<p>sorry for posting on this forum for a second time but i am really concerned about my GPA! It is a 3.3 uw and 3.9 weighted. i am taking five AP's this year in a very rigorous school district so that's why i am getting a lot of b's amid some a's (and 1 c in precalculus honors). </p>
<p>my sat score is currently a 2260 but i've been doing very well on practice tests so i think i have a good chance at a 2300 or above (but smith is an sat optional school which doesn't really help me!) </p>
<p>thanks, this is my number 1 choice l but i don't want to get too attached if this is never going to happen.</p>
<p>Well not much to add to my previous response. You’re a junior, right? Work hard the rest of the year, have a big senior year and with that SAT score you will have a good chance at getting in. Just because SAT’s are optional doesn’t mean they are not taken into account. Smith and other optional schools report SAT’s to the various services/ratings etc. so they are not without importance. Good luck.</p>
<p>MerryH-- Agree with Boss51 ^^^^ above. Beyond my original response
to you earlier, I suspect that outstanding achievement in the upcoming
year would cinch the Smith deal for you. Your GPA trend should be ^^^^^ up.
SAT is mute-- you are at or above the rim-- basketball analogy!!</p>
<p>None of us here can say definitively if a 3.3 GPA is too low for Smith. Is it a little lower than average? Yes. But average means just that, the average. Some applicants have higher GPAs than average, some have lower. Remember that they don’t look at GPAs just in terms of pure numbers, the fact that you are taking tough classes at a tough school can count for something. So in the positive column: you have the rigor of your courseload, your high SATs, and maybe some other factors you haven’t mentioned (extra curriculars, volunteer work, etc.) In the slightly less positive column, your GPA is not the highest. But everyone’s application is going to have strengths and weaknesses, not just yours. </p>
<p>So what should you do? Don’t focus so much on whether your GPA is good enough for this college or that college. Stressing about getting into college is going to be another distraction for you at this stage. Focus on having the best junior and senior years you can. Learn a lot, study hard, and don’t forget to have some fun out of class experiences too. In the end, your grades will be what they will be. Your acceptance letters will be what they will be. You will get into Smith if it’s meant to be. If not, you’ll get into another school you like just as well. For now, the important thing is to focus on your high school career, not necessarily your prospects at a specific school.</p>
<p>hello!
Your GPA is a little low right now, BUT! it does not hurt to give it a shot. Although you want to keep in mind that Smith’s incoming freshmen average GPA is a 3.8-3.9. If you don’t get in as a freshmen, NO WORRIES! I suggest that you get in UMD first, and complete as many courses as you can and re-apply as a junior. This way your GPA starts all over again. BUT! you want to make sure that if you do choose to apply as a junior or sophomore, you have at least a 3.5 GPA plus at least 2-3 leadership roles on campus. I would say to get your GPA as high as 3.8 to be safe. Good Luck!!</p>
<p>You’re taking 5 APs? That will mean something. </p>
<p>If you are that certain that Smith is you top choice (have you visited?) consider Early decision. The financial aid is usually good – but check it out for yourself if you need it --but if you are 100% sure ED might be worth considering. That way, you make a point to admissions that you would attend if accepted.</p>
<p>This said, I agree with previous posts, don’t set your heart on only one school! If you like Smith look for comparable ones, like Mt Holyoke, Bryn Mawr, etc. Or if you want to go co-ed, there are lots of similar schools.</p>
<p>Smith is very committed to diversity and to bringing in students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. For these students in particular, Smith looks holistically at what the student can bring, and will look beyond gpa or test scores for that reason. So when looking at the reported gpa and test score range, keep that in mind. Your own chance of acceptance will depend on what you are deemed to contribute to the class. Keep working hard and see where it comes out.</p>
<p>While obviously none of us can guarantee you’ll be accepted to Smith, considering your weighted GPA, your SAT scores, the way you’ve challenged yourself with AP courses, I think that especially as a junior you’re maybe not the strongest candidate, but a good one. It also does matter what kind of school you go to, the context so to say. As anniezz said, Smith is very committed to creating a study body by looking at all the things applicants bring to the table, so other questions to ask yourself: have I demonstrated that I am active in my community? Am I involved in and committed to a few groups in my high school? Is there something I’m clearly passionate about? Because the answers to those questions matter too! So continue to work hard as one of the earlier posters pointed out, if Smith stays at the very top of your list, seriously consider applying Early Decision. There is no better way to tell Smith that you want Smith and are serious about it! I myself was an ED’er and a few of my stats were not as strong, and my GPA might have been a 3.9 but I also went to a not very high-achieving urban high school. But here I am, so don’t give up hope!</p>