<p>I have a 3.0 weighted gpa, a 33 composite ACT score, I've taken a total of 5 AP courses, and plan on taking 5 more during my senior year. Additionally, I've amassed a combined total of 40 hours volunteering at a nursing home and a doctor's office, I played junior varsity tennis during my freshman year, I'm a member of the diversity club at my school, as well as a business club, which I've won awards for, and I plan on starting a film club with a fellow classmate in the near future. I realize my gpa is less than stellar, but my teachers and parents agree with me when i say it's in no way a true representation of my abilities, a fact which I believe I can make clear in my college essays. This being said, which universities do I have a realistic chance of getting into? I live in Michigan and I'd prefer staying fairly close to home, at least in this side of the country.</p>
<p>P.S. My unweighted gpa is around a 2.8 but when weighted using my school's method (+.021 to the overall gpa for every semester you take an AP course) it comes out to a 3.0. I specify this because I'm aware some schools weight gpa's differently than others.</p>
<p>State universities that isn’t Umichigan Ann Arbor. And I would like to see what you can say to defend a 3.00 WEIGHTED GPA “not being a true representation of my abilities”, I could see someone with a B average UW saying that, but a 3.00 weighted means a fair amount of Cs and below. Unless some traumatic event happened in your life, then disregard this.</p>
<p>6 years ago my son had stats very similar to yours, 2.8 unweighted gpa at a prep school with a tough grading scale, 34 ACT and documented learning disabilities. His schedule was rigorous, with several APs(4s & 5s). He was a 4 year varsity swimmer, co-captain senior year, active in a couple of clubs and participated in some regional/national events. He applied to 6 schools, 1 safety, 4 matches, 1 reach, about half in the top 50. He was accepted at the safety, a newer state university. Colleges do not like to see high test scores and low gpa. They view it as laziness or apathy. My son’s GC was very surprised that he was not accepted at the other schools, in light of his well-documented learning disabilities. Good luck to you!</p>
<p>Since you want to apply close to home I’d definitely apply to Michigan state if I were you (one of my friends got in with similar stats). Can you get into a top 50 school? Probably not, since the lower GPA isn’t partly because of some serious family problem or something of the like. But definitely apply to those in the 50-100 range, and make sure to have some safeties in-state</p>
<p>My son has been accepted to several Midwest schools with similar stats (slightly higher gpa, slightly lower ACT/SAT–stronger EC’s), but so far only Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland is in the top 50.</p>
<p>fa-la-la-lena, my family’s been going through rough times, financially, for the past couple years. My parents haven’t been laid-off or anything but there have been problems with cash flow because because of some mistakes by our investor. We have all the money back now, but there was a large period of time in which we barely had any and it led to a lot of fights between my parents. This was especially hard because my grandparents live with us and we support them financially. Also, my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago and that was particularly hard for me because I’m very close to him. Lastly, I know I have ADD, and my dad who’s a doctor does too, but I haven’t gotten “tested” for it because my parents don’t want me to be on medication. I know these things aren’t nearly as bad as a death in the family or something like that but would colleges take me seriously if I put at least some blame for my low grades on them?..or would they consider me to be another college applicant looking for pity?</p>
<p>Also, I don’t know if this has any effect on my chances, but there were two small details I left out about myself. I was in my school’s orchestra freshman and sophomore year (I was the first chair for my instrument) and I was born in Pakistan but immigrated to the U.S. at a very young age</p>
<p>^^ You definitely do not want to leave those out of your application. An essay from the perspective of a Pakistani-American would do you wonders.</p>
<p>And on a sidenote, specific names of colleges I have a solid chance of getting into would be much appreciated. A few schools that I have in mind are University of Michigan, New York University, University of Wisconsin, University of Illinois, University of Florida, Davidson College, Kalamazoo College, Hope College, and Northwestern University (next to impossible, but my dream school).</p>
<p>^ Sorry, but that is just not true. Do you know how many kids get 4.0’s in their high school? A ton. My guess is about 5-8% of the school. Do you know how many kids get perfect ACT/SAT scores? Less than half of a percent of the entire population. Ask any admin officer in the world which score speaks louder, and they will tell you the Standardized Test marks for certian.</p>
<p>Northwestern and Davidson are stretches, NYU could happen, I’m not sure about the others… Personally though, I had a low gpa and high testing scores and got into a number of top 50 schools, so I don’t think it’s fair to say having a 3.0 rules you out of the top 50. Good luck =]</p>
<p>please explain to me why a college admission person would take into account ONE test score more then an accurate depiction of a student over 4 years? it makes no sense to me…</p>
<p>as my guidance consuler told me this year for my junior interview</p>
<p>“a high gpa can make up for a low test score. However a high test score can not make up for a low gpa.”</p>
<p>3 years of grades are more important then one day of testing…</p>