what happens if you get a c in an extra course in highschool

by Prof. Sidney Herman 8 min read

If you receive one C during your high school years, it may ultimately affect your chances of getting into a top school. However, it won’t automatically exclude you from one. Instead, it will make earning an acceptance a little harder for you, as you’ll have to compensate in other areas.

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What happens if you get a C in high school?

Neat, clean, simple, done. And then, my sophomore year of high school, the unthinkable happened: I got a C plus. In all fairness, it was not an actual C plus. It was an 83.4 percent — a …

Did you get a C plus your sophomore year of high school?

Apr 06, 2017 · If you receive one C during your high school years, it may ultimately affect your chances of getting into a top school. However, it won’t automatically exclude you from one. Instead, it will make earning an acceptance a little harder …

Does a C grade on a high school transcript affect GPA?

Answer (1 of 11): Your chances of going to college ARE GREAT! However, your chances of graduating from college with a marketable major and getting a well-paying job ...

Can you still get into grad school with a C?

When you fail a class in high school, if it’s a mandatory class, you have to retake it in your next year. If it was an elective class; meaning you chose to take it, and it wasn’t a mandatory thing; it will still go on your transcript that you failed, and you’ll still be down a …

Should I retake a course if I got a C?

If you received a C or higher in a course, there is no need to retake it. It is far more impressive for a student to take new upper-division biological science courses and excel in them rather than to repeat lower-division coursework.Dec 20, 2021

Can I graduate with one D?

Someone could graduate with some 'D' grades, as long as there were enough A's and B's to keep the GPA above water. So if a destination school takes transfers on a course-by-course basis, D grades don't count, but if they take the degree as a block, D's do count.Mar 21, 2017

Can you take extra classes to raise GPA in high school?

The thing is, it's not just core classes that make up your GPA. Electives also play into GPA. If you have a free period right now, you might consider taking an elective that you find interesting to fill up the space and raise your GPA.Jan 7, 2020

Is it OK to get AC in high school?

As most high school students know, the grades you receive are an important factor in college admissions. ... If you receive one C during your high school years, it may ultimately affect your chances of getting into a top school. However, it won't automatically exclude you from one.Apr 6, 2017

What does F mean in grades?

failing gradeF - this is a failing grade.Jan 10, 2022

What grade is an F?

Grade conversionLetter GradePercentageGPAB80–89%3.0C70–79%2.0D60–69%1.0F0–59%0.01 more row

What will ac do to my GPA?

According to the material provided by CollegeBoard on GPA conversion , A “C” is equivalent to a 2.0 on a 4.0 GPA scale. This is a lower grade than your overall GPA, and will thus decrease your overall GPA if this class is applied to your GPA by itself.

How do you get a 5.0 GPA?

A 5.0 generally indicates that a student took only 5.0-scale classes and earned only A's (and/or A+'s). Normally, all perfect straight-A grades result in a 4.0; with weighted classes, though, perfect straight-A grades could result in a 5.0 (or even higher).Jan 4, 2020

Is a 3.8 GPA good?

A 3.8 GPA, or Grade Point Average, is equivalent to an A- letter grade on a 4.0 GPA scale. This means is equivalent to a 90-92%. The national average GPA is 3.0 which means a 3.8 is far above average. Because a 3.8 is already so high it can be hard to raise, but with hard work and dedication it is possible!

Is a GPA of 5.0 good?

If your school uses a 5- or 6-point GPA scale, you want to be closer to those values instead. The average grade for high school students in the United States is around a B, which means the average high school GPA is a 3.0. So, if your GPA is higher than that, you're off to a good start!

Is 3.3 A good GPA?

Is a 3.3 GPA good? Assuming an unweighted GPA, this means that you've earned a solid B+ on average across all of your classes. A 3.3 GPA is above the national average for high school students, but it's not high enough to get you accepted to schools that are very selective.

Is a C+ a good grade?

A+, A, A- indicates excellent performance. B+, B, B- indicates good performance. C+, C, C- indicates satisfactory performance. D+, D, D- indicates less than satisfactory performance.

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When Did You Receive the C?

One of the most important factors in how a blemish on your transcript is interpreted is the timing of when you received it. Getting a C in your freshman year leaves plenty of room for improvement and allows time to establish an upward grade trend. But getting a C in your junior or senior year is almost always more cause for concern.

What Class Did You Receive It In?

While the timing of your C is probably the most important factor in determining how much it impacts your chances at college acceptance, the class you receive it in is a close second in many cases. There are times when you might receive grades in nonacademic classes. There are also times when you apply to specific programs at certain colleges.

Do Your Other Grades Make Up For It?

Another factor that will certainly be considered is how out of character this C actually is. College admissions committees generally look at grades in context and consider them a part of a bigger pattern. For that reason, your C matters in the context of your other grades.

Are Your Extracurriculars Truly Exceptional?

While grades are undoubtedly an important part of your college applications, they are not the only consideration. Receiving a below average grade is not always the determining factor.

Can You Explain Why You Got a C?

There are sometimes uncontrollable circumstances that affect your performance in high school. If this is the case, you should address these circumstances directly on your application. Never leave an admissions committee to wonder why you received an out-of-character grade.

What are your test scores like?

Getting a B in AP US History, but scoring a 5 on the APUSH Exam and an 800 on the US History Subject Test is a great way to show that you have mastered the material. Think critically about where else you can show your aptitude for a subject — even if your grades don’t immediately reflect it.

What do your letters of recommendation say?

A great way to overcome lower grades is to have your teacher from that class write your college letter of recommendation.

How does your GPA compare to your classmates?

The importance of context cannot be understated in the admissions process. When you finally hit submit, you’ll be placed in an application pile by region. You’ll first and foremost be read alongside the people most like you: fellow students at your school.

What are you doing outside the classroom?

Always remember that your high school GPA is just ONE piece of the puzzle! Ivy League schools evaluate applicants holistically, so they’re looking to make sure that you’re not only a good student, but that you’re also a critical thinker, that you are a passionate learner, that you give back to your community, and that you have made an impact in some way throughout high school.

What is your application looking like overall?

At the end of the day, there will be thousands of applicants with great high school GPAs and solid SAT scores. While having strong numbers is an asset, it won’t make you stand out. To differentiate yourself, a captivating story becomes essential! Don’t underestimate the power of a memorable application.

Remember the reality!

Is one or two B’s the end of the world? No. Your grades are a threshold matter — once you reach a certain level with your numbers, a stronger high school GPA will not significantly increase your chances of admission. This threshold typically lies around a college’s average GPA — once you’re there, you’ve proven your academic abilities.