“My grades were terrible during my freshman and sophomore years. I’ve ruined my chances at any good college, haven’t I?”

student in front of collegeI hear this question frequently, usually from students who’ve been labeled as “difficult,” “unmotivated,” or “not working up to their potential.” These are students in what Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop, in their book “The Disengaged Teen,” call Resister Mode—students who “actively resist learning, often due to feelings of disconnection or frustration.”

In this third part of my four-part series, I will examine the Resister more closely and consider why students resist, and how this mode affects college admission.

The Devastating Misconception

Students who resist and parents of Resisters typically believe their situation is hopeless:

  • “Poor grades freshman and sophomore year ruined everything.”
  • “Colleges won’t overlook a bad transcript.”
  • “If you hate school, you won’t get into college.”

I understand why this feels true. In a system obsessed with perfect GPAs and consistent achievement, Resisters look like failures. Teachers call them unmotivated. Guidance counselors flag them as concerns. Parents feel frustrated and helpless.

But here’s what years of experience have taught me: Resistance often signals something important that everyone else is missing. Plus, some of the most compelling college applications I’ve encountered came from Resisters.

Why Students Resist—And What It Reveals

Anderson and Winthrop make a critical point: students in Resister Mode are “using their voice and agency to say, ‘This isn’t working for me.'” They’re not lazy or defiant for the sake of defiance. They’re responding to a genuine mismatch between their needs and their environment.

I’ve worked with Resisters who were bored by unchallenging material, frustrated by teaching styles that didn’t match their learning styles, dealing with undiagnosed learning differences, or navigating difficult circumstances at home. Their resistance was actually a healthy response to an unhealthy situation.

The problem is that schools—and the college admission system—typically interpret resistance as a character flaw rather than as important information about what the student needs.

Seeing the Hidden Opportunity in an Upward Trajectory

Here’s something admission officers understand that most parents don’t: an upward grade trend can be more compelling than four years of straight A’s.

When I was reading applications as an admission officer at a highly selective university, I paid close attention to students whose grades improved significantly over time. A student with a 2.8 freshman year, 3.2 sophomore year, 3.6 junior year, and 3.8 senior year told a story. That story was about growth, self-awareness, and the ability to overcome challenges.

Compare this to a student with a 3.8 every year. Consistent? Yes. But what does it reveal about the student’s ability to overcome adversity, to grow, to learn from struggles?

Resisters who find their way forward—who figure out what wasn’t working and take ownership of changing their trajectory—demonstrate qualities that selective colleges deeply value: resilience, self-awareness, and the capacity for transformation.

The Power of an Authentic Story Behind an Essay

Anderson and Winthrop note that Resisters are often “labeled as ‘the problem child.'” But in the college application process, students who’ve been the “problem child” and learned from that experience often have the most authentic stories to tell.

I’ve helped Resisters craft essays about…

  • realizing they needed to advocate for themselves when the standard teaching approach wasn’t working.
  • recognizing that their resistance to busywork was actually a signal that they needed more intellectual challenge.
  • learning to distinguish between resistance that was protecting them and resistance that was preventing them from growing

These essays are powerful because they’re real! They show self-awareness, demonstrate growth, and reveal students who’ve grappled with genuine challenges rather than students who’ve simply followed a predetermined path to success.

A Transformation That Creates Compelling Applications

I’ve worked with students who transformed from Resisters to Explorers—students who discovered that their resistance wasn’t about hating learning but about needing learning that engaged them differently.

For example, one student stopped resisting once they found an independent study option that let them pursue their genuine interest in urban planning. Another began thriving when they switched to a project-based learning environment. And a third discovered that their resistance to traditional English classes disappeared when they found a teacher who encouraged creative interpretation.

When Resisters find what works for them, the transformation is dramatic.

The students’ grades improve, and engagement increases. And their college applications suddenly have a powerful narrative arc: a student who struggled, learned from that struggle, and emerged with clear self-awareness and direction.

Framing Resistance as Self-Awareness

The key to helping Resisters in the college admission process is reframing their story. Resistance isn’t defiance—it’s self-awareness. It’s the ability to recognize when something isn’t working and to communicate that, even if the communication isn’t always welcomed.

This type of narrative is far more compelling than “I’ve always been perfect at everything.”

The Message Resisters Need to Hear

If your student is a Resister—or has been one—here’s what I want you to know: their story isn’t over! In fact, the most interesting part might just be beginning.

The poor grades from their freshman and sophomore years don’t have to define their future. What matters is what they’ve learned, how they’ve grown, and where they’re heading. Selective colleges understand that 14-year-olds make mistakes, struggle to find their footing, and need time to develop.

What colleges want to see is evidence that a student has learned from their struggles and is moving forward with purpose and self-awareness. Resisters who’ve done this work have some of the most compelling stories in the applicant pool.

—

Over the course of many years as an Independent Education Consultant, I have gained expertise in helping students craft authentic narratives about overcoming challenges and finding their path forward. If your student has been struggling in the past and you’re concerned about their college prospects, contact me.