<p>I got lazy freshman and sophomore year and had like a 2.9, 3.0 (in a difficult school), but I brought it up to a 3.6 junior year (though my classes aren't difficult due to my school screening for AP's) and ended up with like a 3.15 average. However, I have a 2350 SAT. How would college deans see this? Do you think that would convince them I'm no longer lazy?</p>
<p>I am in a similar situation and wondering the same thing…</p>
<p>I think lower tier colleges may be more accepting of it, but don’t expect ivy league colleges (and their peers) to look the other way. A 3.6 in mediocre classes isn’t too impressive, especially to top tier colleges. </p>
<p>Get a 4.0 1st semester senior year and apply RD.</p>
<p>Start looking at colleges where you fall within the middle 50% for GPA. Even if your on the lower end (25th-49th percentile), with a 2350 you should have a good shot at.</p>
<p>To be frank, neither your grades nor transcript show that you’re no longer lazy. Your SAT shows great potential, but a 3.6 in easy classes hints laziness.</p>
<p>Depends on the college. Most highly selective colleges like to see high grades and/or class rank in rigorous courses. Even those that have a reputation of seeking high test score students with a bit more leniency on grades (e.g. USC) probably wouldn’t go for someone with a 3.15 in less rigorous courses.</p>
<p>But some large <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html</a> are more test score focused.</p>
<p>I’m not worried about selective colleges seeing my grades like you guys do lol, the stat chart that my school gives to me shows that schools like USC take sub 3.3’s all the time. I’m just interested in how they’ll view my growth in comparison to my SAT, not my average in general. 4.0 in my school is near impossible to get, probably only the top 50 out of 800 have one, with 3.6 probably being in the top 20% (remember, in a hyper-competitive school). I’m obviously not expecting any ivy leagues, but I’m looking at some of the liberal arts colleges, where they have more holistic admissions. People start getting into schools like Swarthmore at roughly 3.5, but with significantly lower SAT scores. Was wondering if my trend + SAT score would let me fare against these kinds of students.</p>
<p>I don’t think swarthmore is too realistic. According to its CDS, 98% of all students were in the top quarter of their class (97% for USC). These students probably also took the most rigorous courseload in high school.</p>
<p>They didn’t; in my school, if you don’t have over a certain GPA, you can’t qualify for the AP courses, and I’m assuming they did better in junior year than the other years to bring up their averages to 3.5. We don’t report rank, but our school very rarely adheres to those “top quarter” reportings because it’s simply unrealistic. The top 30% of my school goes to Ivy League/equivalents (I believe we have 45 attending cornell and 25 attending Uchicago alone next year), it wouldn’t make sense for the bottom half to be completely screwed out of Tier 1’s, especially considering that these numbers are people actually attending and not all the acceptances. But again, I know my school profile better than you do, so you don’t need to worry about that. I was wondering what they would feel when they saw a 2350 and a trend, not what school you think I can get into.</p>
<p>What gives you the notion swarthmore isn’t an ivy league equivalent? With an acceptance rate of 15%, it’s no easier than getting into cornell or uchicago.</p>
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<p>It also seems that you did ask us how you’d compare up against these students. Just because your unhappy with info given doesn’t mean you have to dismiss it.</p>
<p>Around 900,000 students in your class will have taken at least 1 AP exam. Unless you can prove knowledge with SAT subject tests (750+), there’s really no reason a college would take you over them.</p>
<p>In their eyes it might indicate some improvement, but you might want to include an explanation as part of your essay, or make sure it is discussed as part of your interview. If you’re not in AP classes, the more selective schools are going to want to see a 4.0 your Junior year, or an explanation of why you either slacked off, or were unable to do well the first 2 years. If you’re at a selective HS, where you had to apply to get in, that may be factored too. </p>
<p>The advantage of SAT and ACT scores is the ability to get a better handle on how students from different schools compare. Not only do different schools use vastly different scales (my daughter’s school gives a 4.0 for an A+ in a regular academic class, but would get 4.4 in an honors class and 4.8 in AP - she would only need a B in an AP class to get 4.0). But they also don’t know how rigorous every individual school is.</p>
<p>If you are applying to the schools you mentioned, where your schools is sending 25 or more students, the admissions officer in charge of your area are likely to be very familiar with your school. If the non-AP classes are still rigorous, that will work in your favor.</p>
<p>Cc123sb, I’m not dismissing your info because I’m unhappy with it, I’m dismissing it because you are wrong. You clearly misread my post.
I didn’t say swarthmore was easier, I brought it up because i wanted to show people can get in without being in the top 25% of my school, since you pulled the “99 were in top
Quarter.” You made a false assumption about my school( that they probably took a rigorous course load), and since the rest of your post was based on it, why would I listen to it?
Thank you ctscoutmom, that was helpful. They definitely know our school, and there is a test required. Hopefully I get the edge over applicants from other schools with slightly higher GPA.</p>
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<p>I wasn’t speaking about the students at your school. I was referring to the student body at swarthmore, an elite LAC that accepts applicants who take the most rigorous course-load (in its CDS, rigor of transcript is considered “Very Important”.</p>
<p>This was my original post:
Where in that did I mention your “hyper-competitive feeder school”?</p>
<p>What’s your school’s ranking according to US NEWS</p>
<p>Your post at 3:22 said specifically that the kids with 3.5s that I mentioned probably took a rigorous course load… Why would you switch the topic to the overall student body at swarthmore</p>
<p>It has absolutely nothing to do with me if the overall student body has the credentials that you mentioned but students at my school get in without them</p>
<p>As you stated
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<p>But anyway, I’m curious as to your school’s ranking on USNWR as well. Does it happen to be the one involved in the cheating scandal? (stuy)</p>
<p>I would say able that is a wonderful SAT score. I know someone a few years back from my competitive public school that was accepted into Caltech with about a 2.95 uw gpa and the same SAT as you. He did have an extremely rigorous course load those taking a total of 10 AP classes and the rest honors although that is not an excuse for his low grades. My school does have a pretty good track record with Top 25 schools and Ivies though. As long as the rest of your application is outstanding you will have a chance. It also helps that my school doesnt rank besides for val and sal.</p>