Hey,
So I go to an extremely competitive school with some 40 NMFs every year. Class size is about 400.
My question is can a high SAT make up for a slightly lower GPA (3.8 UW). I took it cold and got a 1490/1600, and will retake it soon.
Historically, yes. I have a 3.6 GPA (also a highly competitive high school, I’m ranked top 10%) and a 36, and I’m told that having a high score has greatly improved my chances for college, and I have been encouraged to apply to top colleges. If you get a 1550+, you would be in the same boat.
3.8 UW isn’t exactly low. I think your GPA and scores both show you are a capable student and are high enough for you to clear any screen. At this point, you simply need to give them a compelling reason to admit you out of a pool of other good applicants.
@DDHH2017 Best answer to your question would be found by looking at the Naviance scattergrams for your school. They’ll show you on a college by college basis how kids at your HS have done in the admissions process based on their GPA and Standardized test scores as compared to yours. That will give you a pretty clear picture as to how specific colleges answer your question about kids from your HS.
That being said, at my son’s HS which usually has 45-60 NMSF out of a class of 180 or so, for the most highly selective schools (HYPMS), perfect or very nearly perfect SAT’s did not make up for GPA’s that were even slightly lower than other students at the school.
I would say yes. A 3.8 UW is fine, as long as the rest of your app is very strong. If you get below a 3.7, it gets problematic. Then colleges wonder why your grades don’t match your test scores (talented but a bit lazy can be the assumption they make). Read “How to be a High School Superstar” by Cal Newport. The main thing colleges want to be sure of is that you can do the work – then other factors start to come into play in your application.
Basically, the test score justified the tough grading of your school, so it helps your “lower” GPA.