<p>Hi all,
I was just wondering how seriously rigor of the courseload and improvement over time is factored into a university's admissions decision. For example, I am looking at a lot of HYPSM schools for a mathematics major (I know, I know, but I genuinely like them and their programs). My gpa is a 3.74 UW from a very prestigious private high school and ill probably have a solid sat score (ive scored in the mid 2200's on all my practice tests so far). Yet this low gpa is attributed to a bad first semester of freshman year (3.5 gpa), in which i performed poorly due to a hard time adjusting to the private school system (i came from a "bad" public middle school). that being said, ive taken the hardest courseload every year possible, and am in multivariable calculus as a junior (i say this only bcuz i want to major in math), even tho i started in advanced algebra as a freshman. I have demonstrated a proficiency for math, having placed in the top decile/quartile of a ucla linear algebra and differential equations math class, which i took during the summer at the age of 16 (the class was composed of undergrads and grads). However, due to this low gpa, my class rank is something like 26/100. And this is what worries me: ive taken classes way beyond the rigor of most of the kids in my high school, having self studied ap classes on my own while juggling 6-7 academic classes and multiple EC committments. Hopefully this isn't coming off as a chance me thread, as my hope is that you all can help me understand whether the rigor of my classes will shine through my application to HYSPM caliber institutions, despite my slightly mediocre gpa. Thank you!</p>
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Very seriously. Equally seriously - the quality of the essays which was not evident in this very difficult to read post. I realize this is an internet forum, but c’mon!!</p>
<p>Rigor >>> Class Rank. A valedictorian who has taken a weak course load has little to no chance at HYPSM.</p>
<p>And yeah, paragraphs, dude!</p>
<p>Thanks skieurope and MrMom62 so much! And I will definitely use a paragraph structure in the future! (I would edit this post and make it easier to read, but I legitimately do not know how)</p>
<p>@bobchillax Check out this link below. I believe you’ll find it useful…</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nacacnet.org/studentinfo/articles/Pages/Factors-in-the-Admission-Decision.aspx”>http://www.nacacnet.org/studentinfo/articles/Pages/Factors-in-the-Admission-Decision.aspx</a></p>
<p>Rigor is much more important than class rank, especially if you’re attending a prep school. In addition, being “well-lopsided” (ie., having an extraordinary talent for a subject, such as math) is well-regarded.
However, apply to a variety of schools and ask your parents what their budget is for your education. You don’t want a bad surprise there. </p>