<p>Junior Year:
Eng: B+
Spanish 4: B+
AP US His: A-
AB Calc: A-
AP Bio: B+
Hon. Precal: B</p>
<p>Junior GPA: 3.385</p>
<p>SAT: 770 CR, 730 Math, 730 Writing</p>
<p>ECs:
Debate President
Newspaper Editor
Student Government Chair (highest position)
Orchestra
Tutor underprivileged kids at local HS every week
^^all I plan to continue in college
2 sports
Good / prestigious summer jobs which shows my interest in sp. areas</p>
<p>Your gpa looks out of sync with your gpa. It suggests that you are somewhat lax with classes, but you are taking a high number of APs your junior year so that might be factored in. Your gpa looks low for Dartmouth, thought test scores are in line.</p>
<p>^You’re assuming she was coasting through. I don’t think she is.</p>
<p>I frankly don’t think you would get in because i don’t think your grades reflect that you will be able to do well at Dartmouth, where all of your classes will be very hard. Moreover, you will simply be beaten out by the multitudes of students who take more difficult schedules in difficult schools and get better grades. </p>
<p>Shooting for straight As senior year just doesn’t seem possible for you, and moreover, it shows that you only care about getting good grades to the extent that they will immediately benefit you, instead of because you legitimately want yourself to do well for the sake of doing well.</p>
<p>Your SAT scores show that you are obviously a very smart student, but I think you’re best suited for a less competitive school.</p>
<p>I do acknowledge a slightly below-par gpa, but I want to demonstrate that I am academically able to succeed at Dartmouth. My SAT shows this (btw, do you think it would be a good idea to retake the SAT to score higher?), and my senior year course load with 5 APs shows this. I haven’t been getting stellar grades because my extracurriculars were intense, and I had a hard time balancing the two. It sounds like I’m not a shoe-in for Dartmouth, but do I have a chance ED?</p>
<p>ibfootballer-- you responded when I edited, but I think you are correct although the total package could demonstrate something we are not seeing.</p>
<p>Your chances are not good, but there’s no way to know for sure. Unfortunately, your ECs don’t seem to be significantly demanding, which makes your low GPA hard to explain. There’s nothing wrong with applying ED just on the chance that you get in, but I would consider setting your sights a bit lower and using ED on a school you really like and need just a slight push to help you get in. Unless the val has a 3.6 and you’re in top 5-10%, your chances don’t look too bright.</p>
<p>Your GPA doesn’t mean anything without the context of your school. For example, you said your school was competitive (hard)—does this mean that Dartmouth and other top schools have, in the past, recognized the rigor of your school and accepted unhooked students with <3.5 GPAs? (For example, the averaged weighted GPA accepted to Dartmouth from my school is a 3.7, which is VERY low compared with CC standards.) If not, your chances don’t look too good, as others have said.</p>
<p>On the other hand I think IBfootballer was a bit presumptuous in saying you can’t do well at Dartmouth. Assuming your school is a challenging, private high school with a bit of grade deflation (as opposed to a lot of public high schools were pretty much anyone can easily attain a 4.0 UW, 4.7), I think you can definitely succeed at Dartmouth and any other top school. Don’t get your hopes up, but apply ED and the dice may roll in your favor! Good luck.</p>
<p>Yes, your chances go up as your score does. 2200 is the median, so the higher you can get above that the better.</p>
<p>I’'m surprised any school on the planet sends kids with an average GPA of 3.3 to Dartmouth. My son went to an uber competitive high school and average there was 3.8.</p>
<p>Dartmouth and other top colleges are not looking for kids whose SAT scores prove they can be successful, they are looking for those who have already succeeded academically by every measure. They have thousands who fit that description they need to reject because there simply isn’t the space.</p>
<p>^then again, they might be on a different grading system…not every school calculates out of 4.0, you know. And haha, then my school must be uber-uber-uber competitive, because the average for Dartmouth acceptees at my school is 3.94UW out of 4.0 and 4.73W. Before you cry “grade inflation!”, it might be the other way for the OP; her school may have some serious grade deflation problems, thus resulting in the low average GPA for acceptees. </p>
<p>If the average GPA of the people accepted from your school is 3.3, then yes, I think you have a shot. I would encourage you to retake your SAT’s if you think you can get it higher. It’s not a make or break thing, but a 2250+ always looks good. </p>
<p>Schools grade quite differently and colleges know that. Some schools have many students each year that graduate with a 4.0, some schools have never have a student graduate with a 4.0. It makes a huge difference that you come from a difficult prep school than it you came from a public school. You should apply to Dartmouth and I don’t think people on CC should be telling you that you can’t get in. Early decision will help your chances.</p>
<p>Probably the real question here is what kind of class rank does your GPA represent?</p>
<p>Schools like D expect you to maintain an excellent GPA for your school AND do ECs that take a fair amount of time AND take a rigorous courseload AND have top scores. Unless you’re hooked, which I gather you aren’t.</p>
<p>If you could turn 2 or 3 of those Bs into As first semester senior year while maintaining your ECs, I think it would make a difference.</p>
</p>