<p>My friends told me that if you don't have straight A's and get a high SAT score, colleges won't even consider you. Is this mostly/completely true?</p>
<p>My friend told me it’s not.</p>
<p>I heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend who heard it from another you’d been messing around.</p>
<p>I heard that it wasn’t true from Shelby, but that girl is such a skank I wouldn’t believe anything she says, at least according to Michael. But he likes Karley and Karley used to be Shelby’s best friend but they had a big fight and hate each other, so Tom thinks that michael is just saying it to get Karley to like him. But Karley and Brad have some secret thing going on that like EVERYONE except Michael knows about. But at a party the other day Rick and Shannon were talking and saw Michael’s EX making out with Tom and … etc</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/567740-selective-colleges-admitting-students-below-3-75-gpa.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/567740-selective-colleges-admitting-students-below-3-75-gpa.html</a></p>
<p>If that’s a case, should students with low gpa+low
sat should go hell?</p>
<p>According to Michelle Hernandez, a former Dartmouth admissions officer, author of A is for Admissions, and college-prep manager, the single most important factor is the standardized test scores. I’d take her word for it.</p>
<p>Grades and scores are both important (as are many other factors), and it appears that different schools value one or the other more.</p>
<p>It depends on the school you’re applying to and how competitive your high school is. If you go to an extremely competitive high scool, that will be taken into account. If you don’t and you have high test scores and lower grades it might make admissions officers pause and consider if you’re a slacker and if you belong at their institution.</p>
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<p>I haven’t heard that, but admissions officers stress again and again that the single most important part of the application is the transcript (grades + rigor of courses). Then standardized tests.</p>
<p>I got a few C’s and an F in high school. It won’t kill you.</p>
<p>When colleges figure the Academic Index for students, more weight is given to SAT/ACT and SAT IIs (at 2/3 of the total) than the 1/3 that is given to GPA from school. I think (?) that could be why Ms. Hernandez claims the test scores are more important. </p>
<p>Of course, if you’re a URM or recruited athlete, the calculations are different.</p>
<p>Remember though that a high GPA achieved by taking “fluff” classes is meaningless. The AI doesn’t take into account course rigor.</p>
<p>It depends what you mean by a lower GPA.</p>
<p>A student with a >2300 SAT but a couple B’s (<5) has a better shot than someone with an “average” SAT score (2150) but straight A’s.</p>
<p>In terms of computing AI, SAT scores <em>are</em> given more weight. However, adcomms will frequently “adjust” that score based on some subjective factors if they think you’re a slacker, which could mean many low grades or an easy courseload.</p>
<p>So, it comes down to this:
- Take a rigorous courseload — this is a must, it’s one of the most important factors
- Aim for A’s, but accept a couple of B’s — a couple of B’s don’t put you out of the running
- Score as high as possible on the SAT</p>
<p>Colleges want interesting students, not just a bunch of “grinds” (those who work hard but aren’t really that smart or interested in their classes).</p>
<p>Whoever said that SAT’s are 2/3 of your evaluation…are you joking me?</p>
<p>They are 2/3 of your ACADEMIC evaluation, since they account for 2/3 of the AI (at least at Dartmouth). This is from Michele Hernandez, who worked in Dartmouth admissions.</p>
<p>Of course, the academic part of your application is only one part of who you are, and the ultimate decision probably <em>won’t</em> hinge on it.</p>
<p>So.</p>
<p>You’re claiming that your GPA–which is what, I don’t know, 4 years and hours more of work, and also your APs, are 1/3 of your academic evaluation?</p>
<p>Am I the only person skeptical?</p>
<p>Yes, that is exactly what I’m claiming.</p>
<p>Whether that’s how it <em>should</em> be is a different matter, but that’s how it is done.</p>
<p>Remember that the AI is a very formulaic system — GPAs and APs have far too much variation to be compared in a standard manner across all the high schools in the country.</p>
<p>IMO, as long as both (GPA/SAT) are in range, they are only a small part of the whole process. If you are on the edge of being qualified, recs/essays/ec’s can really help. I didn’t have straight A’s at all; in fact I had probably 2/3 B’s and 1/3 A’s in my main classes with an SAT close to 2100, but got into a top school. Just play your cards right.</p>
<p>I think it depends on which school you apply to. There are many schools that look at you SAT scores LAST. It’s almost like a qualifier. So if they look at your essays, recs ECs, transcripts etc and think you’re a suitable fit, they then look at your SATs. SATs are meant to be a regulator since there are so many different curricula in various states and countries. IMO your transcript counts for a lot more. SAT in no way tests your intelligence. It tests your ability to take tests, guess and memorize random words. Sitting in that room for almost 4 hours was near torture for me. In any case, visit [::</a> College Planning Made Easy | Inside Source for College Admissions Requirements](<a href=“http://www.collegeboard.com%5D::”>http://www.collegeboard.com) where you can see the average gpas of incoming freshmen to top universities. They are generally very high. What you do for 4 years is sure to count more than one test you did in a couple of hours. The adcoms may think that you played the fool for your entire life and are only now trying to pull yourself up because it’s time to apply to universities. Nowhere wants (perceived) slackers.</p>
<p>That being said, getting a B here and there is no big deal. (When C’s and D’s start popping up all over the place that’s when it gets bad). I had 2 B’s (the rest were A’s), 2100 in SAT, 750, 760 and 800 in my SAT II chem, math 1 and math 2 respectively and was admitted to stanford, johns hopkins and cornell among others. So don’t worry yourself if your case is similar.</p>