how to get into top colleges with bad grades: my ENTIRE college application

[@emilytan7067]

DISCLAIMER: How "good" or "bad" grades & test scores are differs for every student + depends on where you are applying! The reason my grades, gpa, and SAT score are "low" is because stats are always evaluated IN CONTEXT and I was trying to get into the ULTRA competitive schools like Yale & Yale-NUS (which don't accept many students with my stats) My contextual factors: I am an (1) international applicant (2) Asian (enough said lol). Many applicants from my demographic apply to places like Yale with near perfect stats, and even they get rejected. Beyond the already low acceptance rates, it's even lower for international applicants like me because they have an unwritten quota for internationals. I did make it in the end, but I definitely am an atypical case for a place like Yale-NUS because ultimately college is an academic endeavor, and the more competitive the school, the higher the bar for entry with your academic ability and achievement. I remember watching a sea of "how i got into the Ivy League" videos, with virtually everyone having 3.9+gpa/1550+ SAT and feeling super discouraged about my own scores then talked myself out of applying to Yale (my dream school). I really wanted to make this video to help anyone currently in the same same situation and having doubts about applying to your dream school just because of not having perfect stats. Colleges with very low acceptance rates have thousands of applicants with virtually indistinguishable levels of achievement, and at the end of the day it comes to down to a bit of luck...You should DEFINITELY just try!

[@Sam-oi6fq]

Hi!, thank you so much for this video it was really helpful. My grades in 9th and 10th were very good but they went really down in 11th and the 12th mid-term. It was again because of some personal issues that I was facing in addition to the fact that my father had a severe case of covid and he was in the hospital for 2 months( he is fine now). Anyways, you said that you included in your application explaining why your grades sunk, I didn't know that I could do that. I have already submitted all my college applications, but is there any way I could still inform them about this. I would really appreciate it if you helped me with this because I am beyond scared if I will get into a good university or not. Again, Thank you.

[@arianachiroy2065]

im a student who has a really low gpa (2.4) and i barely started realizing i want to go to an ivy league but i know that my chances are low. i hate the situation i am in but i hope one day i’d be able to become an ivy league student, or just maybe in another life.

[@Hellooo234]

YOU GOT THIS, IS NEVER TOO LATE. May God be with you and give you the strength that you need to keep going

[@hannahelizabeth-re8ew]

this is exactly where i’m at right now i’m about to be a junior in high school in 2 months and i got bad grades freshman and sophomore year and i’m just now wanting to get into an ivy league and i feel like i’ve wasted my life away.

[@studentstudent5044]

I’m 20 and I just spenat 2 years raising my grades after I graduate from High school. I now hahe a 3.7 gpa. Don’t worry. People use their 20s to study. If you take 1,2 or 3 years tI fix your grades and then start college then that is nothing. You can do it.

[@studentstudent5044]

@@hannahelizabeth-re8ew I’m 20 and I just spenat 2 years raising my grades after I graduate from High school. I now hahe a 3.7 gpa. Don’t worry. People use their 20s to study. If you take 1,2 or 3 years tI fix your grades and then start college then that is nothing. You can do it.

[@evaeve1927]

​@@studentstudent5044may I ask how "did ou fix your grades" because I was a topper until my last year of high school /baccalaureate I had mediocre grades (in my pov) and all the uni I wanted are gone now.. Is there any hope that I can be worthy😢?

[@aytanaanthony23]

Your videos really help me build confidence in applying for colleges next year! Even though I have a higher GPA average than you had, it is still below the average of some of the schools I want to apply to. I also have one of those parents that believe grades are everything and has lead me to believe that "I won't get into any college with the rate that I'm going." But your videos give me so much more confidence, and I may even try to apply to an ivy league, so thank you!

[@cyberstuffwatevaqt3955]

Hey, how is everything going? I am kind of in your spot and would love to know more about your proccess!

[@clarissediagne8600]

Me too

[@typeshit0]

I'm a junior rn, 3.0 unweighted gpa, 3.7 weighted. I'm about to apply to a ton of ivy's, so I think the main thing that will carry me is my essays and my ec's. The only good ec I have rn is that like, I interviewed a few ms & t-mobile vc's and senators.

[@yato2491]

literally same

[@sailuvijl6621]

How did u interview them

[@dailyFacts473]

You just gave me a hope. I'm planning to apply for the Yale and Stanford University but I haven't gave my sat exam and I had failed my math in 10 garde :-2.4 and in 11 I got:-2.96 then in 12 :- 3.15 ,this might not be the best grade but I'm trying. Hope they understand why I took gap

[@malia3979]

i really love your improvement ! did you take aps? or ?

[@dailyFacts473]

@@malia3979 no, I have took any of those. I used to watch bunch of motivational videos and used to motivate myself and start practicing for better results.

[@malia3979]

@@dailyFacts473 thank you !!

[@maya-iq2yg]

I applied REA to Stanford. Let's keep each other posted about college :)

[@athena8072]

how did it turn out?

[@krishnendu_69]

How can I get into ivy league in 2025 when I have 2.62 gpa (out of 4) in my bachelor's (only because I didn't study well 🤧)? How can I improve myself in 1 drop year? Which type of internships, exams, extra courses, other stuffs should I take??

[@roshniveronikamallick9744]

Hi Emily! Love how you're doing these super helpful videos that emphasize that no one is defined by numbers/grades! D'you have the time to read my common app essay, maybe? I left a similar comment on one of your other videos and I'm so sorry if I'm like bugging you or anything, lol. Much love x

[@afsanehandrews943]

Hi Emily, just watched some of your videos on how you can still get into top schools with low grades/SAT score. I think what you're doing here is amazing and truly inspiring to me. I recently took the SAT and I got a 1210. I was very confused because I had always done well in school and am in advanced math, so it was very discouraging in the beginning. Every time I brought this up to someone: my parents, my friends, and even my college counselor, nobody was able to give me a clear answer. So I wanted to ask what your opinion was on this. As most schools are test-optional, should I retake the SAT? Is it really worth the stress of studying? I think it was honestly that I've always had test anxiety and I didn't take as many practice tests as I should, so how can I use this on my college applications? Thank you!

[@user-jc2we4sn1i]

I only was accepted by MIT of Cambridge to barely get in for my paper on how to achieve muon catalyzed fusion based on How I prove how Noguchi of early 1940s Hamgyong perfected nuclear fusion to power rocket powered braided composite gliders and steam filled airships considering how Alvarez was only credited after Peacekeepers had returned from ruins due to his Hispanic heritage of Affirmative Action to try to win favors from constant social unrest.

[@davidbringham12]

hi. your video kinda inspiring. my 9th grade gpa was 3.12, 10-11th grade 2.88 and my 12th grade was 3.6. overall it is 3.0 around. I recently got 1490 SAT. do I have a chance for top colleges

[@saradhakannan]

Motivational … Does volunteer / community service has to be aligned with what degree we are applying for ?

[@Swttpea]

would you be willing to do an in depth video on your role as president of the Girl up chapter at your school ? :)

[@muhammadusmanbutt3341]

3.78 cgpa is low for her wow

[@studentstudent5044]

I’m 20 and I just spenat 2 years raising my grades after I graduate from High school. I now hahe a 3.7 gpa. Don’t worry. People use their 20s to study. If you take 1,2 or 3 years to fix your grades and then start college then that is nothing. You can do it.

[@mofooty22_]

Did you go to community first

[@kendryah422]

Are extracurriculars only valid while you are in high school? Or after graduating high school can you also do extracurriculars? Will they be valid after graduation?

[@gloriamartinez5540]

I'm not sure how to group my extracurriculars the themes I have figured out are food issues (food waste, food insecurity, obesity) and language. I'm entering 10th so I have some time to cater my future activities to the themes but I have some outliers including Student Government, NHS (3.9 weighted GPA +)-organizes some volunteering, and Marching Band. I also want to restart MUN in my school (we didnt have MUN this year) in the future . . . does anyone have any tips for the themes?

[@TheHappychickadee]

Low gpa high sat - help

[@user-gj8un1ec2r]

You sound like rosè from blackpink

[@Ooooooooo-s7v]

How did I get into ivy league with bad grade - simple you have a healthy relationship 🤐🤐

[@xy9117]

u give me hope lol

[@wokstar1654]

I have no hope my gpa is a 2.2 im DOOMED

[@destroyedsettings5506]

@@wokstar1654 if you’re in your senior year, then going to community college will be an excellent choice for you. You’ll save tons of money, be able to interact with professors in a smaller class setting, and you will be able to transfer then after 2 years to a university where you’ll have your major requirements finished. This is a good recommendation which I’m pretty sure you’ve already heard about since community colleges are a low cost option for pretty much everyone, especially those with a below average gpa. (National average is a 3.0)

[@emox6400]

My son has 4.0 (4.7)/1480 and isn’t even bothering applying to Ivies. Sorry, you got very lucky.

[@trysharoberts7733]

if he didn't even apply you have no way of knowing his outcome. not to say that there wasn't an element of luck involved in her admission, but not even bothering to apply to ivies with a 4.0 is more of a mindset issue than anything else (unless of course he has no interest in applying either way)

[@ilostmyearpodsbtwiamhannah815]

welp then that’s ur sons problem 💀 he probably doesn’t have a unique enough character