Really low GPA but AP classes....

Question

Hey I am a senior in high school. My GPA is very low (somewhere between 1.5 and 2.2 I bet). Freshman year I had a lot of family and health issues and missed a large chunk of time, failing miserably. Sophomore year I bounced back strong and passed all of my classes and had a pretty good GPA along with performing well in honors classes. Junior year though, after first semester, I once again had a setback due to illness in my immediate family and my grades fell, but I did well in honors classes. Also, I moved up from regular English and bio classes after first semester. Anyway I even got a 4 on the AP US test but failed two other classes, and now even with a full schedule I am a credit behind graduating and I have to take night school sometime. But I am also taking AP Literature. I am wondering, if I get an excellent GPA first semester and pass night school and score well on the ACT's and the AP english test, could I get into a school like Akron or Ohio University?

Answer 1

Yes. You can explain all this on your college application essay, and an upward trend in your grades will help. Make sure the schools you want will accept ACTs - otherwise, you'll need to take SATs for them.

If you don't get in right away, take a year at some other college and really work for the grades, then apply to transfer to the schools you do want. Akron and Ohio U aren't Ivy League, so it really shouldn't be that hard to prove yourself to them.

Really milk it on the essay. Talk about how the family member's illness affected you, how painful it was. Make the readers feel it, too. That will work better than just saying you couldn't study due to illness in the family.

Also, letters from your high school counselor and some teachers can help. They can talk about how you were a good student when you could be.