How much does a good ACT/SAT score help when one has a low GPA?

If ECs are solid, but GPA is not, how much of a different can a good ACT/SAT make?

How low of a GPA and how high of a test score?

You need to define your goals to help as well as at least a range of what is not a solid GPA. Scholarships? Admission to flagship university? top 20?

In general, GPA matters more than test scores.

@Sportsman88 @JPGator98 It wasn’t a specific scenario…just in general. If a student gets like a 35 on the ACT, but has a 3.0 GPA, does the ACT outweigh?

It more depends on the selectivity of the school. More selective schools will expect both, but schools say with a 28 ACT average will want a 35 ACT and would more likely eat the low GPA. If the school has a 33 average ACT, they don’t care as much about a high ACT because all applicants have a high one ( and a high gpa)

@STEMGuy2323 —I follow the Pitt and Purdue threads and there is a student who was denied acceptance this year from engineering programs at both of those schools with a 36C ACT and I believe a 3.3 or 3.4 GPA.

Looking at your “chance me” post on Nov 30, you’ve done well and you’re viable and should get some admits. I would add a safety or two, just in case.

@T26E4 Well, I have two at the moment. I’m hoping for more so I have a wide option pool.

Engineering schools are hard work. Kids I know at Purdue engineering are busting their butts. A high SAT but mediocre GPA might be a red flag to these schools that while a student might be intelligent, he’s a bit lazy or unmotivated.

This is where counselor and teacher recs can make a big difference and shed light on gpa - test score discrepancies.

i think to a certain degree, good test scores can make up for a slightly lower gpa.

for example, if a school’s averages are a 3.9 uw GPA and a 2200 SAT, and you have a 3.75 uw with hard classes and a 2350 SAT, you’ll probably be okay. on the other hand, a 2350 SAT will not make up for a 3.2 GPA. this is just my two cents.

My son was denied Purdue Engineering. 33 ACT 3.92 UW GPA. Eagle Scout, Commended Scholar, lots of EC’s.-Guess these things don’t hold a lot of weight in a big school. He goes to a college prep school where most classes are rigorous except he did not take calc. He took AP sciences but we think the lack of calc hurt him. They offered him any other major.

I think this is where they take a close look at your transcript. What is the rigor of your course work? What do your teachers say about you? It is not going to make you a candidate for a highly selective school, they will have plenty of high GPA, high test score candidates to choose from. It might make a difference to a school where you are on the bubble.

Friend’s son had pretty much the scenario you describe. He applied to 14 colleges, becasue his parents were worried he wouldn’t get many offers. He was accepted to 13, and had merit offers at many. At schools with moderate selectivity, a great test score is very helpful.