Help me choose schools! (low grades, high everything else)

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Okay, so! I have a bit of a crazy profile so I really have no idea where I should be aiming. </p>

<p>I'm a male senior at a magnet high school for science, math, and engineering in NJ. </p>

<p>GPA: 2.8? 2.9? Somewhere around here? This one is the problem. This includes a few Cs (Bio, Chem, 11th grade gym) and even a couple Ds (11th grade health). Also 11th grade english and history are both either C or D. Yeah, pretty bad. Most of the other grades are Bs.</p>

<p>Courseload: hardest my school has but that's not saying much (our schedules are essentially rigid). Our school offers no AP tests; my APs were all self-studied.</p>

<p>SAT: 800CR/800M/750W
SAT2 Bio: 750
SAT2 Chem: 800
SAT2 Math2: 800</p>

<p>APs: 5 on Bio, Chem, Stats, Comp Sci AB.</p>

<p>Four years of marching band, math league. I've been in chess club, debate, science league, and jazz band at times.</p>

<p>Community college courses: Three dual-enrollment electrical engineering classes, two semesters of statistics online at the college (also received high school credit), one logic class after school. A in all except B in second semester of stats. Taking sociology at college in fall, for which I'll also receive high school credit.</p>

<p>Competitions:
USACO, Silver division (hopefully gold by october?).
NACLO 2010, semifinalist.
Third individual in state in NJ science league for Chem I (our team got first).
AMC10: 112.5 9th grade, 130.5 10th grade.
AMC12: 117 11th grade
AIME: 6 10th grade, 8 11th grade.
Tied for first at NJIT Programming Contest 2010, third on tiebreaks (3-person team contest).</p>

<p>In my summers I've done CTY for two years (Data Structures and Algorithms, Number Theory) and Canada/USA Mathcamp this past year. I also took Greek 1 and 2 at CTY in middle school.</p>

<p>So yeah! I think that is everything important and if not I will update. Basically I am a pretty smart kid who has slacked off big time in high school, and now it is college application time and I am in a bit of trouble. I am going to put forth some effort and get straight As senior year, and I hope to reform myself before college. If I had a strong GPA I'd be in great shape, but as it is I don't know where to shoot. </p>

<p>I'm looking to major in either mathematics or computer science (looking for more theoretical programs for both of these, especially the latter). My only real criterion for college is that I want the smartest peers I can find, which generally translates to "most prestigious I can get into".</p>

<p>Any help would be extremely welcome!</p>

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<p>Wow …you got 5’s on your AP exams by self-studying.</p>

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<p>I see a few routes. If you can afford it a private college ranked below 30 or so that would love your scores. Next would be a state school where scores balance a low GPA in their formula. Third and the one that sounds best to me, 2 years at a CC during which you drop the slacker act and prove yourself and transferring to a very selective school.</p>

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<p>Judging from my experiences so far with CC, I would be absolutely miserable there for two years. I’m looking to study math or CS, but by the time I finish high school I’ll know nearly all the math and CS that CC offers. I’d end up being stuck taking a bunch of humanities, and frankly I’m not that interested.</p>

<p>Also, what do you guys think about somewhere in the UK (Oxford?)? I hear they don’t really care about grades but rather AP scores, and I have those.</p>

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<p>Wow, your application has to be one of the most odd apps I have ever read on this site. A 2.9 but a 1600/2350, all 5’s on self studied AP exams and 2 800 SAT II’s.
I disagree about CC, I feel like decent university will give you a chance because your obviously very bright but don’t apply yourself in school.</p>

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<p>Look at applying to Emory’s Oxford campus and then going to the main campus after your first year.</p>

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<p>Hey, cuse’s suggestion sounds great!!! And, I think, try to get interviews if you can, and you’re good at them. Impress them with your change of attitude and your interest in the school.</p>

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<p>Primarily As in the classes you like. Primarily Cs and Ds in the classes you don’t. Ability to self-study for AP exams that are interesting to you. High scores on the SAT:</p>

<p>Run, do not walk, to your guidance office and get yourself screened for ADD. You have a classic profile for it. Once you have the diagnosis in hand, sit down with the school psychologist and pay attention to the advice you get on the techniques you need to master in order to be able to earn better grades in the classes that don’t attract your attention. No matter where you go to college, you will have to take some of those classes. Don’t forget to have a nice long chat with your counselor as well. He/she has dealt with students like you before and can help you find colleges/universities that will be more forgiving of your academic record.</p>

<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>

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<p>hey, happymomof1, that was pretty neat. You taught me something. Thanks.</p>

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<p>Wow, I knew someone just like you.</p>

<p>Poor GPA (~3.3ish), 1600/2370, 5 on ~10 AP’s, brilliant mathematically AIME/USAMO.</p>

<p>Imo, your state flagship is your best option, then consider transferring later</p>

11

<p>FYI, most adcom offices do not count GYm or Health as core classes… certainly the University of California system does not… for UC, you can throw out that C and that D. Will bring your GPA over 3.0 most likely.</p>

<p>Some school is going to view you as a project. There are a lot of schools who will pay for high SAT scorers… sorry don’t know which but you might start searching. They will however wonder what the disconnect is… ADD? Drug use? Incurable laziness? Inability to conform? You are going to have to address that issue, and most effectively in the essay component of your applications. The world is full of really intelligent borderline poor that simply won’t do something they don’t FEEL like doing. It’s sort of like interminable 6 year oldness.</p>

<p>Your test taking ability seems to indicate you’d do will in a top 30 school. If you were in CA, I’d rcommend Santa Monica College, then to UCLA as a probable, or to UCSB as a guarantee (as long as you fulfill the contract).</p>

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<p>Ok…</p>

<p>well…prestigious schools will be super reaches for you since they reject kids who possess both high stats and high GPAs. There concern will be that you won’t reliably do what is asked of you. Remember, top schools look for kids who will be successful. They really don’t want kids who have innate high intelligence but only sparingly use it. </p>

<p>Keep in mind that improving your senior year grades will only help a little. Only your first semester grades could help with admissions, and a one semester improvement may appear to be just a temporary ruse to get accepted. </p>

<p>However, you should go ahead an apply to a couple of prestigious schools just to see.</p>

<p>Match and Safety schools are going to be important for you, because that’s where your acceptances will likely come.</p>

<p>As a math or comp sci major don’t worry about who your classmates will be. With a major like either one, any low achievers would be weeded out promptly. Your classmates at most schools will be smart. Therefore, don’t worry about what the scores are for students in lighter majors that the school may offer, those kids don’t concern you. </p>

<p>How much will your parents pay each year? That may strongly influence where you should apply.</p>

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<p>The summer after freshman year I was actually diagnosed with ADD. I wasn’t being cooperative though, and eventually this was dropped (there were also some concerns with the validity of the diagnosis, I think? I’m hazy on the details). Our guidance department barely exists: the guidance counselor is the same person as the vice principal. The school has been around for ten years and the graduating classes have fewer than 40 kids (generally around 30 or fewer) so there isn’t much data. I went to CC because I don’t have terribly much faith in our guidance department. I’ll arrange a meeting in a few weeks once school starts, though. Thanks for the advice.</p>

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<p>I have no idea, actually. It isn’t something we’ve talked about yet. </p>

<p>Private schools looking for SAT scores have been mentioned. Does anyone have some examples of those? I think it’d be pretty helpful.</p>

<p>Thank you to everyone has replied.</p>

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<p>Bumping this up, still looking for schools. There have been a few similar threads recently but my GPA is a bit lower and my scores are a bit higher than the kids in the threads that I’ve seen. Not sure how much that changes things. So yeah! Specific schools would be good.</p>

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<p>there are several threads like this circulating, although not all off them feature such high SAT’s.</p>

<p>Some are preachy…</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/988253-high-sat-low-gpa.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/988253-high-sat-low-gpa.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/988009-underachievers-3-3-gpa-less-2000-sats.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/988009-underachievers-3-3-gpa-less-2000-sats.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/987479-advice-nephew-3-1-gpa-near-perfect-sat-satii-act-ap-scores.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/987479-advice-nephew-3-1-gpa-near-perfect-sat-satii-act-ap-scores.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/939933-3-0-3-3-gpa-parents-thread-2011-hs-graduation.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/939933-3-0-3-3-gpa-parents-thread-2011-hs-graduation.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Oops! I see you’ve already seen these. NVM.</p>

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<p>Take a look at Reed. They tend to be interested in smart ‘angular’ students-those who really excel in a few areas, have teacher recs that will back up their ‘uniquesness,’ high test scores but selectively low grades, etc…</p>

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<p>rochester institute of technology</p>

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<p>i dont know about this one
Everything is very similar for me our school is 50 somehting in the nation too
and im bot 50%
only diff is im low income and from a single parent home also i got a little better ACT</p>

<p>Can someone chance me aswell?
Chance me please in need. chances only BU
theturtlelife is online now</p>

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<p>So uhh I talked to the guidance counselor yesterday and he was pretty useless. He couldn’t provide me with any school recommendations at all, much less help me come up with a list of match/reach schools. Any amateur guidance counselors on CC want to take a shot at it? Details in first post. Only changes since then are I’ve started a math club, was elected student council treasurer, and made NMSF. My grades so far are in line to be As, but of course we’re only like three weeks in.</p>

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<p>If you made NMSF then look at this thread: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/649276-nmf-scholarships-updated-compilation.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/649276-nmf-scholarships-updated-compilation.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;