High GPA and Low Test Scores?

<p>Is it possible to get into Villanova with a high GPA but low test scores? I'm a terrible test taker, but i'm strong in almost every other category.</p>

<p>Not sure what you consider terrible but know that GPA trumps everything provided you are in a rigorous HS and tough course load. </p>

<p>The ACT’s tend to be kinder to kids who do not do well on Standardized tests.</p>

<p>Hmm, i’m going to take the ACT again in October and see what I get. My GPA is 3.87 out of 4.00, if that helps.</p>

<p>yeah you’ll be fine i didn’t do that well on SATs</p>

<p>dbear, you got into villanova?!</p>

<p>yeah, i’m here right now. what d’ya need?</p>

<p>i sent ya a message, if that works?</p>

<p>Hi,
I’m in the same boat as you apparently were. I have a decent gpa (3.85 uw 4.1 w) and my grades show a significant upward trend. However, my sat is not very high (1790 overall cr:570 m:590 w:630) I always score 10 or 11 on my essay. I take challenging classes and I am taking 4 APs this year (senior). For my first quarter I received straight As and my gpa was 4.67. I am a poor test taker because I just get nervous, but I do well in school by studying and working hard. I am very involved in ECs and my essay will be great. What do you think my chances of acceptance are? In all honesty…</p>

<p>Oh, and I am in the top 8% of my class.</p>

<p>VSB is always 50/50 i don’t see why not for A&S tho, good luck</p>

<p>Do you know the average scores for the business school? I have a daughter that wants that option open, and is applying to schools that have business but you can switch into the school later or just take business courses if there isn’t a seperate school.
She read the on VU site, that it is hard to transfer into the business school so she was thinking of applying to it and just seeing what happens. She is 70/30 business now, but doesn’t want to lock herself in.</p>

<p>Hi Debruns,
My S. and I attended the VU Business Open house this fall. They said the ACT scores were between 30-33 for the business school. It is my understanding that it is impossible to transfer into the business school. Students need to apply freshman year if they want to be in the business school. It is more difficult to get into the business school than the liberal arts program.</p>

<p>Another option, if you D is not sure about business or does not have the best scores is to apply to the liberal arts school and then she can also major/minor in Economics. I know a student who graduated from the liberal arts school with a minor in Econ and she got a fabulous job even in this poor economic enviroment.</p>

<p>Obviously the best is to apply right away to the business school if she is interested in that option. I am not sure how many spots get taken by Early Action applicants. Maybe someone else knows out there.</p>

<p>There were a lot of kids/parents at the business open house. Good luck.</p>

<p>it’s always easier to switch OUT of business school than to switch in so go ahead and go to business if she can that’s the best choice</p>

<p>They way I look at it, what’s one more app at this point? She wont care if she gets rejected and if she gets in, the FA would have to be generous…so it would be nice, but this one wont be in the “more likely” pile. I learned you never know. Thanks for the advice.</p>

<p>I had a very high GPA in high school and was really involved. The only downfall was my average SAT scores. I had a 1780 i think. I had good ACT scores. Villanova seemed to be the only place that didn’t hold that against me. I got into Villanova, and am currently a freshman.</p>

<p>I had a 3.9 unweighted GPA.</p>

<p>I think your chances are great. </p>

<p>Places I was wait listed:
Boston College
Binghamton University
Hamilton College</p>

<p>Accepted:
Boston University
SUNY Geneseo
Villanova University
St. Lawrence University</p>

<p>Denied:
Colgate University
Notre Dame University</p>

<p>haha hey! mausti i almost went to geneseo too! where would you have gone if not nova?</p>

<p>Just a note:</p>

<p>In general, most colleges prefer a high GPA and a high class rank to a high test score. Test scores can be raised with rigorous practice regimens, but they only provide a snapshot of a person’s performance on one day in a non-classroom-like setting. It is more difficult, however, to maintain a high GPA and class rank throughout four years of a high school, and your GPA and course rigor says more about your performance as a student than does a test score.</p>

<p>In speaking with several college admissions officers who now work as counselors at my school, I know that their policy was to read more into the GPA than the SAT or ACT score. But, with respect to merit aid, a high GPA and high test scores are usually the norm for larger awards.</p>

<p>would good everything (courseload [full ap/ib], ACT [31], ECs [3 leadership positions], geographic diversity [hawaii], and minority [filipino]) but low gpa (3.6 cumulative because of a bad freshman year) be good enough for VSB EA? ahhhhhh this is killing me</p>

What was your ACT score if you don’t mind me asking?

@mausti04 ^