<p>I have decent SATs (760v/730m/700w) and equally decent extracurriculars (community service at a library, founding member/president of an extracurricular, a few academic awards, part of a band that performs quite often locally, etc). I took a reasonable amount of AP courses throughout high school, but my schedule would probably not be called grueling. However, my high school cumulative GPA is an exact 3.00. Is it even worth my time to apply to any Ivy League schools? </p>
<p>If it's worth anything, my junior year was my best statistically, as I sat at about a 2.8 before it. Also, there are some mitigating issues regarding my family situation, which I simply don't know if colleges will take into account. I'm pretty new to the college admissions game.</p>
<p>If you can spare the $65, you can always try...but don't put your hopes into it. In Ivies, you either are extraordinary in an area, or you aren't. There is no "decent."</p>
<p>"I'm pretty new to the college admissions game."
Most of us are, considering we usually only get one shot at it ;)</p>
<p>But remember, there is life outside of Ivies...there are many good schools out there that just don't have the age, donors, location, or luck to become famous.</p>
<p>My advice is to go wherever you can get in, get a 4.0 first semester and apply to a place like UNC or get a high GPA for 1.5 years then apply to places like Dartmouth and Brown.</p>
<p>I know many people who applied to schools they thought they'd never get into with less-than-sterling credentials and got in. Why not take a chance? If you still have time, get really involved in something, dedicate yourself to some academic/community service/whatever-oriented project to show that you're serious. I think Dartmouth might let you send in extra essays (anyway, some colleges do, but I forget if Dartmouth was one of them), and never underestimate the power of teacher recommendations. Colleges more often than not take mitigating circumstances into account -- my interviewers all went out of their way to ask me if there was any problem with my academic records and if there was, could it be explained by a sickness/family trouble/etc.? So really, I say go for it. If you're REALLY serious about Dartmouth, apply early decision.</p>
<p>In Ivies, you either are extraordinary in an area, or you aren't. There is no "decent."</p>
<p>To tanonev: Hmmm... I would challenge you to go through my records and point out the area in which I am "extraordinary" but honestly I don't think you'd find anything. I haven't won any major science competitions, I haven't composed an opera, haven't written a novel, haven't solved a Rubix cube...</p>
<p>There's honestly nothing wrong with being "decent." Let's not be elitists. :-p</p>
<p>Yeah, I second salsera927. Everyone knows that if you don't apply, you won't get in for sure! Just make your application personal so admission will see who you are.</p>
<p>Well, as far as stats are concerned, a 3.0 may be considered "low" compared to the applicants normally accepted. However, class rank is an important factor as well. If your rank is very high at your school with your 3.0 (top 10%), than it could be better. But, if your rank is not that high, than a 3.0 gpa could be considered a "reach" statistically.</p>
<p>No offense or anything, but you should spend that money on another application. A school like Dartmouth will not and should not accept someone with that GPA. I was waitlisted as the valedictorian of my class with higher SATs that you on every section and pretty good EC's.</p>
<p>However, all is not lost. Going to an ivy league school (or other top college) isn't everything, and there are plenty of other great colleges out there. Your SAT score is great and shows that you have the aptitude to do very well in college. I'd shoot for some state schools that will give you scholarship money and put you in their honors college.</p>
<p>I think everybody has it wrong. Most likely you are not going to get in, but its a meaningless # without knowing your rank. Rank is key. GPA itself isnt.</p>
<p>That's probably right, massguy, but at most schools, a 3.0 will put a student well outside of the range from which dartmouth would admit. However, if that 3.0 is at a competitive private school and put him in the top 10 in his class, it's a different story...</p>
<p>This old rule applies, if you have to choose hi SAT + low GPA, or Mediocre SAT but hi GPA, the latter wins. Hi GPA says you are a consistent achiever. There are exceptions of course. You'd have to prove the mitigating curcumstances. Don't give up but then don't think there is no life beyond Ivy's either.</p>
<p>Maybe you or your counselor could explain your family situation to them. In any case, just keep working on those ecs and essays. It;s all crapshoot, so why not go for it and aplly.</p>
<p>I would put your situation into the context of someone playing the Powerball Lottery. </p>
<p>If you want to lay down a dollar (or 65 in this case) and dream big until the drawing, it was a dollar well spent.</p>
<p>If your career plan is dependent on hitting all of the numbers, you're just foolish.</p>
<p>Unless you are an URM or All-American athelete, your probabilities are in the very low single digit percentages for acceptance. Even with stellar grades your chances improve only to the lower teens.</p>
<p>Put your dollar down, don't waste your ED choice, and find somewhere else that also gets you excited. If the mailbox has the big envelope from Hanover you just hit the Powerball.</p>
<p>"This old rule applies, if you have to choose hi SAT + low GPA, or Mediocre SAT but hi GPA, the latter wins."</p>
<p>I really just don't believe this. I think that despite what schools say they would prefer high SAT scores since this is what drives their rankings.</p>
<p>At the very least, I know for a fact this is true for law school.</p>
<p>Not true athena
I have seen admissions score charts and the first and most important thing is grades. Then rigor of program. If your grades suffered b/c you're at a hard school you get a little leeway. However if your SAT scores are high with a low GPA without a really hard program or mitigating circumstances the school doesn't want you because you've shown that you are capable but will no perform. </p>
<p>emagdnim2100 : I say try to raise your GPA. your scores are good, but there are many more important things that sat scores. </p>
<p>Also Ivies are not well known simply for SAT scores, they are known for great students-those are not always the people who have the highest scores. Some people do not perform as well on tests but strive harder in the classroom. That is more important</p>
<p>Sorry luckygirl, I still disagree. I think that what you said is the correct philosophy, but I do not think it happens in practice. If grades were truly more important, these SAT ranges would be a lot lower. Schools are driven by rankings, and rankings are driven by SATs. I have read several books about college admissions that support this. The admissions officers did not sound happy about this, but they said it is the reality of the situation. To me, it is pretty intuitive. But unfortunate nonetheless.</p>
<p>Also, it is in the school's interest to say that grades are more important. More people have high grades than high SAT scores. If the school encourages the highest number of people to apply, their acceptance rate decreases, making them appear more selective and also driving up the rankings.</p>
<p>It sound cynical, but this is a pretty cutthroat game.</p>