How to Get Into College With a Low GPA

Maybe you’ve got a 2.5 GPA, no worries, I get it. As a bona fide procrastinator, I know from experience how stressful a low GPA in high school can be for your college prospects. The fact that you’re here is already a good sign. I remember at the end of my sophomore year being in a bit of a rut. I hardly ever did my homework, I was barely passing my classes, and my GPA was in the low 2.0 area.

Things were not looking too hot for me academically, and my counselor had to take me aside one day and make me face facts. Getting into Harvard or Princeton was probably out of the question, and heck, I doubted if even Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College would have room for me. But, my counselor reassured me that it wasn’t all gloom and doom, and I still had a chance to make it into college. If any of you are worried about this sort of thing, I hopefully can pass along that same message because you absolutely can still get into college, but you are going to have to make a few changes to your academic lifestyle.

1. Talk with your counselor

I don’t know why, but that was something I never liked doing. I was never a great student so it kind of gave me that same kind of shudder I get when I check my bank account statements, but it undoubtedly is vital to your success. Their job is to help you succeed and they can give you guidance, motivation, and most importantly, the options you need. They’ve got all those connections to a ton of colleges and can help you figure out what best fits your situation. Because my GPA was pretty low my counselor helped me get into a remedial summer program at the University of Northern Iowa which granted me admission after I completed it! Although that sort of situation might not be applicable to everyone, the bottom line is if you can communicate regularly with your counselor and are adamant and willing to accept their guidance, you have a good shot of getting into college.

2. Hit the books!

This is not being said lightly. I’m the LAST person to talk to ANYONE on improving academic habits. But whether you are a freshman, sophomore, junior, or a senior, any positive changes you can make in your studies can make all the difference. My big problem was just doing my homework. All it was was pointless busywork! But some of the most valuable advice that has helped me as I grow older was from the immortal Red Forman from That 70s Show:

It is unfortunately true. Sometimes you gotta rip the band-aid off and get down and dirty with subjects like Algebra II, Spanish, and…………..chemistry (ugggggghhhhhh….. don’t get me started on that). Study with friends, read (or get a good sense of) the material assigned to you, and do your homework. You might not like it, but it undoubtedly does feel pretty kickass to put in a lot of work and then being rewarded with some A’s and B’s for your classes.

3. Talk to the teachers!!!

Why would you want to talk to that old dinosaur who teaches…….chemistry? I bet he probably smells like FEET! Well I’ll tell you why chump. Because like your counselor, he is getting paid to help you succeed. If you are struggling, go and see him after class. He can give you extra help, extra practice, and lead you in the right direction. There are plenty of classes you probably hate, but a good way I found to get through them was to “fake it ’til you make it”. Try and immerse yourself into the material as much as possible and at least some of the information will stick. Who knows? You might start actually liking some of those classes! I did for quite a few of them. Unless we’re talking chemistry, in which case I had NO IDEA WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT ALL.

4. Consider community college

Now, depending on the situation, Community College might be the best fit for you. Lots of folks think that community college is not as sexy as a four year school, but that notion is complete BALDERDASH! (That’s a new word I learned!!!!) Here’s the skinny: It’s a lot cheaper, the coursework can help prepare you for a 4 year college, and transfering from a community college to a university can be pretty simple. But you’ve got to make a plan and stick to it!

Check out this link for more information on that subject.

Community college is a perfectly acceptable course of action, and it can be a great way to dip your toes in the water. You’re not forking over thousands upon thousands of dollars for your education, so this is a good opportunity to see if pursuing your education is what you want to be doing. College is not for everyone, and it is important to figure that out before going to a university.

5. Book smarts aren’t everything

This is the last of my half-baked advice I will give you. This was something that took me all of highschool to come to terms with. I was not a good student at all, and that would often lead me to believe that I had a lack of intelligence because of it. This might not apply to you, but if it does, don’t doubt yourself. I don’t know you, but I know you’ve got plenty of potential and intelligence, so don’t base all of your self worth on your grades. This is somewhat contradictory advice, school is undoubtedly important, and this is certainly NOT the go ahead to disregard it. But at this very wise old age of twenty-two I can tell you there is more to life than getting good grades. High School isn’t insurmountable. It’s a hurdle you CAN cross. If I can do it, I know for a fact you can! Because trust me, college is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY better than highschool.

See? Check it out! That guy’s playing frisbee! He is so cool! God, I wanna hang out with him!

— Connor Broderick, Content Writing Intern

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