<p>My GPA is currently 4.21. Ranked 12th out of 180 or so students. I've only made one B my entire high school career. However, I took no honors my freshman year, two my sophomore, two my junior along with one AP. I've taken a variety of electives, art, computers, and business. Next year I have four honors and two AP. I have a couple extracurriculars: next year I'm secretary of Beta Club, 1810 SAT, and I've never made below a 4 on any standardized test (in NC, 4 is the highest level). There is some financial need here. I'm not trying to go anywhere extremely selective. I'm probably only applying to UNCG, NC State, Appalachian, and places like that. Should I be in good shape?</p>
<p>Do you know if you qualify for financial aid? Some students who have families that can not pay much have incomes that are too high. </p>
<p>Find out what your Expected Family Contribution is. (that term is misleading. That doesn’t mean it tells you the most your parents will be expected to pay. It’s really just a number to determine federal aid and state aid.)</p>
<p>[FinAid</a> | Calculators | Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and Financial Aid](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Expected Family Contribution (EFC) Calculator - Finaid)</p>
<p>Do both the federal method and institutional. Many privates use the both methods. If there is a non-custodial parent, then their income (and step-parent incomes) might also be included at some schools.</p>
<p>Your GPA is fine. However, you SAT score could use a boost for your best chances for admittance and scholarships. </p>
<p>If you’re a NC resident, you should be in good shape for admittance. But, you do need to figure out how much aid you’ll qualify for in case that will be an issue.</p>
<p>How much can your parents pay each year?</p>
<p>I won’t be taking the SAT again. It’s above the average for the schools I’m looking at, and I’m fine with it. </p>
<p>And very little. My mom wants me to go to a community college, but I’ve came absolutely too far in high school for that.</p>
<p>If you’re an NC resident, and your family is low income, then NC is one of the few states that gives good aid. Maybe your mom isn’t aware of that.</p>
<p>However, if you’re not low income, you should take the SAT again because getting admitted isn’t the big issue. The big issue is getting money.</p>
<p>My impression and experience has been that merit awards really focus on those SATs. Your score, though fine for getting into the schools, is not where it can garner you some merit money.</p>
<p>Very true! Test scores are what “separates the men from the boys” when a bunch of kids have high GPAs. Scholarships go to that smaller pool of kids that have both high GPAs and high test scores.</p>
<p>I’m simply NOT taking it again. I promised myself if I got above 1700 I wouldn’t. I’ll probably take the ACT next year, but I’m done with the SAT. I’m considering the subject test in biology, though. I am pretty sure I’m low-income, though.</p>
<p>Well, I hope that the finances all work out. I hope that your “promise” to yourself doesn’t come back to haunt you. (kind of an odd thing to make a promise about.)</p>
<p>I hate standardized testing, particularly the SAT. It’s also doubtful I’d actually improve, so I’m not wasting the time. At least the ACT is a different test</p>
<p>On a side note, I know a girl who earned merit with an SAT score around 1400.</p>
<p>My GPA is currently 4.21. Ranked 12th out of 180 or so students. I’ve only made one B my entire high school career.</p>
<p>You’re putting forth that you’re quite a smart and accomplished student, yet you’re being rather stubborn about something that might result in a big savings in money…a better score and scholarship money (which could mean no loans and/or no gaps in cost coverage). A half day of testing (and maybe some practice before hand) can really pay off. </p>
<p>Imagine, just one scholarship of - say $5k - would mean that getting paid a thousand dollars an hour for 5 hours doing a test. Hardly a waste of your time.</p>
<p>*On a side note, I know a girl who earned merit with an SAT score around 1400. *</p>
<p>That was probably a Math + CR score. There isn’t a decent school out there that would give a good merit scholarship for a 1400/2400 SAT. A 1400/2400 SAT is around the 55 percentile…not the range for scholarships.</p>
<p>Like I said, I seriously doubt I’d improve. That score was her math, reading, and writing. She’s going to Gardner-Webb (which I have trouble taking seriously for some reason)</p>
<p>I can’t edit my post and I need to add this… I hate double posting but…</p>
<p>EDIT: To apply for UNCG Merit Aid, you need at least a 3.5 GPA, 27 ACT, and an 1800 SAT score (barely above :D). So I think so far I’m good! I will try and take the ACT test ASAP, and maybe, maybe if my ACT isn’t great I’ll retake the SAT. Thanks, and apologies for being an a-hole.</p>
<p>To apply you need those minimum scores. However, are those scholarships guaranteed? Or are your chances lower to get one if you just barely meet the minimum?</p>
<p>I’m glad that you’re considering taking the SAT again if you don’t do well on the ACT. So, sign up for the next ACT, but you may have to actually sign up for SAT before you have the results of your ACT back IF UNC schools want to see scores by a certain date (don’t know if they do.)</p>
<p>I think since my GPA is quite a bit higher than the minimum is pretty nice. I’m literally going to be signing up for every scholarship, be it merit, need-based, or in the community. Just not sports. I don’t do sports. </p>
<p>If I opt out of the writing portion of the ACT, will that hurt my score?</p>
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<p>Close is not going to work. And it doesn’t matter AT ALL what your GPA is. If you don’t meet the SAT or ACT requirement, you will probably not be considered for a scholarship (merit aid). There will be tons of students who have both the ACT or SAT scores AND the GPAs to match the requirements.</p>
<p>If you really want to be competitive for merit aid, you really need to do all you can to do well on the standardized tests. If the merit aid really doesn’t matter to you, then don’t take the tests again. It’s up to you.</p>
<p>Some schools don’t accept the ACT without the writing portion.</p>
<p>As for your GPA.</p>
<p>At many schools (and probably your NC schools), students with high GPAs are a dime a dozen. Seriously. What separates the “men from the boys” is having a high test score as well.</p>
<p>Look at it this way.</p>
<p>There is a large pool of students with a high GPA.</p>
<p>There is a small pool of students with high test scores.</p>
<p>There is even a smaller pool of students with both high GPA and high test scores. These are the ones who get the scholarships.</p>
<p>**
For example…at North Carolina State…</p>
<p>Incoming freshmen… 91% had h.s. GPA of 3.75 and higher</p>
<p>So, nearly every student has a high GPA**. So, a high test score is what is going to count.</p>
<p>Test Scores
Middle 50% of First-Year Students<br>
SAT Critical Reading:… 520 - 620<br>
SAT Math:… 560 - 660<br>
SAT Writing: … 510 - 610
ACT Composite: 23 - 28 </p>
<p>To be in the upper 25% of the school, you’d need to have at least a 1900 SAT. To get a good scholarship, the score would likely have to be higher.</p>
<p>For NC State, I’m fine on the reading (well above, 660) and writing (610 even) but too low for math. I’m not even a competitive student in school- I honestly have no idea how I’ve done as well as I have. I guess I’ll take it again. And actually take it seriously. I didn’t study a bit.</p>