I’m sure this is a common question, but what suggestions would you have for someone with an underwhelming GPA (3.27) but a relatively high ACT score (32). How could I play up the score in some compensation for the GPA in an application?
Thanks
Strong Extracurricular as well as a winning essay would help immensely. But it all depends on the type of schools you apply to.
I participate in a variety of school bands, and have for my entire high school career, so hopefully that will help. Most of the schools I’m applying to are allowing me to skip the essay, but I suppose I should apply to some reach schools.
Congrats on the solid ACT. It gives you more options that if you didn’t have it, for sure.
What @Andrew30 writes isn’t a great path forward. To be frank, the types of schools that will admit you are also the types of schools where ECs and essays play little to no role in admissions. Only the tippy top schools use those measures and based on your GPA, you’re not viable for them. So Andrew’s suggestion to have better ECs and a powerful essay won’t be an option for you.
Your thinking of applying to “reach” schools b/c they have essays is backwards – as if they’re waiting to admit someone with middling GPA and a great essay. That’s 100% incorrect. You should only apply if you have the transcript. Your band involvement won’t move the measuring stick for you.
Your best route is to take as rigorous a courseload as you can while excelling. Get all As (or as close as possible) this upcoming semester. Use the SuperMatch tool on the left side of this page to get an idea of the sorts of colleges you can target. I also believe there’s a long thread in the Parents forum about “where did your B+ student get accepted” or something like that. Good luck.
Thanks for the help. I’m hoping to get a 4.0 this semester, and it seems plausible, but I’ll just have to wait and see.
If you get a 4.0, your overall cumulative GPA would be 3.37. It doesn’t move the markers much.
That’s very true, unfortunately.
But if you get a 4.0 this semester it shows an upward trend…in that you are taking school seriously which is what colleges want.
Looks like you get a big scholarship and out-of-state fee waiver at Louisiana Tech:
http://admissions.latech.edu/tuition_fees/scholarships/freshman-scholarships.php
http://admissions.latech.edu/tuition_fees/pdfs/bulldog_out_of_state_info.pdf
GPA is important in context with the school you attend and the rigor of grading and coursework. If your school has a particularly rigorous grading system, making certain the school does a good job representing this is imperitive. For example, my son’s school does not weight grades, nor offer honors or AP classes. They have had only 3 or 4 students in 15 years attain a perfect GPA. Grading is extremely rigorous. Make certain your school’s ‘college profile’ showcases this if it is the case.
Lousiana Tech would certainly be cheap, but is the school decent?