Do you want to go to college but the fact that you had a bad grade in high school is trying to discourage you? Bad grades shouldn’t stop you from going to college. Read this article till the end to discover how to get into college with bad grades in high school.
Obviously, bad grades are not good and can make it difficult for you to get accepted into your desired college.
But, the fact that having bad grades can make getting accepted into college difficult doesn’t mean it should stop you from applying for college.
Even with bad high school grades, going to college is still possible, as long as you can select the appropriate school and write a strategic application.
Of course, not all schools will accept students with bad high school grades, so you will need to know the colleges that accept students with bad high school grades.
Also, you need to know what and what not to include in your application.
All of these and more is what you will learn in the course of reading this guide on how to get into college with bad grades in high school.
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How do I get into college with bad grades in high school?
Like I already said, choosing an appropriate school and writing a strategic application is the key to getting into college with bad grades in high school.
If you will like to know how to go about the process of choosing the appropriate school and writing a good application, then just keep reading.
How to find a college that accepts students with low grades in high school
In order to find the appropriate college, you have to reevaluate yourself.
Try to figure why you had poor grades in those courses and overcome them.
Also, in order to supplement for your bad grades, you can take challenging college preparatory classes such as SAT or MCAT.
If you have mixed grades like Bs and D’s, what that means is that you may want to apply for a course in college where you’d Bs will be more relevant.
After taking all of these into consideration, you should consider colleges that take students with low grades in high school.
You may also want to consider colleges that offer courses in which those subjects where you had good grades will be relevant.
Follow the following steps below to find an appropriate college that may accept you even with a bad grade in high school.
STEP 1: Make a list of schools that have high acceptance rate for students with low grades in high school
When creating this list, keep in mind that you don’t want to go a college with low standards in as much as you had a bad grade.
That doesn’t mean you should create an unrealistic list. Your list should contain only schools that are likely to accept you even with a bad grade.
Your list should contain colleges like:
- Indiana University Northwest
- Louisiana State University Shreveport
- University of Pittsburgh at Bradford
- Penn State Hazleton
- SUNY Cobleskill
- Texas A&M Corpus Christi
- The University of Washington Tacoma
- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
- The University of Wisconsin Parkside
- University of South Carolina Beaufort
STEP 2. Get to know your preferred colleges
After making a list of colleges you will like attend, research about each and every one of them
Get to know the admission process and policies for each of the colleges.
If you have mixed grades, also try to find out if any of these colleges offer courses in which those subjects where you had good grades are relevant.
You can also set out time to visit each campus in order to familiarize yourself with the school and create some level of acquaintance with some college students who can guide you through the admission process.
STEP 3: Speak to the admission counselor
Another thing you can do when you visit each campus is to meet the admission counselor.
When speaking with the admission counselor be honest and take responsibility for your bad grades.
Let the admission counselor know that you are really interested in getting accepted into the college.
Take note of the advise the admission counselor will give you and try to out them into practice.
How to write an application for college if you had a bad grade in high school
Before writing an application, know the admission requirement for each school.
This will help you know what to include in your application.
You should also know the deadline for submitting your application and avoid applying too early or too late.
The reason why you should avoid applying too early is because early applications are usually too competitive and with bad grades in high school, you may not stand a chance.
Some schools keep accepting applications until they reach their limit. Such schools may consider students with low grades after accepting those with better high school grades.
Follow the following steps to write a strategic application if you have bad grades in high school.
STEP 1: Get recommendations from your high school teachers
Getting letters of recommendations from your high school teachers will be of great advantage to you.
If you have some good grades, you should consider asking teachers who taught those subjects where you have good grades to write a letter of recommendation in your favor.
Remember to ask your teachers at least one month before the time when you will need the letter.
This is important, so that you don’t have to pressure them.
STEP 2: Fill the application form
Get the application form and fill it, while filling it be honest about your bad grades.
If you need help with filing the application form, you can contact the admission counselor.
Don’t be afraid or ashamed fill in your bad grades.
If there is a section for explaining why you have bad grades, compose a short and sincere reason, stating why the grade a d why you still believe you can do well in college.
STEP 3: Write the required essay
You may be required to write an essay narrating why you want to attend that particular college.
Once again you have to be honest when writing and explain why you have a bad grade.
Try to take responsibility for your grades when explaining and of course don’t write more words than you should.
STEP 4: Submit your application
After filling the application form and writing the essay, before submitting I will advise that you review your answers and essay.
Try as much as possible to submit your application before the deadline.
Also, follow up the admission process regularly online.
If you don’t get accepted, try to work on your bad grades and reapply the next week.
Conclusion: How to get into college with bad grades in high school
If you are still wondering if you can get into college with bad grades in high school, the answer is YES, you can.
Although it may require you to put more effort when applying.
Now that you have read through this article on how to get into college with bad grades in high school, try to put your new knowledge into practice.
You may have friends who want to know how to get into college with bad grades in high school, be kind enough to share this article with them.
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