Chances with Low GPA/High Test Scores

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>So, I posted this under "What are My Chances" but not many people seem to reply to anything there. So, i'll try to keep it short here.</p>

<p>Anyways. Story is, I just calculated my UW GPA and began freaking out about not getting into a top college/uni. </p>

<p>I currently have a 33 ACT (which will go up most likely. took the april one, and felt I did fantastic), and 800s on the physics and math II SAT subject tests. </p>

<p>buuut. i have about a 4.2 W GPA and a 3.66 UW GPA. I've taken the toughest courseload possible (except APUSH - I'm not a history person)</p>

<p>Our school literally JUST stopped ranking, but based on last years ranking, I would be in the top 5-7% with this GPA.</p>

<p>My EC's are there, but not stellar, I tutor, volunteer, coach tennis, varsity tennis, member of clubs, but not founder/president/all that jazz. Haven't done anything extraordinary. </p>

<p>However, I can almost guarantee stellar recommendations. My teachers next year are all teachers that I've known since freshman year through clubs and love me, so I'm pretty good there. </p>

<p>Based on all this, whadya guys think about Top 20 Schools?</p>

<p>My Dreeeeeeeam Schools are</p>

<p>Brown
Cornell
Columbia
UCBerkeley
UChicago
Northwestern
MIT
Caltech</p>

<p>aaaanything would be helpful. advice is welcomed as well. </p>

<p>thanks a bunch.</p>

2

<p>brown-reach, but still a chance
cornell-reach, but still a chance
columbia-slim chances of getting in
USberkeley-you should be fine, but not 100% guarantee(as usual)
UChicago-not sure, but I think it is a reach
Northwestern-no problem getting in at all
MIT-depends on a lot of things, GPA isn’t the #1 factor for this school
Caltech-no clue</p>

3

<p>That GPA might look low to some colleges but you can just get your counselor to make a note that you’ve taken a hard courseload and are still in the top 5%.</p>

<p>Your ACT gets you for the numbers game, but there’s all the other essays and subjective stuff. Are you ranked for tennis? Seems like sports is your thing since you coach tennis so you can probably expand on that.</p>

<p>Not really sure about chances - one of many applicants with a shot is all I can really say.</p>

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<p>How would we know what your chances are? We’re just a bunch of high schoolers.</p>

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<p>thanks guys, </p>

<p>I am out of state for UCB, though. </p>

<p>Yeah, I think I’ll definitely talk to my counselor about that. Would you recommend taking the SAT as well? I’ve never taken it, but took the PSAT and didn’t do so great. Meh, I’m not that great at tennis. I’m not ranked, but it is something that I LOVE. I do a lot of stuff related to tennis (coach, sell stuff at our club, organize tennis events, etc.) If I could I’d spend every minute playing tennis, but would the fact that I’m not ranked hurt me?</p>

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<p>Not being ranked won’t hurt, but having an impressive ranking would help to show that you are serious about the sport, and being a recruited athlete would be very helpful (this is coming from a ranked tennis player).</p>