<p>I am an unhooked white male will a 3.7 GPA, (comparatively low), around the 90th percentile for class rank (all honors/AP but no weighed GPA = bad class rank), and a 2290 SAT.</p>
<p>People talk about fit and good essays being important factors in college admissions and I certainly believe that, but that is something that a) varies from school to school and b) I have some control over.</p>
<p>What I am wondering is, quantitatively, how far above average does my SAT score have to be for me to have a decent shot at admissions given I am a "fit" for that school. I have mainly been considering schools where I am over the 75th percentile by some amount considering the fact that I have little else going for me.</p>
<p>Is this a reasonable approach? Can I reasonable get into a school where a 2290 is only average (I assume not since these are the upper Ivy's)? Do I need to be well over the 75th percentile? Swarthmore is 2285 at the 75th percentile and I am at 2290 so I am on the fence about whether this is worth pursuing.</p>
<p>I’d caution you in this approach. The only time you can definitely use your SAT scores is for some of the state schools who will take all your data and give you a score (and even then it’s not a sure thing for some of the flagships), or if you get NMS and the school guarantees admission/scholarship based on that.</p>
<p>If you’re well above the 75th percentile it’ll definitely help you, but don’t slack off on the rest of your application.</p>
<p>Maybe you’re not understanding me:</p>
<p>I’m saying that given that the rest of my application is the best I can do, I still only have a shot at schools where I’m above the 75th percentile because they’re so competitive. And I’m worried even about schools where I am well over the 75th percentile. Is the 75th percentile a good benchmark to say that I have a chance of being admitted with a good application? Because obviously I’m not getting into any schools where my score is average since it’s the strongest part of my quantitative application.</p>
<p>I think that’s a fair strategy to use. You have enough of a chance that it seems worth the application fee.</p>
<p>Usually schools publish 25-75 ranges for each section of the SAT. Does Swarthmore publish a cumulative total or did you add the 3 sections together to get the 2285 figure? I’d be interested to see that for other schools too.</p>
<p>Grape1,</p>
<p>You need to be aware that the percentiles that are most often published and that you are looking at are for enrolled students. The percentiles for accepted students have higher scores with the possible exception of HYP. For top schools I’d estimate that the percentiles shift upward 40 points for admitted students, which mean that you really can’t be significantly above the 75th percentile. Dartmouth provides some stats that go beyond those for enrolled students and a review can be instructive. For example, less than 40% of applicants who score 800 on CR are admitted.</p>
<p>[Testing</a> Statistics](<a href=“http://www.dartmouth.edu/admissions/facts/test-stats.html]Testing”>http://www.dartmouth.edu/admissions/facts/test-stats.html)
<a href=“This Page Has Moved”>This Page Has Moved; (see page 3)</p>
<p>Stats alone may keep you from being ruled out at a top college, but they do not rule you in.</p>