Just Wondering.

Applying to College
1

<p>I understand that GPA, rank, and courseload are very important factors in top university admissions. </p>

<p>I have taken the toughest course load that my school, one of the most competitive schools in the state (though it boasts itself to be number 1) and one that sends many kids to top schools, offers (10 AP, 6 Honors + a course at JHU over the summer) - but with the school ranking comes the competitiveness of the students. I have a few B's sprinkled throughout my transcript (including at least 2 in my junior year), and though at another school I would easily be ranked higher with my 3.7-3.8 UW/4.2-4.2-4.3 W GPA, I may fall out of even the top 5% here. I moved after my 8th grade year, and then again after my freshman year, from much easier schoosl, but I doubt they will really care. </p>

<p>My extracurriculars are really strong, with lots of leadership/awards/commitment (not to be vain, seriously) and my recommendations will be equally good just because I know the teachers, and my counselor, really well. My standardized test scores are okay, 2200+ SAT super scored, hopefully nearing 2300 after my next one. I hope my essays will be really strong- I really do love to write, and am having trouble narrowing down topics rather than figuring out what to write about, actually. </p>

<p>With all that in consideration, do you think the low rank and GPA will be too detrimental for me to seriously consider schools like Columbia, Brown, and other schools of that caliber? </p>

<p>How do colleges go through the admission process? Do they do it in steps where their first screening is up-to-par academic achievements like GPA and test scores, and then after their first elimination, they go into the subjective categories like EC's and essays? Or do they look holistically from the beginning and just throw away applications as they go? (It really does sound like a game show, doesn't it? haha) </p>

<p>Thanks in advance!</p>

<p>Ps. Most of my B's are in science classes, but I want to go into Law and major in economics. Will it help on my application to declare my major and let them know that I don't suck at things that will affect me in college?</p>

2

<p>Colleges aren’t going to accept anyone who isn’t academically qualified, so it would make sense if there academic review was the first part of the process.</p>

<p>As for your grades, a 3.8 UW is not poor by any means at a tough school. As long as you’re still in the top decile, it shouldn’t be a major detriment. </p>

<p>If your ECs are truly outstanding, then you surely have good chances everywhere!</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

3

<p>Heh, I know that my grades are still okay for most of the schools, its just the class rank that I feel will hurt me. It’s completely normal here for the kids to take 4-6 APs junior year, ace all of them, and get straight 5’s on the AP tests. Since my school doesn’t give out exact rank (thank goodness, or so many good students would be screwed), they check a box that says top 1%, top 5%, top 10%, and so forth. Maybe it’s just because I’m neurotic and would notice things like this, but that puts me on the 3rd level of the 3 levels that these colleges will even consider… especially after so many of them boast to have X amount of valedictorians and salutatorians attend their school :/</p>

4

<p>babababump</p>

5

<p>Top 10% is fine.</p>