are my prospects?

As I’m sure you’re aware, a 2.8 GPA is not particularly “strong” in the world of college admissions competition. Right now, you’re in “state university system, and probably not the flagship school” candidacy.

In Florida, you might get in to a Florida International, but not Florida State, the University of Florida, the University of Central Florida, or the University of South Florida.

In Pennsylvania, there’s sure to be a Penn State campus that will accept you, but it won’t be Main Campus.

In Texas, you can probably get into a number of schools, but not UT-Austin.

I’m just trying to give you some examples here.

To be brutally honest, a 2.8 GPA is going to be hard to overcome, even with strong extracurriculars – you’d really have to kick butt on the SAT or ACT.

It’s important to take the most challenging courses that you can register for, so the AP and honors courses are great – but don’t get too caught up in how those courses are going to improve your GPA. Colleges evaluate your high school grades based on your unweighted GPA, without all of those “bonus” points. That’s the only way they can fairly compare GPAs across different high schools.

A grade of “C” in AP history might count as 3 points on the GPA at your high school, but a C is a C when it comes to calculating your unweighted GPA (though the college will notice that you got it in an AP course).

My advice to you is that it’s time to kick it into overdrive on the grades that you’re earning. The best study abroad program won’t overcome a sub-B GPA. Most admissions offices whack away a huge pile of applicants with a “minimum” GPA criteria, so your extras might never get noticed if your GPA falls below the college’s minimum standards. If you make it past the initial cutdown, THEN they’ll notice that you’ve done a lot of interesting things.

If you’re satisfied with a non-competitive state or private university, you can keep on keeping on. If you’re dreaming higher, you’ve got a lot of work to do this coming year.

Good luck and remember – it’s your most college-like classes that really matter to admissions committees. Get A’s in your calculus and physics and anatomy classes and they’ll forget about the C’s you got in pre-algebra and human health.

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