<p>A lowish GPA? I can only bring it up so much because my sophomore year was disastrous. I reckon I won't be able to bring it up to 4 even if I get A+ in every subject for the next two years. Which, by the way, I plan to do.</p>
<p>So, does a high score make up for that? And a great EC, such as captain of the shool rugby team (and we win loads of competitions) and two or three other things?</p>
<p>I think that it does to an extent. I was accepted to Colgate with a lowish GPA and a ridiculous class rank. However, my SAT score was 120 points higher than their average. Grantedm I do have strong EC's. To the best of my knowledge, you should be fine applying to most schools with a high SAT score and an improving GPA/rank. Just remember, Junior grades weigh much more heavily than those earned in the freshman and sophomore years.</p>
<p>yes, it can. i applied to chicago with top 17% public HS paired with an SAT about 140 above their avg and was accepted. most of my other things i.e. recs essays ECs were unremarkable.</p>
<p>qwert what state are you from? how do you like chicago?</p>
<p>It will really work at average colleges that want to raise their average SAT for ranking purposes. Look at it this way, for top 20 colleges you need high everything, for the next 20 you can probably be slightly below average on one measure if you're well above average on the others.</p>
<p>No you don't need a high everything at the top 20 schools...</p>
<p>half the kids at the school are below the average in any category.</p>
<p>true, true, soccerguy. special foreign: i was accepted but have not decided whether to attend (see what comes in april). from RI, which i guess would be an advantage simply since they get so many students from the midwest.</p>
<p>A high GPA shows long-term hardwork and dedication. Anyone can get lucky and score high on the SAT's on any given day. I never studied for the SAT I outside of taking a few practice tests and ended up with a score around 100 pts. higher than my avg. practice test score on my first try.</p>
<p>At most selective schools, gpa is the most important factor in admissions, and a high SAT isn't going to override that. If there's a huge discrepancy, it will often look like someone who's slacked off but who is capable. At less selective schools, it might have more of an impact.</p>
<p>The rank:</p>
<ol>
<li> High GPA + High SAT = Smart, hardworking student</li>
<li> High GPA + modest SAT = Determined, hardworking student</li>
<li> Modest GPA + High SAT = Smart but lazy student</li>
<li> Modest GPA + modest SAT.</li>
</ol>
<p>Agree totally coureur. Low GPA and high SATs screams underachiever. Also, high school GPA has proven to be a much better predictor of success in college than SAT scores.</p>
<p>Those that fall below average at the top 20 in any area are the hooked candidates: athletes (by far #1 below average group), URMs, the rich and famous, highly talented in a single area and legacies.</p>
<p>Where would high GPA(in challenging, but not the MOST challenging courseload...like 5 APs by graduation and the rest basically honors) and a high SAT?</p>
<p>A lot of schools look at the the classes themselves. A B in AP Calc is better than an A in say... algebra II. They see how well you handle a challenging courseload similar to that of a college courseload, not how high your grade is in an easy class.</p>
<p>If your SAT is high, you can always improve your GPA by working a little harder, but if you have a high GPA and low SATs you are probably at your full potential. But the high GPA-type may succeed above the smarter individual, no question, if they keep working as hard as they have to get ahead of smarter individuals who take life more relaxed.</p>
<p>I was just wondering exactly what is considered a "high" SAT score. like what is a 1470 considered?</p>
<p>I also agree completely w/ GPA being the most important factor. I do not know how much you "bombed" 10th grade, nick3333, but colleges do like to see improvement, so just try to do your absolute best for the next few yrs. It's all you can do--the past can't be changed.</p>
<p>1470 is high...</p>
<p>contrary to what most people think on this board, I believe that if you around a 1350, your SAT score is high enough for anywhere. I do not think that if you are rejected, the SAT would be the reason.</p>
<p>That simply can't be true soccerguy or the averages at top schools would not be what they are. Those with a below average SATs are the hooked candidates: athletes, URMs, the rich and famous, prodigies in a specific area and legacies. For everyone else, being above the average SAT score matters.</p>
<p>soccerguy:</p>
<p>A 1350 is high enough for anywhere in the abstract, but in practice that is borderline at best for the most selective schools.</p>
<p>Consider two students:</p>
<h1>1. GPA: 4.7, SAT: 1350, #3 in his class. Talented musician, excellent recs, and good essays. Not a URM, legacy, or athlete.</h1>
<h1>2. GPA: 4.7, SAT: 1580, #3 in his class. Talented musician, excellent recs, and good essays. Not a URM, legacy, or athlete.</h1>
<p>Which one is Princeton gonna take?</p>
<p>The answer may well be neither. But they are going to take a lot more students that look like #2 than ones that look like #1. Scan the results of the acceptances here on CC for EA this year and RD last year and you'll see what I mean.</p>
<p>And for the large majority of less-selective colleges, state schools and such, the above does not apply. A 1350 will work just fine to get in there.</p>
<p>I agree coureur, however I also think that no 2 applicants are the same, but of course with all else equal the SAT is part of the application just like everything else, the better your score is is better for you. However, I still think that 99% of the time, between an applicant with a 1350 and a 1500+, that there are most likely diffferences in the App that are more important or significant than the 150-200 SAT points.</p>
<p>I agree with jazzpianp. It's totally a myth that 1350 is good enough at a top school where the averages are in the high 1400s. Unless you are one of the ones they want for a sport or money, you are not getting into a top school with a 1350.</p>