@AsadFarooqui well stacking up on ECs just for the heck of it isnt smart either. It’ll just look like you did a bunch of stuff because you wanted to get into the school. Not because you gained something from it and can add what you gained to their school. However with that being said join a club. And do some volunteer work maybe on the weekends. That’s a good start. Find something you like. So when it comes to the personal statement and essay, you can actually write your true opinions and feelings.
@AsadFarooqui At the end of the day the school makes the final decision. You can do all that and still not get in for whatever reason. But for your best chance make yourself look well rounded. You’ll have more options and leeway that way.
Us parents cause a lot of that mindset. Frankly, most parents struggle with how much to push their child so that they are realizing their potential vs. pushing too much and causing their child unhealthy amounts of stress.
Well a 1.0 GPA is a bit extreme, but you certainly don’t have to have a perfect 4.0 GPA to have a rewarding career. It all depends on what you want to do. If you want to be a physician, there’s a well-defined path that requires high GPA’s to gain admission to that profession. If you want to be an entrepreneur, grit, inspiration, and passion are much more important than any GPA. It’s your choice!
Good luck!
ECs do not compensate.for below par grades (except perhaps for an recruited athlete or someone like Malala who has done something extraordinary). Top schools look for excellence in all areas – grades, course rigor, ECs, essays, recommendations etc.
@magtf1 So the parents can be the problem, huh? Is it because they don’t understand how the finances of a college degree have ballooned since they graduated? Student loan debt is far easier to come by since they were in college. Is it because they believe that since they set an example for their child, they should follow their parents’ career to ensure their own success? Is it because some parents are so afraid of change that they would rather force their children to follow in their footsteps as a doctor as opposed to, say, a computer software programmer? I get that parents are still learning to parent even 20-some-odd years later. Have you ever been to that extreme?
@happy1 So if a high school senior has the leadership qualities and ECs that the school is looking for, but has a 2.0 GPA. Would they still be accepted at anything less than an Ivy that’s not a CC?
Exactly top schools look for excellence in all areas. If one person only has numbers then they’re not excellent all areas. I was saying an extra curricular can make or break the decision. You can have average grades in maybe two classes but your essay is outstanding . And your ECs show what type of person you are and how hard you work. You can get in that way. I’m not saying you have below-average grades and a lot of ECs and then you’ll get in. Because you actually have to graduate high school.
If you want to avoid the holistic approach to college admissions, you may want to look at schools in the UK. I’m not an expert on their admission requirements, but I know they rely more on AP scores and do not consider extracurriculars.
In addition, I would encourage you to try to actively look for things you do enjoy doing. Perhaps you’re not an athlete, but maybe yoga or dance would be fun, or swimming, curling, roller skating…Poker, cooking, woodworking…welding, oil painting, bird watching…In addition, to having some fun, your essays will be a lot more interesting. 
Regarding parents and parenting, remember the game changes every year–just a little–and everyone tries to adapt and give the best advice they can. As the income gap grows in our country, you can’t blame parents for trying to steer their kids toward the most stable and lucrative career paths.
There are colleges and universities for all types. Some, like community colleges, accept all comers and bring their skills up from wherever they are. Some state branch campuses are basically all about the numbers, with the required GPA or test score not even being high. Some combine the numbers with holistic considerations.
If you want to go to college, there is a way. But you do have to be flexible and not fixate on a particular school. If you are wondering what your best options are, talk to your high school guidance counselor.
@my2caligirls @Publisher @Boilermom @bodangles @ChezCurie @happy1 @Laser14 @magtf1 @AroundHere Would you say that a GPA or SAT score is hypocritical or undermines the point of holistic admissions? Why look at anything else if the first things you see are that they have a 900 on the SAT and a 2.4 GPA? If they have the well-roundedness that the school is looking for but the GPA and SAT/ACT don’t stack up at all, what’s the point in reading any further? Unless beforehand you’ve served your country or developed a hit mobile app, they’re more than likely not going to care about the rest of the application.
@AsadFarooqui well rounded means the whole picture. The grades are low. You’re not getting into an Ivy with those scores. But a person with those numbers would t be applying to an ivy so they finy have to worry about that. Let’s say they prefer a 3.0. If you have a 2.5-2.7 you may get in through your ECs and essay and interview. Me personally I had a 3.3 and my SATS if I remember were a 1600 I think.(I’m a junior now lol). I think I got wait listed for Cornell HEOP. and then I got into my other schools. Now my GPA wasnt low but it wasn’t super high. But I write well and have more to show than just numbers. Now you may get those people that look at he number and toss it because they don’t see any reason to look at the person’s essay or resume. I think that really applies to ivy schools and schools that state that you must have a certain Gpa.
I don’t think the SATs or GPA undermines it. Its a part of the whole thing.
I don’t think you understand the process. Academics (including GPA, course rigor, standardized tests) are the most critical part of the holistic review process. Colleges do not want to accept students they are not confident have the background and ability to succeed at the school. Applicants need to seek out colleges that are academic matches. Please re-read my post #23.
I’m not sure why you insist on going in circles with this since you seem to have already been admitted to SMU. This will be my last post here.
Colleges are schools. They want to admit students who can pass the classes. SAT and GPA that are appropriate for the course of study the applicant wishes to pursue will always be a part of the admissions process.
Do the best you can. But please just make sure you’re well-rounded. That’s all I can say. Look for schools that take a more holistic approach. If you are more focused on the numbers then make sure you do really well in those.
If you’re confident in your GPA and you feel like that’s all you have then I would just go for it.
@AsadFarooqui <<i don’t="" really="" “enjoy”="" doing="" things="" for="" my="" own="" pleasure"…i="" bother="" with="" outside="" activities="" because="" i="" see="" the="" value="" in="" them="" schedule="">>
Being an Original Poster (OP) and active participant on CC can be considered an outside activity and I think you have created several interesting threads (“hung up on prestige” and “stigma of community college,” for example) that show your curiousity and intelligence and that have gotten a lot of dialogue going with several hundred commenters. Have you considered journalism? So while you may be struggling with Math and grades you should recognize you have a sharp mind (your 1400 SAT score shows this) that can serve you well in various academic or professional endeavors. Grades don’t define you, don’t have a fixed mindset. Instead have a growth oriented mindset where how you respond to the difficulties you face and redirect your effort to overcome the challenges and learn from the process will be determinative of your outcome. That is more important than the school you attend. <i don’t="" really="" “enjoy”="" doing="" things="" for="" my="" own="" pleasure"…i="" bother="" with="" outside="" activities="" because="" i="" see="" the="" value="" in="" them="" schedule="">
Instead of doubling down on AP courses if you had just taken some regular courses and gotten some As and Bs you would have been better off. This while doing one or two meaningful extracurricular activities that you enjoy. Stop saying you don’t enjoy things you can find something you enjoy, I’m sure.
Scores matter, but then the rest of the application paints a picture of who you are. If it shows as you’re just a person taking Advanced courses that are too difficult for you and that you don’t particularly enjoy, then that’s not a good picture.
High GPA will open some doors, but there are lots of successful people who were just ordinary students, or didn’t go to college at all.
OP, I’m not sure what your point is. You focused on gpa and thus should be aiming at colleges that admit by gpa- and that admit students where your gpa is in their range. Not the holistic schools that demand more, when you don’t want to give that “more.”
But if you’re set on SMU, then go, do your best, and try to grow in more ways than a list of courses taken and all this churning. You’ll need life skills to get along with roommate, classmates, and make yourself eventually employable. And maybe…even…happy.