I got into Stanford with a 3.4 GPA: it is possible

<p>whats your gpa id like to know for my oun good</p>

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<p>I don’t think people on CC are begrudging athletes at all, and most don’t have a problem with the hook that comes along with being a top athlete… URM on the other hand… not so much. </p>

<p>But I really don’t agree with your statement that athletics are more difficult than academics. I know you’re just generalizing but being top 10 academically is extremely difficult just like being a top 10 athletic recruit. Athletics and academics are two different disciplines. Can you honestly say its harder to become the best football star than the most renowned microbiologist? I play many sports and it definitely takes determination and a lot of strength, but I also think that success in sports is more correlated to outside factors such as how much money a person has, how physically tall, big, or fast they are, the support a person gets from their family etc… However, many people succeed in academics without the need for a lot of money or any physical wonders.</p>

<p>So I’d completely disagree athletics are definitelynot harder than academics.</p>

<p>Disagree. Do you know how many poor kids from broken families make it into the NFL, NBA, and MLB? Their parents aren’t saying ‘go for your dreams!’ instead of ‘drop out of hs and go get a job’. It’s equally difficult to become a great athlete. Some genetic factors may come into play for athletics, but genetics can also play a role in intelligence. Anyway, there are also short NBA players… they definitely have everything going against them since it’s pretty important to be tall in NBA. Money isn’t a need for being a top athlete, neither is genes, it’s about HARD WORK. The same hard work that the top microbiologists put in.</p>

<p>^^ I didn’t say that academics are harder than athletics!!! I’m saying that you really can’t compare the two. Genetics play a large role in some sports. There are short NBA players but you don’t see 5’2 players, do you??? It depends on what sport you are talking about, but do you know how much money it takes to become an Olympic figure skater? First of all you have to have parents that are willing to find world-class coaches and the money for outfits, new skates, and rink time. Sports like bball and football you don’t need money, but golf clubs and time at the country club don’t come cheap. Genes can also play a big role in sports. No matter how much HARD WORK I put into running the 200 M in track, I will NEVER be faster than Usain Bolt. Why is that?? Genes!! It doesn’t matter if I started training since I began walking and practiced 8 hours a day, I will never be fast enough.</p>

<p>I don’t think a comparison between athletics and academics is fair enough to say one is harder than another. I know it takes a lot of hard work to become a top athlete, and I never said it didn’t, but you honestly cannot disregard the other factors that can lead to success in both athletics and academics.</p>

<p>I thank the Thread Creator with giving me hope. I now see that stats don’t make a person, and that colleges want “people”. Of course they have to admit some people with High stats, but I as a person have to come into terms with who I want to be, and follow the path I want to have.</p>

<p>Why do you think a 2200 is a bad SAT score?</p>

<p>@TS:
I agree with you, even though i didn’t get accepted (was deferred during EA).
My stats are nothing special, probably below the norm for Stanford applicants and I really think my essays made an impact on the decisions I received from all the universities I applied to. </p>

<p>There has to be an honesty in your voice that the admissions officers want to hear, and as long as that is there I think you have a chance - with the grades/test scores/ECs to back em up, of course.</p>

<p>I might as well bump this thread up. This gave me hope as well as a load of information, and I’m sure everyone else could make good use of it as well. Thanks Jennyx</p>

<p>since when is a 2200 a bad SAT score. Do you not realize that is 91%. I may not know much about it with me being in 8th grade but if that is a bad score I am pretty scared. And the way you guys talk i cant help but wonder is 3.75 a bad gpa when it comes to getting into Stanford because that is what im at now and if its bad I need to bring it up for next year. A little help please?</p>

<p>Younggoalsetter, 3.75 GPA is pretty low when everyone who applies basically has 4.0’s and above. AP classes will enable you to get about 4.0, to a maximum of 5.0 if you take all AP’s and pass all of them with an A. Test scores are pretty big as well; a lot of the people applying to schools such as Stanford and Harvard have scores around 2300. </p>

<p>But then again, it’s not just all about the test scores. It’s much more than that.</p>

<p>what state are you from?</p>

<p>WoW!! Thanks a lot!! After reading I am really motivated to continue working hard and will definitely apply to Stanford. You really made me a lot lighter now:D</p>

<p>I don’t buy this at all. The whole admission process depends upon so many other factors other than “passion". The race, ethnicity, state, recommendation, etc. Being extremely good at the sport ( playing since 5th grade year around, varsity player for 4 years, captain for 2 years with the league finalist for 3 years, etc, etc) along with the extremely passionate about that sport with 2340 SAT and 800 , 800 in subject tests and 10 + AP with near perfect GPA with also other ECs and essay reflected passion- didn’t even get " wait listed".</p>

<p>Fervid, playing sports for a long time does not necessarily show your passion. There are millions of students in high school who have been varsity of a sport for four years, and have even won state and many regional competitions. What outlines those with an actual driving passion are those who competing on a national level, not just being a league finalist and such. Stanford can’t accept every student in the US who is good at sports.</p>

<p>Jennyx -are you really affluent ,or is your dad a major player ? Are you from an elite school ? I feel like there is something we don’t know that contributed to your admission . Good luck !</p>

<p>Liquid K,</p>

<p>We are not talking about sports recruit and I was not aware that millions of students get this kind of SAT score with these many AP subjects with near perfect GPA from blue ribbon school. At least, I am not aware any one around like that with school more than 1500 students. We were talking here about passion. If you define passion with national championship, I don’t have anything more to say. Playing year around sport with out missing any weekend since 5th grade is passion or not ? Starting club for the middle school year around ( as soon as finished season after freshman year and seeing level of the sport at the school ) for that sport and that uplifted level of the sport in high school is passion or not?, will most likely become league champion this year and will keep playing sport this summer and college, too ( as it’s part of life ). I can go on and on and still will look like sore loser. My point is as simple, " passion" is just not something will get admission in Stanford just like that . Race, Ethnicity, location of school, state,recommendation letters, etc will be considered along with passion ( may be in your view passion = national championship= admission)</p>

<p>Hi, I am a runner too. I used to run competitively from middle school to high school but now I am in college and I don’t run competitively anymore and I am really interested in applying to Stanford grad school. So I was wondering if you ran competitively or not?
I am really passionate about running too always was but I ma also passionate about a lot of other things one of which is getting into a really really good grad school. You inspire me jenny…</p>

<p>Jennx, would you mind sending that essay to my email at bf6228@**********. Thank you for writing this article! Sorry the email site is gmail, thanks.</p>

<p>Its possible, but it’s HIGHLY unlikely to happen. This thread is a poison that’s motivating students with marred GPAs to aim for an unattainable dream. It’s like aiming to win an Olympic gold medal in the 200-meter individual medley when you’re an amputee!</p>

<p>Now, I’m not against any of the optimism future applicants hold. I just think they should know the difference between optimism and pure ignorance - the fact is that an applicant with a 3.4 GPA has a very, very, low chance of being accepted unless he or she has outstanding hooks. Should you still apply then? Sure, just don’t expect too much out of it.</p>

<p>I’d have to agree with fervid. The valedictorian at my school (one of the top rated high schools in the country) was rejected from Stanford although she had everything going for her – ASB pres, maximum GPA, 2380 SAT, winner of various speech contests, volunteered abroad, various club presidencies etc etc. This was mainly due to the demographic of our school, probably 80% white, and in one of the richest towns in Cali. It also didn’t help that our school was like a 40 min drive away from Stanford.</p>