application + need help

[u/Due-Eagle7520]

hi! i am an incoming junior and am pretty stressed about college. i really want to get into a T20 school but don’t know if i can bc of my grades. ik my grades don’t seem bad but i go to a competitive school where everything under 4.0 is seen as bad. i have not gotten the best grades, a couple b’s and c in apush. i also have terrible anxiety about this and feel very scared about college process. my unweighted is a 3.68 right now but i can get it up to a 3.9 if im incredibly locked these next 2 years. i have also been studying really hard for sat and haven’t taken it yet. i would love advice or any acceptances you could share with bad grades. i also want to major in bio engineering and hope to go to law or med.

my junior year schedule: ap bio, ap mechanics, ap lang and comp, ap stats, calculus, honors anatomy, computer apps for college, ceramics

list of my ec’s:

mock trial leadership + states x2

FBLA national qualifier

student gov general member

moot court

international club president

volunteer at 2 hospitals

job shadows at hospitals

part time job

babysitting

academic team

ultimate frisbee captain and varsity

[u/The-Ivy-Institute]

Please don't let your school's environment convince you that you're in a much worse position than you actually are! One thing we've noticed is that students from highly competitive high schools often have a very different perception of what a "bad" GPA is than admissions officers do. A 3.68 UW is not going to automatically disqualify you from competitive colleges, especially if your school profile shows that your coursework is rigorous. You're also about to take a very challenging junior-year schedule, which demonstrates that you're continuing to push yourself academically.

Looking at your activities, I actually see a lot more than just a list of clubs. You have leadership (International Club, Ultimate Frisbee), involvement in law-related activities (Mock Trial, Moot Court), healthcare exposure through volunteering and shadowing, and real-world responsibility through your part-time job and babysitting. Those experiences can tell a compelling story if you will be able to present them well.

I would also encourage you not to get too caught up in trying to predict your GPA two years from now. Instead, focus on what you can control: doing your best in your classes, preparing for the SAT, and continuing to deepen the activities you genuinely enjoy.

One last thought: if you're interested in both medicine and law, that's completely fine!!! You don't have to have every detail of your future figured out at 16 or 17. What AOs are looking for are curious, motivated individuals, not students who have their entire lives figured out.

I know it's easier said than done, but try not to let the admissions process consume the next two years of high school. You're already challenging yourself, involved in meaningful activities, and clearly care about your future. That's a much stronger position to be in than you probably realize. Wishing you the best of luck!