<p>What part of the country (or world) are you from? Are you being treated for depression? Get help if you haven't. You have a year or at least half a year, to bring up that GPA a bit. Improving over time looks good. Your ACT scores are strong. Make sure your GC addresses the depression. I think you do have a shot at Grinnell. I think they're looking for more than just GPA. Can you visit? The essay should help. Good luck--it looks like a great school--but find some safer ones too. If you want, I'll tell you where else my son applied.</p>
<p>grinnell has a very high acceptance rate for its quality... if you are from somewhere with few applicants (i.e. CT, alabama, etc) your chances increase greatly</p>
<p>Grinnell has a "very high" acceptance rate for its quality only because it has very high quality applicants. The average SAT score for all of last year's APPLICANTS to Grinnell was 1316, and the average ACT score was a 29. So don't be fooled by the numbers. Grinnell sees many 32 and 33 ACT scores, but under its formula the GPA counts twice as much. Grinnell also doesn't have as much of a gender imbalance as many other liberal arts colleges and as such is less inclined to cut corners for boys. Nearly nine out of ten of the males admitted to last year's class were in the top fifth of their high school class. </p>
<p>(The number also don't suggest much of a boost from applying from either Connecticut or Alabama.)</p>
<p>On the basis of these numbers I'd say you face an uphill battle.</p>
<p>My brother was in a very similar position you're in. He had a 34 ACT 1550 SAT and was a National Merit Scholar Finalist, but he was barely in the top half of his class and had way worse EC's than you. He was still accepted. If you can get your GPA up and impress the college with your essays/visits, you definitely have a chance.</p>
<p>Are you on antidepressants? I wouldn't be impressed by depression as an excuse if I were on Adcom. College is stressful and can worsen your depression.</p>
<p>Hey,
I graduated with about a 3.3 (5th decile at my school, but it's relatively competitive), but pretty good test scores, EC's, etc. and got in. Don't hesitate to bring up WHY you did poorly in high school and how you will/have changed that, but don't just make excuses. I added a little blurb in my Additional Information section on the app. And interview, definitely interview, I feel like Grinnell was the only school I applied to where the interview helped me get a really good feel for the school and vice-versa.</p>