Students with poor grades on their transcript should wait until regular admission to apply to college.

For students who struggle academically in high school, the college application process can be especially stressful. The competitive admissions process can make these students feel like college is out of reach, but there are still options.

Admissions experts say students can explain an academic dip in college applications and use the rest of their senior year to make their application more appealing. Students should talk to a counselor to examine all their options, but the following four strategies can help students with poor grades strengthen their college applications.