Path to College Success: Help for Struggling Student

[chrisandmiss]

Ok. Ill give some info about myself, and what I have accomplished, and how the past year and a half has been horrible for my grades(and general academic career)

Largely on my own, I studied algebra in the fifth grade. I was able to take algebra as an official class in the sixth. In that year, I studied Calculus on my own, and In the eighth grade, I was allowed to take that as an official course. Though I wanted to take the BC test, they insisted I take the AB, and I got a 5.

In freshman year, I took 4 math classes and a physics class. I took Calculus BC, Ap statistics, along with Number Theory and Logic from EPGY, and AP physics. I got a 5 in the calc and physics, 4 in the statistics, and passed with A's in the EPGY courses. That year, I was also MVP of my football team, and got a 53 in the 400 meter, while getting my star in scouts. I got about a 3.8

In sophomore year, everything sucked. I got slow at the 400 meters(compared to last year)
About a 2.8 grade point average that year,And I got a C in multivariable calculus. My accomplishments last year were breaking the American bench poress record for my age and weight class, getting a 5 on the Ap bio exam, with 4's on ap Econ micro and Ap Euro.

This year is junior year. I've done no outside classes, my grade point average right now is about a 3.3 this year. I am taking mainly Ap courses(my grades are not weighted)

Well, I am doing self-studying for both ap physics right now.(they haven't affected my grades, since I just started studying)

Im not overloaded. School is just depressing,thats all.(its a long story)

What should I do for college?

Does anyone have any advise?

 

[Choppy]

I think you forgot to tell us about the gold stars you got in swimming lessons.

Seriously, I don't know that there is a single "best" path for anyone. You're still in high school and not even in your senior year. In my opinion, what you really need to do is focus on exploration at this point - figure out what really interests and drives you. You studies calculus in the eighth grade - was that because you were really that interested in calculus at that point, or because your parents tossed the book in front of you, or because you wanted to be able to tell people that you studied calculus?

If your grades are slipping you need to figure out why. Is this a case of study habits? (Often for people who've had an easy go of things for most of their lives, not having to study etc. run into a wall when they're finally presented with a challenge.) Is it a case of too many extra-cirricular committments? Too much socialization? Or are you simply finding other interests and losing focus? We can't really answer this for you.

 

[physics girl phd]

Honestly, you need to look at Choppy's advice and figure out the cause of your problem. Why? You need to improve your high school GPA if you want to be competitive in getting a decent scholarship (or even getting accepted into a decent school and their Honors Program; such programs often give critical benefits like early registration, so you don't get blocked from the best courses, and give guidance on good faculty, both in the classroom and as research mentors). Note: the AVERAGE high school GPA for our institution last year was 3.6... and it's just your standard state school in the Southeast Conference... certainly nothing special.

One small suggestion (if you think your depression / lack of motivation is stemming from a lack of challenge in at least some areas of your academics)... have you thought about taking a regular college course or two through a local institution (not just something through the online EPGY program)? Doing this would also get you away from the high school environment... if that's causing your angst.

Good luck! It's important that you fix this.