Difficulty of school reflected in GPA

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Virginia
1

<p>I know U.Va. doesn't have a reputation for being forgiving with GPAs. </p>

<p>I am from a very well-respected private high school in SoCal, with a college matriculation rate of 100% (4-year colleges 98%). There are only 99 students in my graduating class. We don't rank.</p>

<p>My weighted GPA is a 3.9 out of 4.3. The highest in the class is a 4.28, but that person is a superstar to whom no one even comes close. We don't rank, but this places me in the top 25% (no college will know this, since we don't rank. Did I mention we don't rank?). I have 4 B+s in my three completed years of high school, all in Honors classes. Everything else, including my other Honors and AP classes, has been As or A-s.</p>

<p>I'm a little worried U.Va. will be put off by the B+s. My school is definitely rigorous--we offer APs in everything and it's impossible to take them all, our average SAT score was over 2000, etc. We are a "preparatory academy". And my senior year grades will be all A's if first quarter is any indication (unfortunately, I applied ED). Might I be forgiven these tiny transgressions?</p>

<p>For the record, my SATs were excellent. 2280, 800W 800V 680M. My SAT IIs were acceptable with a 700 US History, 700 French, and 730 Molecular Bio. I have taken 4 APs and gotten 5s on all (I will graduate having taken 10 Honors/AP classes [APs are not offered from all Honors classes, and there are no Honors or APs in 9th grade]). I am proud of my essays and feel they're creative and unique, and my recs were quite good if my teachers were honest when they agreed to write them. :) I have a lot of leadership ECs and a good number of awards. Also, I did not and will not apply for any financial aid.</p>

<p>Somebody reassure me that I won't be thrown in the reject pile from ED. Or, tell me the truth if you feel I will be. I've always got good ol' SC--my school sends about 10 people there each year.</p>

<p>BOTTOM LINE (if you were too lazy to read that): WILL B+s AT A VERY COMPETETIVE PRIVATE SCHOOL KILL ME JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE B+s?</p>

2

<p>I'm going to give you an unjustified "no" (for obvious reasons.)</p>

3

<p>I think your chances are very good. Up around 70%. The B+'s will not kill you. Of the ten UVa attendees each year, how many are ED? How many apply?</p>

<p>And, by the way, Cavalier302, congratulations on reaching 1000 posts!</p>

4

<p>Applying ED should help - but some people say it doesn't matter. Don't worry about the B+s, you should be fine. I got about 3 - 5 Bs in HS and I was an Out-of-state student and I still got in. </p>

<p>I don't believe applying for financial aid matters in admissions.</p>

5

<p>
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Of the ten UVa attendees each year, how many are ED? How many apply?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>10 USC attendees. I'm from an area of Southern California with huge SC connections. The assistant dean of admissions at USC also sits on the board of trustees at my high school. We usually get over 50% of those who apply to SC admitted, and every year quite a few will attend. Rarely does anyone apply early since we have such incredible connections and anyone above a 3.5 is almost guaranteed admission.</p>