Chances for High SAT/Low GPA?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Vanderbilt University
1

<p>I have a very erratic application. Wonderful scores/ECs, pretty good service, semi-hook, poor GPA. This is gonna make for some interesting college app decisions...but do I have a real shot at Vanderbilt?</p>

<p>I don't want to waste anyone's time with a 7 page long list of achievements or something. But here are the most important parts of my App. I left out a lot of less important stuff where I didn't have leadership positions and whatnot.</p>

<p>My application is based a lot around my interest/activities in the environment, my scores, and my achievements outside of school in various activities. </p>

<p>Everything I XX is stuff I will particularly try to highlight somewhere in my app.</p>

<p>XX SAT: 800M, 800CR, 750W
SAT IIs: 740 Math I, 720 Math II, 750 Literature, 700 biology</p>

<p>GPA: 3.48 Unweighted/4.17 Weighted (Top 8% in class) In magnet school. But yes my GPA is bad for top schools.
But my first senior semester GPA was a 3.85 </p>

<p>Leadership:
XX Tennis team captain/3 year MVP (Top rank of 17th individual in my State)</p>

<p>XX Environmental Action Team President/founder</p>

<p>Founder of Ultimate Frisbee Club at School</p>

<p>XXX Leader of several service projects at school including one called Food Wars, which won a National award for creativity and success. Other projects included sending hundreds of letters overseas for troops, collecting books for soldiers, and planning/doing special olympics.</p>

<p>XX Youth Activities Organizer in my Apartment Complex (plan festivals, fairs, etc.)</p>

<p>Head Tutor at where I tutor (1st-8th grade students)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars</p>

<p>XX Tennis Team (Captain)</p>

<p>Ultimate Team (Co-captain)</p>

<p>Math Team (State Champion team)</p>

<p>XX Environmental Action Team (President)</p>

<p>Envirothon team (7th place at State competition)</p>

<p>XX Top 10 ranked high school chess player in my state, top 100 player among all players in my state.</p>

<p>Academic Achievement</p>

<p>XXX Winner of State Spelling Bee in 2008, Attended Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.c., PLaced 60th out of 273.</p>

<p>XX Accepted to Keystone National Youth Policy Summit, debated/drafted Environmental policy there. Chosen as one of 6 students to propose final policies to local officials.</p>

<p>AP Scholar with Distinction (Becoming National AP scholar this year) Average of 4.2 on exams.</p>

<p>National Merit Commended Student</p>

<p>1st Place at Regional Science Fair and other county awards</p>

<p>Winner of Presentation contest for Research Symposium</p>

<p>School-wide Essay contest winner "Why 9/11 should be remembered"</p>

<p>Mu Alpha Theta/National Honor Society (Not really important)</p>

<p>Community Service</p>

<p>XX Community Tennis Coach for underprivileged (60 hours)
Community Tutor (40 hrs.)
XX Youth Activities Organizer (40 hrs.)
XX Goodwill Emporium volunteer (25 hrs.)
Elementary School Fundraiser volunteer (20 hrs.)
adopt-a highway participant (20 hrs.)</p>

<p>And a bunch of other smaller stuff. About 250 hrs. total.</p>

<p>My essays are great. And my recommendations were very nice.</p>

<p>So what do you guys think?</p>

2

<p>Colleges will look at you in context with your school, so your GPA should be fine. I think you have a good shot.</p>

3

<p>Colleges usually look at rank instead of gpa because of the varying gpa’s from school to school. Top 8% means you should be fine.</p>

4

<p>You should be fine except for the reality that scores of people with your lovely stats will not be admitted to Vanderbilt. Happens every year. If Vandy is one of your favorite colleges, I hope you get an admission and you are of course fully qualified to be there and to do the work. Keep your mind and heart open and be prepared late March/early April to be flexible and to peruse your options with pleasure and a good attitude. Waitlists are random in many schools, and you can always accept a college, deposit and pursue a waitlist. Be proud of your high school record and focus on the next challenges past admissions season.</p>

5

<p>You obviously attend a competitive school that has not resorted to grade inflation. Your class rank will be considered only in the context of your school, and the top 10% is fine. You have an excellent chance of admission and I would be shocked, frankly, if it does not happen, especially because of your interesting ECs and exceptional SATs. I think you are a highly competitive applicant at any college, including the ivies. Colleges want students who can do well in a challenging environment - and you have demonstrated that at your magnet school.</p>

<p>A classmate/friend of my D’s was admitted to Vanderbilt with 2150 SATs and he was only in the top 20% of their private prep school class. His rigor was not nearly as strong as yours - he had about 4 APs, and his ECs were not as comprehensive.</p>

<p>FYI, at my local, highly ranked public high school, almost 20% of the class has a 4.0 gpa - only the students who demonstrate rigor - as you have - are competitive for top colleges. GPA is meaningless without context, so don’t worry that you don’t have a 4.0.</p>

6

<p>I had a 3.5 GPA with the hardest classes I could possibly take and a 35 ACT and I got into Vandy Engineering RD last year. You should have a good chance</p>

7

<p>Does Vandy accept people who are top 25-30% of their class? Or is that considered too low? For my school, the average acceptance is ACT 33, WGPA 4.37, GPA 3.68, SAT 2180. I fit these requirements, but my percentile rank isn’t that great. Which thing do they actually go by?</p>

8

<p>I’d say you have a decent shot at Vanderbilt… Don’t worry about your gpa since you’re in the top 10 percent… And think about doing ED; it helps a little…</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>