<p>So, I am a junior, and if all goes well this year my GPA will be in the neighborhood of 3.6-3.7. I understand that this is not by any means bad, but also that it is well below the average for most top-tier schools, and would like to ask how great a factor this is in determining acceptance at such schools as HYPSM, University of Chicago, and UC Berkeley. I have taken the most rigorous course load my school has to offer, and plan to have something like 12 or 13 APs by the end of senior year, all of the Bs I have obtained being in history, languages, and electives rather than my focus (mathsci). Specifically, I am bad at French. French alone is responsible for half of my Bs.</p>
<p>GPA is a very large factor in elite admissions. Your rigor will help you, but only so much. There will be many 4.0 and near 4.0 kids with equal rigor rejected from those schools.</p>
<p>^^ which just shows that g.p.a isnt everything. But it is a large factor. If u have 3.7+ U.W, uchiago and berkeley will be pretty good matches. You might even want to shoot for some ivies if you have a solid overall application.</p>
<p>-Knows someone with 5 B’s that got into Stanford</p>
<p>Well. On one hand, I have about 10 total Bs, assuming I can pull straight As for the rest of junior year. On the other hand, my GPA is the weakest facet of my application. I guess my question is, assuming my extracurriculars and SATs are otherwise suitable for such a school, do you still think I have a worthwhile shot?</p>
<p>A shot yes, worthwhile, that’s for you to decide. With unhooked acceptance rates around 5-7%, an applicant with less than stellar grades is probably a longshot.</p>
<p>Sorry to sound so negative. It’s just that competitive.</p>
<p>It’s about rank. Not GPA, not numbernof Bs, but rank.</p>
<p>Just look at facts and figures for these schools. The cart majority of unhooked aceptees are numbers one or twonin their class. If you have a phenomenal EC you can go as low as top 10%, but if you’re not from Andover, a very top magnet or public, you’re likely to be very top of class for all ivies except some schools at Cornell.</p>
<p>I do go to what I have been led to believe is a fairly prestigious magnet, although in truth I don’t really know to what extent. However, they don’t rank apart from val/salut.</p>
<p>i’m in a very similar position, looking at very similar schools</p>
<p>but if my school doesn’t rank, will that hurt my chances of getting into a school like UChicago?</p>
<p>also, (xanthosine) i think if your extracurriculars, work experience, and proof that you are more than the average high-achieving students (great grades and test scores, and in lots of social/academic clubs usually), especially through essays or unique experiences you’ve had, you have a good chance. i know i’m not in the best position to give advice, but i’ve seen some of my friends in similar positions get into really great schools</p>