<p>Right now, my GPA is pretty low (not horribly low; should be around 3.4). However, I have decent SAT (retaking and confident with getting a 2300+) and SAT IIs (two 800s). Will this harm be because it'll make me seem like a slacker? Do admissions officers usually jump to conclusions on students based on stuff like SAT and GPA?</p>
<p>Yeah, it will. If you have an upward trend you can make it. Probably not to Ivies though.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply. Luckily, I had an epiphany halfway through junior year and significantly improved my scores. However, that was too late to save my grades, and I’m still going to end up with two B’s (although in my two hardest AP classes). Still, my grades junior year are far far better than my grades freshman and sophomore year. In addition, I’m planning on getting all A+s in the AP classes I’m taking senior year. Do you think a significant improvement in my grades will help alleviate my possible “slacker” status?</p>
<p>And I’m not going to count on getting into any Ivies (although I’ll still apply, just in case I get very lucky). Do you think any of the top 30 schools are in reach?</p>
<p>Not necessarily. If your school has a very high average SAT but low average GPA it just means you go to a hard school.
Even if not, having a 2400 and a 3.4 is objectively better than having a 2200 and a 3.4, or a 2000 and a 3.4, or a 1800 and a 3.4.</p>
<p>With that GPA, what’s your rank in your class right now?</p>
<p>My school doesn’t record class rank. I’m most likely in the top 10% though, since my school is pretty difficult and competitive.</p>
<p>I wouldnt worry too much</p>
<p>
So do you have a really small class size then? I don’t see how a 3.4 is top 10%… unless my school is just ridiculous in terms of student achievement.</p>
<p>@SeekingUni: There are around 400 people in my class. A 3.4 is probably in the top 10% or at least 15% because the majority of the people in my grade just party all day/do drugs, since most of them are super rich and can just live off of their parents’ money (ironic how the rich kids are actually the dumb ones). Only a bunch of people including me take rigorous courses like >3 AP classes and get good grades (my grades aren’t good >_>). The rest of the people who have a good GPA either take only honors/regular classes/little to no APs or don’t have any ECs.</p>
<p>My school is weird like that, since it’s actually one of the top 10 public schools in the state and is well known for its academics and high SAT scores.</p>
<p>bump bump bump bump</p>
<p>What was your SAT score (out of 2400)?</p>
<p>2150 at the moment, but I’m pretty confident I’ll get at least a 2250 the next time I retake it.</p>