<p>Statistically speaking, I could stand a decent shot at some of the schools I'm looking at, as my SAT scores are about 100 points above the top 75% of applicants and accepted students. But my GPA and rank are low, which kind of indicates that I am a slacker. Just wondering, do any "holistic admissions process" liberal arts colleges actually look beyond GPA?
I was recently looking at Lafayette, and I realized that my 2.7 UW (3.6/4.2 W) GPA makes me fall within the bottom 10% of accepted students, but my rank makes me fall within the bottom 3%. I scored a 2030 on the SAT which puts me around the top 30%-25% of all applicants. While I'm not an athlete, I am a URM so that could be a plus. Is there any hope, at all? If it helps any, I will have taken 5 AP classes by senior year's end and gotten a 5 on the AP English Language test.</p>
<p>In my experience, URM and high SAT scores combined are usually enough to offset a low GPA.</p>
<p>But with such a low placing GPA and rank among applicants, will not having a stronger hook (legacy, athlete) be outweighed? The extracurriculars I have are amazing and indicate even more that I have potential. I’m trying to get an interview so I can up my profile.</p>
<p>I’m in the exact same boat as you. I will tell you how it turns out after the RD results come in.</p>
<p>Frankly your SAT/GPA mix does make you look like a slacker. Holistic admissions DO look beyond the GPA, but they also look beyond the SAT. Google the Common Data Set for the schools you are interested in and look up section C7 to see how the different criteria are weighted for admission.</p>
<p>I am afraid I agree with Erin’s Dad about this.</p>
<p>I’d add that while a holistic approach to admissions may mean that a college uses more than just numbers to assemble its entering class, selective colleges still recognize that their task is to assemble an entering class of college students. Because they’re trying to admit students who also sing or debate or play squash–and not singers or debaters or squash players who also study on the side–academics are going to be more important than extracurricular accomplishments just about everywhere, just about every time. (True, this rule may not apply to the most promising high-school running back in the state of Texas, but that doesn’t seem to be the kind of amazing extracurricular activity you’re talking about.)</p>