(Barnard) Low GPA/SATs but otherwise outstanding stats? Chance me, please!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Barnard College
1

So, I’m definitely a non-traditional prospective student. I’m applying to Barnard, Bowdoin, Bates, Bard, Columbia, NYU, Binghamton, Stony Brook, Sarah Lawrence, Vassar, Mount Holyoke, and a few other colleges/universities. All this aside, my top choice is definitely Barnard.

During my sophomore year, I began to have intense side pain, which eventually led to me having surgery a week before my junior year started. I also have third-degree heart block, and has always been absent every three months for tri-monthly appointments.

As a result of being absent most of my junior year, my GPA is very low (2.8) and I struggled with all of my classes, primarily Physics and Pre-Calculus. I vowed to do better my senior year, and I plan on submitting a supplement explaining that dip in my transcript.

My APs my senior year are AP Literature, AP Calculus AB, and AP Government. My SAT (which I’ve taken only twice) is 1140/1600 (extremely low, I know, but I took Algebra in middle school, and I was absent for most of Pre-Calculus, so SAT Math isn’t my friend.)

Despite these stats, I was chosen to speak as the only student ambassador at a benefit for a computer science program that I’m a part of, and had a video made about my internship during the summer. I’ve taken computer science lessons all four years of high school. I interned at Oscar Health this past summer, and was the only high school intern. I’m currently in the process of applying to intern at Glossier as a comp sci intern again, only this time during the spring. I’m also going to be shadowing the doctor who performed my surgery during the spring.

I was a part of Barnard’s STEP Program during my junior year, and took a break the first semester of my senior year, but plan on going back starting in January.

I have great ECs, too many to list. I also have great recommendations, and essays. I’ve even personally emailed my admissions coach for Barnard and explained my situation to her.

Please let me know if you need anymore information, and do chance me!

2

Hi. I have a couple questions for you: do you have any indication of what your grades will look like for this semester? Senior grades can make a big difference. Is the 2.8 just a junior year GPA or an overall? Is it weighted or unweighted? Are you applying to any other schools? You don’t have any safeties on that list. At every single one of those schools, your SAT and GPA is below the 25th percentile. I think it’s possible that those are all high matches/reaches (though I’m not entirely sure with your GPA).
The good news is that you are taking the right steps: getting your grades up, explaining your situation and writing good essays.
The bad news is that I think you need to modify your list a fair bit. Colleges tend to look for a few main things: can this student do the work? Will this student contribute to campus? And will this student fit? I think it’s fair to say you have the last two but you haven’t proven to these colleges that you are capable of doing the work (I’m not trying to say you’re not capable, just that your scores and grades don’t necessarily prove that right now). There are a fair number of great test optional schools (like Mount Holyoke) but I’m worried your GPA would still put you out of the running. These schools, especially Barnard, Bowdoin, Bates, Columbia, NYU and Vassar are so incredibly difficult to get into. My sister had (the equivalent of) an SAT 400 points higher, a 4.0 UW GPA, (don’t remember weighted but it was high), and ECs much like yours and she didn’t apply to Columbia because she didn’t think it was worth the time/money. She did get waitlisted at both Barnard and NYU and rejected from Vassar. This isn’t meant to say that you won’t necessarily get in but I think it’s worth revising your list. Since you like Barnard so much, it’s worth keeping but I think the others I listed above are worth cutting, especially Columbia. I’m guessing it’s too late, but if it’s possible, I would highly recommend taking the SAT again or trying the ACT. A very good score could seriously boost your chances. You might want to consider a gap year or community college. Both would give you the chance to prove yourself academically. If this doesn’t appeal to you, I would be more than willing to give you some school suggestions. Good luck!

3

@rahma00 Barnard (unlike Columbia) actually publishes their CDS https://barnard.edu/sites/default/files/cds_2016-2017_4.27.17.pdf Where they detail the standardized test scores and GPA of enrolled students.

(to find a school’s Common Data Set, google: Name of School CDS)

According to the Barnard CDS:
Less than 1% of enrolled students had a GPA of under 3.24
Under 10% of enrolled students had an SAT score of under 1200

They also describe how they decide on admissions, and whether each factor is very important, important, considered or not considered.

Very Important:
Rigor of secondary school record
Academic GPA
Essay
Recommendations
Character/personal qualities

Important:
Class rank
standardized test scores
EC
Talent
Volunteer work
work experience

With one “very important” factor putting you in the bottom 1%, and an important factor putting you in the bottom 10%, the other factors will need to be truly outstanding to give you any shot at all. The only way you’ll find out is to submit your Barnard application.

That being said, I think you need to develop a far more realistic college list with some schools where your main stats (GPA and SAT) put you in the 50% - 75% range of students or you may find yourself completely shut out of college.

Even at the one of the least east selective schools you listed above with a >50% acceptance rate (Mount Holyoke) your GPA puts you in the bottom 2% of enrolled students…

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@justdreaming Yeah, I plan on getting 95+ averages in all of my classes, so that along with the extra ten points for each of my AP classes should raise my average. I’m not sure what my GPA will be exactly, but I know it will show an upward trend.

Unfortunately, the 2.8 is my cumulative average for my entire three years. I was at around a 95 average before that, so one of my college admissions coach told me I could explain and calculate in my supplemental piece what my average would be without junior year (so freshman + sophomore + senior = high GPA).

I believe 2.8 would be unweighted. My school adds 10 points to every AP class, which is 1.1%, I think.

Yes, I realize this list didn’t list any of my safety schools, but rest assured guys, I have plenty! Another option of mine would be to go to an easier college/university to get into around my area, and then transfer to Barnard or any other college within a semester or so.

I was kind of hoping that getting all 95-100s in my three AP classes for both semesters would prove that I’m capable of doing the work. Do you think so? I also wanted to explain in my supplemental essay that I’m also taking night school for my first semester to bring my average up again. I mean, the only free days I have are weekends, because Monday-Friday, I’m either in night school doing extra work, at my comp sci program, with my college admissions coaches, or at a book club. So, most of my time is actually spent doing something academic-related, and related to bringing my average up.

I know some schools accept a January SAT, but just in case that doesn’t work out, I also took an ACT, and I’m just waiting for my scores.

Maybe I’ll consider a gap year, but I’m not really sure what I’d do during that year besides interning as a full-time computer software engineer at a top company? Any suggestions? Oh, and please do give me school suggestions!

5

@tdy123 Yes, I know my chances are extremely slim, and I will be applying to a number of safety schools because I know the college admissions process is never guaranteed.

I’d say I have and embody all of the other ‘Very Important’ and ‘Important’ aspects, but it’s just a matter of proving it to the admissions officers. If you want me to list them for a better explanation, I’d be happy to do so!

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Are you applying to any match or safety schools as your academic profile (scores and GPA) are going to make most of these schools super reaches and several not possible?

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@rahma00 Holistic admissions doesn’t mean that EC’s will make up for extremely subpar stats. It means that EC’s can be a major differentiating factor that schools use to differentiate between applicants with otherwise acceptable stats. Unfortunately, I don’t think any combination of other factors, no matter how outstanding are enough to make up for hard stats that put you so far below the 25% percentile at the schools you’re interested in. Your best shot at getting in to a school like Barnard might be to prep intensively and retake the SAT (even though the score will be to late to use for your freshman year application) with the goal of boosting your score by at least 200 points; followed by an intense focus on getting as close to 4.0 as possible at the college you end up enrolling in and then apply for transfer admissions.

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Would you be applying under HEOP? (If so, increasing ACT or SAT score could be a problem, because too high of a score is disqualifying - see https://barnard.edu/heop/admissions )

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Hey! So I was an ED applicant and I was pretty similar to you with a low UW GPA (due to bulimia) - I was rejected. I’m attaching my stats below if you wanted to read in. That being said, no point really being here and guessing. If you love Barnard, apply and the worst thing that will happen is you won’t get in. I really had my hopes up wishing Barnard’s holistic process would save me from my GPA but you have to keep in mind they are THE most competitive all womens college. They are really choosing from some top candidates so don’t take whatever happens personally. Best of luck!

My Stuff - Rejected

SAT I: 1480 Composite, 720 English, 760 Math
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.2 UW / 4.0 W
AP Lang (4), APUSH (3), APCS (4), AP Lit, APCSP, AP Gov
Lots of national/international MUN awards, 2nd place in a regional writing competition, AP Scholar, SAT Gold Award, Regional Robotics, etc.

Extracurriculars:
Class Council/Student Government (President, 7 years)
Relay For Life (President, 4 years)
Peer Leader (3 years)
MUN Delegate (Co-Chair, 4 years)
Female Empowerment Club (a non-profit I created, Co-Founder 2 years)
NJ High School Democrats (Director, 3 years)
(lots more but these are what I hold officership in)

Job/Work Experience: Tutor & Worked in (successful) Governor Campaign

Essays (rating 1-10, details): I know this is going to be annoying but I started my essays junior year - I revised and revised and threw so many drafts out. I got Barnard students to look at them, teachers, anonymous users, etc. So, I’d like to think they were 8-9/10! I still consider them some of my best pieces of work.

Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):
Teacher Rec #1: AP Lang (7)
Teacher Rec #2: Comp Sci (7)
Counselor Rec: 8

Interview: It was really nice! Kind interviewer and I emailed her afterward.

Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
Intended Major: Undecided
State (if domestic applicant): NJ
School Type: Public (Top 10 HS)
Ethnicity: Asain (Indian)
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): low grades were partially because I suffered from Bulimia Nervosa.

10

^One thing I forget, I sent in my first MP grades and I had straight As so yeet