Ever since my sophomore year it has been my dream to attend an Ivy. My family has had a lot of changes with divorce, financial problems and things like that. All of that moving has hurt my gpa. Plus I got a late start, the light bulb did not go on until my Sophomre year and by that point, my grades were real bad. Do have any suggestions that might help me when it comes to the application process? I currently have a 2.9gpa by the way. Do you think I can get in. Or should I be looking at something more relistic. My SAT was 1320. I also played sports and have lots of extracuriculars. Please help.
top of page
bottom of page
Thank you for sharing your story BlueIvy.Smith. I'm sorry you had to go through those hardships. But rest assured your dream is still attainable!đ
First, your GPA maybe lower than some students striving for Ivy League acceptance but there are may steps you can take to help the college admissions committees look past your GPA but of course, continue to bring up your grades the best you can. Here is some to name a few:
Scoring well on the SAT- Your SAT score is outstanding. If you have time to take another SAT, I would highly suggest it. Studying on the areas you felt short on will most definitely help you strengthen your college application. If you have run out of time to take the SAT again, that is fine too. There have been instances where applicants who had a lower GPA but exemplary SAT score have gotten in to Ivy League schools, but it is all about how you present yourself.
Essays- In your essays(common app and supplemental), talk about your life experiences - what you had to endure as someone whose faced financial hardship and separated parent. However, make sure you don't overwhelm your essays with the negativity of the experiences you have faced. Explain these hardship enough to give the college admissions committees an understanding of what you have faced. After explaining this, talk about how you have overcame these obstacles, how your experience have helped prepare you for the world and how your experiences will shape how you will interact with the diverse student body at the Ivy League school of your choice.
Extracurriculars- I'm glad you have been very involved in high school. Your extracurriculars and the sports you participated in will further strengthen your personal image shown to the Ivy league universities. In particular, make sure you highlight the activities that have been most meaningful to you and how they have shaped how you interact with others and how you have help contribute to these activities' efforts.
I appreciate your resilience and fortitude. I have confidence that your dream will come true. Continue to stay encouraged!