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What else is included in the application and admissions process besides GPA, SAT, EC's and the essay? Excuse me if I sound ignorant.
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<p>The 3.2 is low. I don't think anyone disagrees with that. And, the vast majority, I would say 99% of people with a 3.2 who apply to W&M do not get in. So... what set this student apart from the others with a similar GPA? Just because you don't know what that is that set the student apart, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.</p>
<p>soccerguy is right - very few students with a GPA that low get in. According to W & M's common data set, only 1.84 percent of enrolled freshman last year had high school GPAs in the 3.0-3.24 range. If you check out the 2008 CDS here ( Common</a> Data Set ) you can see the full list of academic and non-academic factors that W & M considers for admission.</p>
<p>Does your high school make everyone's GPA public, or did this other student tell you she has a 3.2 GPA? Is that unweighted with many AP classes, or possibly some classes at a community college? You mentioned that this student has one EC - are you certain? Some people do extensive ECs off the high school's radar screen, such as church work or community volunteering; some students must deal with very draining and time-consuming family situations (health problems, etc.) .</p>
<p>I'm always surprised when people know so much about another student's qualifications. I agree it's remarkable when a student with a GPA of 3.2 is accepted at a school like W & M. But as others have pointed out, you can't know what the admissions committee was looking at when they reviewed her application.</p>
<p>She is a friend of mine so yes I know her GPA and EC. I am very happy for her and I think her acceptance provides an interesting insight into the unpredictability of the admissions process.</p>
<p>I think her acceptance proves that she has something very valuable to offer the W&M community that the admissions committee noticed, but you are missing.</p>
<p>Why would they take someone with a 3.2 when they could've had someone with a 4.0? Because the 3.2 offers something the 4.0 doesn't.</p>
<p>If W & M is like most other schools they recalculate the GPA's and a 3.2 from one school may carry the same weight as a GPA of 3.7 from another. Also this young lady may have had one or two bad semesters that lowered her GPA, but may not be a reflection of her entire high school career. Divorce, death in a family, illness, a change in schools....all can have a profound impact on a student's grades. Regarding the classmate with the high GPA and SAT's that got rejected, perhaps there was something significant in his file that was not appealing to W & M, an arrest or suspension, for example. But more than likely he probably didn't get all or part of his application in by the deadline.</p>