Can you make up for a low GPA?

<p>Hi, I was wondering if there is anyone out there like me who has a low GPA, but a heavy courseload and decent extracurriculars.</p>

<p>Here are my stats:
uw GPA: 3.34
w (no idea! our school doesnt weigh)</p>

<p>SAT: 2250
ACT: 34</p>

<p>I have taken honors/ap/college classes all through high school, but did not really take them seriously until senior year, hence my 3.34</p>

<p>By the time I graduate, I will have taken 9 AP classes and 3 college class from a prestigious nearby liberal arts college (our school has an amazing program where you can take classes there for free) and 1 "college level" class.</p>

<p>I have decent extracurriculars I think, I hold leadership positions in 4 clubs (2 of which are of the highest level, as in captain or president) and participation in more than 6 other clubs.
I also have more than 250 volunteer hours logged at a local hospital.</p>

<p>Now, I'm sincerely not looking for reassurance, but a real honest opinion...what kind of schools do you think I should shoot for? I kept my stats a little vague on purpose so that maybe someone in a predicament similar to mine can relate too.</p>

<p>Thanks so much!</p>

<p>“what kind of schools do you think I should shoot for?” Since you indicate nothing of your region, your preferences, etc – no one can give you a good idea. Your best bet would be to meet with your school guidance counselor and have an honest and frank discussion based on your strengths/weaknesses and your preferences of types of college. Best of luck to you.</p>

<p>Any of the top 50 ranked universities and top 30 colleges…sorry thats still pretty general! I live on the east coast and I was curious to see which schools I should bother applying to early. Unfortunately my guidance counsler is booked for the next three weeks for consultations, so I thought I would give a shot here.</p>

<p>So, you don’t care what programs are available? You don’t care about location? Student body? Cost? Size? No…just ranking? Rankings are what they are, but there are plenty of excellent schools you won’t find at the top of those lists. </p>

<p>I would advise you to do some homework on this and find some schools you are actually interested in. Don’t apply to college for the sake of applying.</p>

<p>But to answer your question, vaguely, with those stats you probably have a shot at schools with a 20% acceptance rate or more. I am basing this completely on personal experience, and obviously each school is different.</p>