If someone has very high test scores, i.e 800s on subject tests, 35/36 act, 5 on ap exams, do okay grades lessen admission chances?
Define okay grades.
And the key thing to remember is that test scores are generally weighted less than class grades Freshman-Senior year.
I would ask yourself what you think the admissions officer will see when they look at stellar scores but lack luster grades. If I were an admissions officer, I would have to wonder why you didn’t put in as much effort in your daily grades as you did on your tests because you were clearly capable of higher overall grades. But that is just my opinion.
I think the key will be in explaining the reason behind the discrepancy. Think of it this way, why would they accept you over a candidate that has both high test scores and high grades consistently through high school. There are so many that apply that you are already against great odds. It will probably take a lot of explanation to get past the transcript.
Of all the factors considered by an admissions committee, the high school transcript is Factor #1.
In my experience the SAT/ACT scores are probably the most important in the application process. It’s hard for a college to judge grades because all high schools are not equal and some grades are inflated. However, all SAT/ACT scores are equal as everyone takes the same test. Colleges will also recalculate your GPA based on the class rigor - some even recalculate based on the high school strength. Generally colleges will add a grade onto the AP grades you get.
It will also depend on where you are applying to. If it’s a top college like one of the IVY’s I’m sure they are used to seeing top grades from competitive high schools as well as top ACT/SAT scores.
Amy989, your opinion veers from what all selective schools vehemently state: GPA and transcript are most important. Sure some schools inflate/deflate. There are also many grading types/scales too. That’s why colleges ask schools to send in school profiles. Having a 3.8 might be spectacular in one sort of HS whereas a weighted 4.2 might be average for the top 10% at another HS. It’s the job of colleges to discern the achievement level and potential based on Grades and transcript choices FIRST.
As we’re on the Yale forum, we have to assume OP is asking about it and similar Ivies
^completely agree! Every college we toured said the HS transcript is the most important part of the application. They use this, along with the school report, to assess strength of the transcript and gpa within your high school. I’d also agree that for most applicants to places like Yale, both the GPA and test scores should be excellent.
You posted the same question on the Harvard forum. As Yale evaluates transcripts the same way as the big H, my answer is the same.
I believe that test scores, while important, carry less weight than grades. Students can practice for tests and parents can pay a lot of money for tutors, etc. However, how a student has done over a span of 3.5 years in high school is more telling of their future success in college. It is like preparing for a sprint when you are actually a long distance runner. Counselors also speak to a student’s overall high school experience and unless there are real reasons for the low grades (family issues, illness, etc.) then lackluster grades will not be overcome solely by stellar SAT or ACT scores.
All you have to do is look at the web pages of the top schools, and/or go to their admissions tours.
They all say, in no uncertain terms, that the transcript is the single most important piece of information that they consider.
Common sense would tell you the same thing.
Do you think a student who has taken all the honors level courses offered but has not taken High Honors Math and has chosen AB calculus instead of BC calculus would be at a disadvantage assuming the student has aspirations of eventually going to medical school?
What you do in high school has no bearing on applying to medical school. What any student wants is for their Guidance Counselor to check the box on their recommendation that says you took the most rigorous schedule your school had. This evens the playing field for those students who come from schools that don’t have dozens of AP classes and specialized courses - you can’t be faulted for not taking what was not available. A transcript that is full of A’s, but that is not the most rigorous for that particular school will not hold much weight.
My situation is that as a sophomore I got my only B in honors math. In all my other honors courses, I had A’s. As a result , in junior year I decided to take honors math instead of the high honors math that was also offered. I got an A in honors math as well as all my other honors level courses. This year I picked AB Calculus instead of BC because I had 5 AP courses and wanted to continue to get an A in all. Now I am wondering if that decision has made me less competitive for admissions since my desired major will be biology and there are likely many who will have stellar math grades applying in STEM fields.
At this point all this is water under the bridge. All of this seems very impressive so I would not nit pick about the grades. At this point I would concentrate on making your application as well rounded as possible. Remember Yale has a holistic application process so other aspects of your high school career are also important. There are plenty of applicants who are straight A students with a transcript full of AP courses who do not get admitted. What will your counselor say about you? What about your teachers? Have you done more than get A’s in class? Do you play a sport, write for the school paper, been the director/actor in the school play, started a non-profit or worked diligently in one for a extended period of time, etc. These are some of the things will tip the scales in your favor. Good luck.