When applying to really competitive schools (MIT, Stanford, HYP, etc. ) will high test scores and good ec’s makeup for a lower gpa?
Define lower GPA? Generally, the answer is no. To many 3.9-4.0’s who also have good test scores and ECs. GPA shows consistent hard work and accomplishments in academics and is a better predictor of success in college.
@Sportsman88 By lower gpa I meant like a 3.6-3.8 UW. What if it shows an upward trend?
No. An upward trend is always helpful, of course. If you are hooked, it might get your app a little more consideration,
At the very tippy top schools, I don’t really think so. Especially at the 3.6 end of the range. It would have to be a very unique and distinguished EC career (Olympic medalist type EC – something no one else in your school and very few in your country could say about themselves, and something that required so much work and dedication that no wonder your grades slipped a little). Test scores alone or typical high school activities wouldn’t make up for low grades.
3.8 maybe if the school is an accelerated school and your GPA is high for your class. Upward trend is good but there are so many students with 3.9-4.0 and a 33/1500+ that it is hard to break out. Doesn’t hurt to apply to a couple reaches but don’t lock into a dream school mindset.
Excellent test scores, strong ECs, and shaky grades can be a bright red waving flag indicating ADD and executive function issues. Talk that possibility over with your guidance counselor too. Lots of high functioning students don’t figure out they have those kinds of learning differences until late in the game.
3.6 with upward trend would be good for most schools ranked 40-75, making schools ranked 25-40 very hard to reach and top 25 basically out of reach unless your EC s rank you nationally.
The type of schools you mentioned have acceptance rates of under 10%. There is not enough room for them to accept all of the students who excel in every single respect. Unless you have a major hook (ex. recruited athlete, legacy whose parents donated a ton of money etc.) test scores and ECs cannot make up for a subpar transcript.
If you have a 3.8 and perfect scores and pretty impressive EC’s…well, I think it then depends on you class rigor, rank, and what highschool you attended. By no means is a 3.8 condemming you from making it to the top schools. I know a girl who got into MIT with a 3.75 unweighted, but she had perfect test scores (1600 on SAT) and she had some science Olympiad high medals.
It’s not impossible…just not super likely.
I’m in a similar situation. I have a 3.8 (most rigorous, top ~5-6%, and 4.5 Weighted) but my ACT scores are on the higher end (34+) and I have great, respectable ECs. I’m looking for top 25 schools but I’ll probably get kicked back to top 40-50-ish territory to be honest. We’ll see how it goes 
@aneeshs17 colleges usually compare you to your class. If you are in the top 5-6% with a lot of riogour you’re oing great. And you have a fairly high w gpa. my school is extremely competitive and if you dont do well in cp (if you dont get a solid a 94-100%) you can not move up, so my weighted and unweighted will be around 3.6/3.7, even if all my classes in junior year are honors.
@TN034154 Yeah, our school’s interesting. 400+ bums who take regular standard classes, and then 95-100 hardcore IB kids. Lots of BWRKs in that bunch though, so I’m hoping they won’t stand out much.
So if other top IB kids from my school apply, they’ll have the same rigor on their transcript, maybe even with a higher GPA. That’s the only thing I’m concerned about (at my school, it’s 8 AP’S and 6 IB’s, so ~14 college classes) 
@aneeshs17 Yeah literally all the druggies in my class are in the rigour classes because literally all they do at home iis party and chill and copy hw off of other people. Thats how they make it to honors and ap and its so annoying because, I am literally more hardworking than one of my friends but she is going to get more credit (and get into the top colleges) because she is academically very strong. All she does at home is vape and chill out, while I am working my butt off balancing out a school life, healthy family life, doing research in things I am interested in.
I get what you mean. Honestly I believe if you are completely honest in your application and you have good recs / essays you have a better chance than them. Make sure your ec’s are strong as well. Good luck !!
Aren’t your EC’s the whole neuroscientist shadowing that you got through your uncle? I would hardly call that world class. Don’t get me wrong, I do think it’s a good EC, but if you want to make up for your GPA, you have to have won some high awards of something.
At the most selective schools (MIT, Stanford, HYP, etc. ), you want to have a high GPA and great test scores and great ECs.
I know I screwed up with my gpa. In my freshman year, my grandpa became a heart patient and our finances were really bad. For me school was already a stressful environment and at home it was even worse. Literally my parents would go days without talking to each other because they were both stressed and sometimes they would take their stress out on each and stuff. All that affected my performance in school A LOT. I can not change what happened in the past, especially since it was out of my control, but i want to improve. I do not know how though. I want to show that I have more potential that what my gpa says, but I can’t do that because gpa is so heavily weighted over ec’s (things that truly show your potential) and I’ve literally lost all hope. I just wanted to ask others to get an insight on ways I can improve.