Final Grades/GPA thread/School/University Discussion

[-Terywj-]

I'm a Junior, but I'm planning on applying to Brown for an early decision.
My grades are all in the A-B range. No B minuses. The B is in AP Biology.
I wanna do a couple other APs Senior year (Psychology, Calculus, etc.) and am unsure of how many times I wanna take the SATs. I'm thinking 3-ish by end of Junior year?

Colleges I've looked at:
Brown University
UMass Amherst
Boston College
Boston University
Tufts University
College of Wooster
New Hampshire University

I live in the Massachusetts / Boston area...any other good candidates I should be checking out?

-Terywj

 

[ivar]

Just got 98, 90, 87 on my cognitive science, comp science, and mind/machine (like a phil course about intelligence) tests respectively. The cognitive science one really shocked me. Funny thing is these courses totally misrepresent what I plan on changing my majors to (I keep changing my mind it's ridiculous but law school is the dream and that is a constant).

I'm thinking philosophy/criminology partly for interest reasons and partly for GPA boost without doing much work. Luckily it's still feasible to have these two majors without extra years just because the course requirements are so small comparatively (lol I only need 7 phil courses for a phil major, while 11 for comp sci with way more compulsories). And to be honest I think I'm happiest with this. I don't like philosophy that much and kinda kinda regret not going into engineering but I'm going to be chillin after this semester and no more three hour practicals with unappealing girls to look at every week for comp sci. Fuck you comp sci! And LSAT at 99th percentile woo! So why bother.

I'll keep everyone posted with final grades because I know you're lives depend on my success.

 

[XxBlueCleric.xX]

Quick Question:

Do you guys know how colleges verify certain extra-curricular stuff? Like, if I started a club in high school or something, and want to use an online application process, am I supposed to get a Club Advisor's note or something? I was just wondering as the procedure for this kind of stuff, so sorry if this is a really dumb question or something...

 

[Bam]

They usually just trust you on the info. However, some schools require the email address of a counselor or teacher who can verify all the info you provide.

I just got an acceptance letter to the Colorado School of Mines.

 

[Altmer]

oh, those poor little white boys

I have a Latin test monday and I am going to fail it :3

quid agis?

 

[Blackhawk11]

My first of three terms for my junior year just ended with the following results:
AP Statistics: 96
AP Chemistry: 96
Pre-Calculus: 98
Clay (Blow-off #1): 100
Gym (Blow-off #2): 95
Cumulative GPA: 4.0 (my school is dumb because AP classes are still a 4.0 instead of 5.0 or something)

I had a relatively easy term, considering I only had 3 acadamic classes (but Pre-Calc barely counts as one). Most surprising for me was that I almost didn't get a solid A in Gym (long story), but I was never really that concerned about my grade in my two AP classes.

This term should be a bit harder. I've technically got 4 academic classes (both APs return as well as English 11 and World History, which are required core classes), and then I've got a prep class for the ACT, which should be fun but I don't think I'll get time to do any homework from other classes in it. >_>

 

[MrIndigo]

Quick Question:

Do you guys know how colleges verify certain extra-curricular stuff? Like, if I started a club in high school or something, and want to use an online application process, am I supposed to get a Club Advisor's note or something? I was just wondering as the procedure for this kind of stuff, so sorry if this is a really dumb question or something...

Depends. If the activity is a prerequisite for the application, you usually need to provide verification of some kind.

If it's just extra-curricular stuff to make you look good, they don't usually need to confirm it; and if they do, they'll tell you what proof they need.

 

[Platyp]

A's in everything except Precalc. I fucked up the last test, getting a 78, which brought my grade down 4% to an 89.6. I'm just barely hanging on to an A-.

 

[MrIndigo]

My best friend got deferred for early decision at Dartmouth tonight... It really crushed him, it was his dream school and he really really thought he was going to get in, and I don't blame him, he was completely qualified. Hopefully he gets over it soon and realizes deferral is not the same thing as rejection. but still :/

Are any of you guys awaiting decisions? I'm waiting for Monday at 5pm....... My friend's deferral came as a pretty big reality check to my friends and me. My friend got deferred and two nowhere near as qualified (grades and SATwise) students got in, seemingly for no reason, which just goes to show: the college process works in mysterious ways, and it is definitely not a good idea to became too fixated on one school.

Was there an interview phase? I know that to get into highly competitive courses out here, like Medecine, you have to do both an additional entry test and an interview, and both of those things tend to exclude people who are otherwise highly qualified. I've known 100 UAI (i.e. top state rank after high school) students who get excluded on both the UMAT test (basically a mensa test) or the interview because the way to get high marks in high school is a really studious rote-learning based system.

 

[Space Guard]

I got my first AS Level assessment, and I'm pretty pleased with it:

(We have 2 teachers for each subject, hence the 2 grades)

Chemistry: B and A/B
History: A and A/B
Maths: A and A
Physics: A and B

Not a bad list of grades (can't get higher than an 'A' at AS-Level). My GCSE Grades were:

Latin: B
English Language: B
Religious Education: B
English Literature: A
Geography: A
Biology: A
ICT: A
History: A*
Maths: A*
Chemistry: A*
Physics: A*

Take from it what you will :)

 

[Tangerine]

U of Chicago (too many essays for my liking, especially with all the additional essays I'm doing for school/applications)

The essays are the best part. They allow you to be extremely creative with your essays.

UChicago has a reputation of being full of nerdy students and for having a hugely intense amount of school work. It also has a core curriculum like Columbia so even if you want to major in science you are going to have to take a ton of literature and philosophy classes.

It's not that intense. I think people just enjoy exaggerating. I don't know how other schools are like, but I can definitely tell you that I have enough free time, and so do my fellow students who seem to go out partying often. Just know how to manage your time.

UChicago's app essays don't concern me (Stanford has 3 plus some short answer stuff), it's their "core curriculum" and how I'm probably going to spend more time just catching up on arts/humanities than my major. I do respect a balanced education, but UChicago's a little too much for me.

I'm hoping I can get accepted to at least a couple of the others for the sake of having options. I've got an in-state school as a safety too.

I've heard great things about Northwestern too, which is why I want to go there!

You can get Uchicago's core done in 2 years if you cared (while taking major courses, mind you). Remember that it works on a quarter system - you have more options each quarter, at the cost of it being slightly more rigorous and faster (4 classes, 10 weeks, 2 day reading period and a finals week)

Chicago's academic experience is pretty amazing, but that's only if you decide to challenge yourself. You can get by taking really easy classes through out and have a "normal" college experience. You really have to cash in on the specific course the school offers.

Also note that the Core has nerfed down A LOT, and a lot of the reputation people give the Chicago Core is from the slightly older days (it was nerfed like the year before i got here)

Problem is, I really don't measure up to U of Chicago's standards. I'm a decent student (top 3% in my grade), I have decent SAT scores (which weighs less and less now) and I have some extracurriculars and I have a passion for science and love to learn. However, I have not the best writing skills compared to my counterparts (Essays are not my strong point, which U of Chicago really emphasizes on) and I really don't have anything that makes me stand out. Compared to the applicants who were accepted in to U of Chicago, I really don't stand out

I'm a terrible writer, and I still got in. There are a lot of terrible writers at this school. SATs aren't that important either - I know people with really bad SAT scores who are in this school.

What UChicago looks for is the "love to learn" part. Emphasize the "unique" things you do where you have to use your creativity and critical thinking.

Northwestern is beautiful and I love it. U of Chicago was meh. Didn't like south side Chicago.

What. UChicago's Campus looks great :( When did you visit?

 

[Eraddd]

The essays are the best part. They allow you to be extremely creative with your essays.

I don't mind essays at all. It's just that I have so many school essays to write right now (our school loves to dump essays on us this time of the year) and additional things to do like extracurriculars and other school work. So I'm probably going to apply to U of Chicago, but the essays aren't going to be as well written as I expect from my final essays.

I'm a terrible writer, and I still got in. There are a lot of terrible writers at this school. SATs aren't that important either - I know people with really bad SAT scores who are in this school.

Tangerine=/=terrible writer. I've seen your posts around the forum, and they're pretty damn good. And also, i'm an international student looking for aid, so that weighs heavily against me.

What UChicago looks for is the "love to learn" part. Emphasize the "unique" things you do where you have to use your creativity and critical thinking.

Alright. Thanks.

What. UChicago's Campus looks great :( When did you visit?

Last summer. Dunno, didn't fit me as well as NW did. Evanston was pretty awesome. Rock N Roll Mcdonalds near south side was pretty good too though.

 

[Evisu]

Came out half way decent this quarter started slacking a little near the end.

Personnel Law - 90
Performance Management - 90
Small Business Management - 94

 

[Eraddd]

My best friend got deferred for early decision at Dartmouth tonight... It really crushed him, it was his dream school and he really really thought he was going to get in, and I don't blame him, he was completely qualified. Hopefully he gets over it soon and realizes deferral is not the same thing as rejection. but still :/

Are any of you guys awaiting decisions? I'm waiting for Monday at 5pm....... My friend's deferral came as a pretty big reality check to my friends and me. My friend got deferred and two nowhere near as qualified (grades and SATwise) students got in, seemingly for no reason, which just goes to show: the college process works in mysterious ways, and it is definitely not a good idea to became too fixated on one school.

I'm wondering if you got in or not to Yale.

Edit: My bad, didn't see the date you posted it in. Good luck :)

I just sent my Duke common app in, to be considered for an interview.

 

[Congratulations]

PE-A
Adv. English-C
World Geo-D
Science-F
Algebra 1 Honors-D
Computers-F

My grades are horrible but i just goof around all day last year I all A's and thats how i go the advanced classes. I know I can do better but im just to lazy. I plan to go to a magnet school called SECTA that especiallises in computers and culunary arts probably will get my grades up and get it in (if im not to lazy).

 

[Otterpaw]

Eh, I get mostly B's, but that's because I do none of my homework or studying...

 

[metalrush]

There are some people who can't handle getting Cs. I'm one of those people, and the pressures getting to me in physics.

 

[Blln]

thanks for wishing me luck. this has been a pretty crazy week so far... a lot of my friends got into stanford/columbia/penn/cornell already, and a lot rejected, included my one friend with a 2400 (rejected from columbia..?). i find out on monday while im at a swim meet... i think i'm going to check on my friend's blackberry. i think i'm mentally prepared for any outcome.. at this point, i mostly just want to get in so that i don't have to finish all my other applications lol.

 

[Guthwulf]

Final grades for 2nd year of my degree:

A- x 2
A x 3
A+
A++ x2

No B's ftw.

 

[The Pokemon Pimp]

Currently sophomore year in high school:

Physics 1 Honors: 97
English 2 Pre-IB: 94
Spanish 3 Pre-IB: 97
TV Production (Hah, my last easy elective going forward): 100
Chemistry 1 Pre-IB: 92

Also taking Algebra 2 online, have a 95 in that class. But I don't recommend taking online courses, they suck :(

EDIT: My list so far for schools: Univ. of Florida, Dartmouth, Georgetown, Emory, Univ. of South Florida, Johns Hopkins Univ.

 

[Jimbo]

I already got accepted into Rutgers and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. While I don't really want to go to either of them, it's nice to know I have a place. I don't think I'll find out about any of the other schools I applied to until March/April (other schools are Lehigh, Lafayette, TCNJ, Princeton, Yale, Johns Hopkins, and Stevens Institute of Technology).

Good luck though, Danyul, be sure to let us know how it goes. My friend got rejected from Columbia ED too, though it was understandable since she wasn't overly qualified. It still hurts though!

 

[Lesley]

Junior in high school. I have straight B's and I'm failing French, lol. Oh well.

I plan to attend either the Memphis College of art or another, slightly more reputable art college.

 

[EspyJoel]

So far got 4/5 of my University offers (University of Sheffield, UEA, Leicester, and Southampton). Still waiting on Warwick, but I've got my first choice so don't care so much.

Got English Language and Economics Unit 3 exams coming up late January so need to do well in those. I'm on AAAB at the moment and only need AAB for my top choice so should be fine since 2 of those A's are very high (Politics - 96% average, and History - 91% average). For those who don't know about UK system, 80% is an A.

 

[ivar]

Danyul who the hell do you hang out with considering, it seems, the majority of your friends are competitive for placement in top-tier schools. Say what you will about SATs being easier than before but those are nevertheless 99th percentile (ish) scores that you need for those schools; even in IB I could barely find anyone who would qualify.

 

[Eraddd]

Danyul who the hell do you hang out with considering, it seems, the majority of your friends are competitive for placement in top-tier schools. Say what you will about SATs being easier than before but those are nevertheless 99th percentile (ish) scores that you need for those schools; even in IB I could barely find anyone who would qualify.

It also depends on the school he goes to. I mean ,there are schools out there that freaking destroy anything what IB tries to give you. My math teacher who has taught for 40 years told the class about this (he always tries to put us down =/).

Good part about our school is our teachers. They've been teaching for over 20 years, and they definitely know their stuff. My math teacher was a former math professor teaching honours mathematics at the best university in our province. He has a PhD in mathematics and did his thesis paper on number theory. Pretty crazy stuff. He also makes the Math SL students go to around second year calculus, and the Math HL kids go to third year calculus (which includes linear algebra, and sometimes even goes into multi variable if there are people willing to dedicate time into it). Needless to say, half the SL kids are failing the course. The IB exam is definitely alot easier.

Bad part about it is that we barely send grads to top schools. We send alot to UBC and SFU because of scholarships and cost. Some go to U of T, and Waterloo (last year, i think 10 went), and two went to McGill. One went to USC, one went to Princeton, one went to Johns Hopkins, two went to UCLA, and that's it. My school reputation isn't as good.