High SATS, Not so high GPA

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm getting ridiculously stressed out about this whole college process (as is everyone I'm sure). Here are the stats:</p>

<p>GPA: 3.4 UW, which would put me in barely the top 50% of my class. maybe top 49%. HOWEVER there is good news- I have taken all of the hardes courses my school offers, and I go to a private school that is incredibly successful with college placement (about 60% of every graduating class ends up at top 4 LACs or top 10 universities, and the average SAT score hovers around 1420). Also, I just got extended time this year, which means that my senior yr GPA is currently around a 3.93 (highest class cumulative GPA is a 3.85), and it will average out to a 3.5 cumulative (probably top 35%)</p>

<p>SAT I: 1590 (800V/790M)</p>

<p>SAT II: Math IIC- 800 APs
Writing- 800 English Lit- 5
Math IC- 770 English language- 5
Spanish- 730 Spanish- 4
Literature- 740</p>

<p>ECs: the usual, head of a few things, member of a few things. my big EC focus though is my love of animals, so two summers ago I wrote a report about the bear bile trade that has been published and is being used in efforts to outlaw it.</p>

<p>awards: NMSQT semifinalist, ap scholar, national spanish exam 7th place, a bunch of debate stuff, some small meaningless stuff, and thats about it.</p>

<p>Recs: pretty good, probably excellent in most categories for both (spanish and english teachers) </p>

<p>umm, what else....Essay is OK, serviceable, won't work against me.</p>

<p>What would be some colleges I could maybe get into? e.g. ones that want higher SATs, or would like a rising GPA trend?</p>

<p>I don't care about city v rural and I'd rather not a giant school although I am applying U Mich rolling (residential college). Nowhere early. Schools I really love are Princeton, Carleton, Amherst, Bowdoin, Dartmouth....I know, all hugely long shots</p>

2

<p>May I ask, isn't a 3.5 UW really high for unweighted? I mean a 4.0 is the highest, a 3.5 is about a 90 overall average isn't it? That should place you well within the top 15% of any school.</p>

3

<p>wellll, you would think, but my shcool everyone gets all A-s and I'm in between an A- and a B+. My school's average GPA is a 3.47, it's basically just packed with people who do well.</p>

4

<p>umm - screwed - i'm almost in the EXACT same place as you...i have a little higher class rank and a little lower SAT. I made an 800 on math2c as well. goodness, it's sort of creepy how similar are stats are (although i think my EC's are stronger :-p) i'm ED'ing duke. goodluck!</p>

5

<p>SAT II is extremley nice. However since you went to a good school (The highest school average is 1390 :P when I went to college) I think that will definately come into consideration. The #1 school that most people think of is Phillips Exeter Academy in NH.</p>

6

<p>hmm,, thanks guys. do they usually compare people to other people from their school? and any schools more likely to take me?</p>

7

<p>I think Northwestern would take you</p>

8

<p>I think that colleges usually favor high GPA, lower SAT more.
However, I don't think you're that badly off... 3.5 = B+, no?
I think that's acceptable as long as you have a challenging courseload.</p>

9

<p>I think SAT scores are more important, but is definately not the only factor. The reason standardized scores are loooked more at, is because some schools (like where I come from city schools, anyone who tries will probably be in the top 5% easily, as a private boarding school, a person with the same smarts would only be in the top 30%). SAT score is the one way to compare yourself aganist other students on pure merit, and gives everyone an equal playing field.</p>

10

<p>I dont think SAT scores are mroe important, because your transcript is your work over 4 years and sat score is just oen day.</p>

<p>Oh, and gpa 3.4 UW isn't that high jeff shek, my unweighted is a 3.92, and im 16 out of 550 at a large public hs.</p>

11

<p>well mines a 3.0 now i feel like a moron.</p>

<p>i rank haha, 60/400. yes, i know, at least top 15%</p>

<p>i'm an average kid with good ECs. reading this forum really does get me depressed a lot :P</p>

12

<p>GPA and SAT scores are only part of the admissions process, and at top schools they are used more as qualifiers rather than pieces to a formula. Colleges aren't accepting scores, they are accepting people, and the better you are at providing a strong sense of your personality to these places the better your chances. Colleges are looking for people who are intellectually curious and willing to challenge themselves, they look for potential not just high school achievments. Don't buy into the stats driven and meaningless ECs hype you get from this site, a lot of it is not true, you've got to be able to sell yourself to the college, and you do that through your essays and interviews. Just remember that the personal side of the admissions process is just as important as the stats side, good luck.</p>

13

<p>thanks all! anyone else?</p>