Will a C+ in high school still get me into a good college?

Question

I'm a freshman in high school, and all my life I've always gotten all A's and B's on my report cards. However, in Honors Biology this marking period I got a C+. My other grades were:

Gym - A
Concert Choir - A+
Honors English - A
History - A+
Honors Geometry - B+
CP Spanish II - A

(I also do a lot of extra-curricular activities and community service.)

I really want to go to a good college, preferably Yale or Columbia. I heard that one C will not kill you, and colleges understand that freshmen year in high school may be tough. But do you think this C+ will affect my chances on going to an ivy-league school?

Answer 1

Welcome to the I-want-to-go-into-an-ivy-league-club. Haha. Getting into an Ivy Leauge is difficult, but we are alike so don't feel like you're alone! In freshman year...I got a 6 B's and 2 A's. There was a reason for that and I'm going to include it in my college essay.

Colleges don't always care about grades. Grades are important but it's more about who you are as an individual. Do you have a special talent that makes you stand out? Colleges love that. Do you do extracurricular activities, joined clubs, are a part of a cometitive sport, etc? Colleges love that too.

If it makes you feel any better, about 2% of the people who went to Columbia had a high school GPA of 2.90.

So as you can see, those two percent did something else besides the grades. Don't stress. Do better. The application process is nuts...colleges see everything and know everything and they know you even if they've never seen you before.

The application process is RANDOM. Some really smart kids get rejected from great universities and some average kids get in. It just depends how you present yourselves to college via your application and what they consider as a potential student. Don't get bogged down...just hope for the best. Don't let one C stop you from applying to Yale or Columbia. Go for it!

Whatever anybody says, don't let it get you down. I have this problem and it's BAD. My counselor indirectly said that applying to Columbia is very tough, especially in my messed-up high school schedule. Nobody can decide which college you get into except the people at the admissions. They can pick anybody...and you can be one of them!

Good luck, kiddo.

Answer 2

I don't know anything about Dalton State, but I will tell you what I know about getting into colleges like USC-Aiken, USC Columbia or University of Georgia. Take the SAT and if you score at least 700 you shouldn't have any problems getting into an average college like University of Georgia or the University of South Carolina. However, if you don't score at least a 700, you could go to a technical college for a year or so and make good grades. Then, you could transfer into a 4 year college. During the time that you are in the tech school make good grades and you will qualify for the Hope Scholarship. To get this scholarship you have to go full time (at least 12 hours which is 4 classes that count for 3 credits each). You also have to have at least a B average. I don't think you would receive the Hope Scholarship right now, with your high school grades, but it would be super easy to get it after a couple of semesters in a 4 year college or tech school. (My sister in law got it, but she had to go to USC-A for a couple of semesters and have at least the B average).

Answer 3

An occasional C+ isn't going to make a whole lot of difference. Also keep in mind this was an Honors course. Grades play a part but so does your SAT score. Extracurricular activities and communty service help too.

On another note, your spelling and writing skills appear to be much better than the average high school freshman (or adult for that matter!). That makes a HUGE difference is applications selection!

Answer 4

If you haven't done so already, call and speak to an admissions rep to let them know that you are planning to apply to their school. Don't mention the C+, just let them know take a lot of honors courses and are involved in extra curricular activities. If you don't have any information on their school ask them to send you some (student statistics are sometimes included).

Also ask if they have any summer programs for high school students and find out how to apply.

Try to focus on your overall GPA - the honors courses should boost your GPA so the C+ shouldn't automatically disqualify you.

Keep your great work ethic and desire to succeed and you'll get where you want to go.

Best wishes!

Answer 5

Ivy league schools are not entirely based on grades. I'm sure the C+ is not going to help
in that case.
There are many universities that would love to have you and you might even get some scholarships.
Good Luck!

Answer 6

It really depends on what you're going to major in. If you're going to try to become a doctor or something that requires biology, they'll look at you bio grades more harshly. But if you're going into a social thing involving english and/or history, I'd say you have a really good chance. Something tells me you're not the math and science type. Remember that it also depends on your other accomplishments too. So you're in pretty good shape if you're going for the right major.

Answer 7

I agree it all depends on your chosen major. Any hope of medical school is gone. With that strong foundation in geometry, you could build on that and study Algebra, Advanced Algebra, Trigonometry, Linear Algebra, Differential Calculus, Integral Calculus, Ordinary Differential Equations with constant co-efficients, Differential Equations w/variable co-efficients and more towards a degree in Mathematics. All science has a mathematical foundation. Math will never disappear.

Answer 8

Normally, colleges look for A's and B's in report cards, but just one or two C's won't matter.
Also, it depends on what you're planning to major in. For instance, if you're planning to major in politics, then getting that C+ in Honors Biology won't matter.
And don't worry about it. There's going to be the second semester, and then your sophomore, junior, and senior year, so that one C+ won't matter so much.