<p>My HS has 4,000 students, and is 60% something (give or take) Asian. No stereotypes, please, but obviously, a 4K strong campus, with any kind of demographic breakdown, is competitive as nuts. Now I, being among the weaker of the dogs in the dogfight, have a relatively lower GPA (not terrible, but not tremendous either.) In any case, it's most likely (I haven't checked, though,) in the lower regions of my class rankings. I'd estimate 300/1000, but again, I'm not positive- top 30% is my best estimate.
Would adcoms take into consideration that every class at my school has dozens of 4.0 UW kids a year, several 2400s (and a large amount of 2300+), etc. etc. ? I'm not worried about my API taking hits, because my SAT score should be able to keep it high enough, but I'm worried that as soon as colleges see my rank, they'll toss me out like the moldy bread in your fridge. Sorry, bad analogy. Okay, but you get the point.
Input? Obviously, the advice is to "keep up grades", and I will do that to the best of my ability, but anyone have any words of wisdom/insight to share? Much appreciated.
Thanks, y'all. You're the best.</p>
<p>They only use rank to get more of a perspective on how you compare with the rest of the class. They're going to look at your GPA, test scores too.</p>
<p>The GC sends a copy on an anaylisis of what you school is like, with things on it like average GPA, SAT scores, classes offered, competitiveness, ect. The schools you are looking at will take that into account, but still, being 300 out of a 1000 is not that good. If you don't mind me asking, what is your GPA?</p>
<p>3.78, but that's because I got a C this year (sophomore.) With luck and hard work, I plan on bumping it into the 3.8- range. Optimism and determination, I suppose.
If I manage to get that, I'll probably pull myself into 200/1000.
I really should check, huh?
So what's good? What percentage in class / ranking?</p>
<p>Specialized high school?</p>
<p>And, yes, you are evaluated in the context of the rest of your classmates, the prestige and academic rigor of your school, the opportunities you've been given--whether or not you've made good use of them.</p>
<p>It would be possible for you to shoot for top national universities and LACs, but don't try the Ivy League.</p>
<p>Not specialized- public, actually.
Anyway, so disregarding my situation, I'd like to know what (generally) the lower bound is for elite colleges, in terms of both rank and GPA. I mean, obviously, a person with a 2.0 probably isn't going to Harvard, and I guess 1000/1000 in your class wouldn't either- so what's usually the limit? Estimations?
Thanks.</p>
<p>Everyone asks for hard numbers. Even the adcoms don't know.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Anyway, so disregarding my situation, I'd like to know what (generally) the lower bound is for elite colleges, in terms of both rank and GPA. I mean, obviously, a person with a 2.0 probably isn't going to Harvard, and I guess 1000/1000 in your class wouldn't either- so what's usually the limit? Estimations?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>It's different for every school. I like to go to collegeboard.com and look at the first-year stats for each school. Here's an example.</p>
<p>Johns Hopkins University
* 82% in top 10th of graduating class
* 97% in top quarter of graduating class
* 100% in top half of graduating class</p>
<pre><code>* 50% had h.s. GPA of 3.75 and higher
* 27% had h.s. GPA between 3.5 and 3.74
* 17% had h.s. GPA between 3.25 and 3.49
* 4% had h.s. GPA between 3.0 and 3.24
* 2% had h.s. GPA between 2.5 and 2.99
</code></pre>
<p>By comparison, here's Delaware State:
* 2% in top 10th of graduating class
* 17% in top quarter of graduating class
* 51% in top half of graduating class</p>
<pre><code>* 3% had h.s. GPA of 3.75 and higher
* 7% had h.s. GPA between 3.5 and 3.74
* 6% had h.s. GPA between 3.25 and 3.49
* 12% had h.s. GPA between 3.0 and 3.24
* 34% had h.s. GPA between 2.5 and 2.99
* 34% had h.s. GPA between 2.0 and 2.49
* 4% had h.s. GPA between 1.0 and 1.99
</code></pre>
<p>I think you just gotta keep track of the schools you like and see how your rank falls within their range of enrollees.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I'd like to know what (generally) the lower bound is for elite colleges, in terms of both rank and GPA.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Top tenth percentile (depending on HS) and cumulative average equivalent to A-.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I mean, obviously, a person with a 2.0 probably isn't going to Harvard
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Recruited athlete.</p>