Last week I talked about what juniors needed to consider when considering the SAT and ACT. But you know what is even more important? Your grades.
Every year the colleges tell us the same thing. The most important factor in college admissions is your grades. Of course the classes you take to get those grades are also important. Junior year is your last change to get the best grades you can.
Colleges like to see not just good grades but an upward trend in grades if they aren’t perfect in the first few years. So, if you struggled with your grades in the first few years, getting good grades in your junior year, as the classes get more difficult, will at least look like you are heading in the right direction with your grades.
What are good grades? Well, that depends on you. If you are making a good effort and getting the best grades you can, then they are good grades for you.
It’s very easy to work on preparing for the SAT and ACT, engaging in volunteer activities and your extracurricular activities, but if you don’t have good grades, none of that will really matter.
It isn’t very exciting, but getting the best grades you can get is the cornerstone of a strong college admissions application.
[…] Grades and test scores are important to get into a selective college but these things along won’t get you into the most selective colleges. You also need extracurricular activities. […]