<p>Hi Im going to be a junior next year. I dont even know if Im in the right forum but here it goes.</p>
<p>What has priority when colleges look at your application? For example Im sure that most Ivies automatically discard SAT's lower than 1800. Im I right? But will they discard GPA's lower than 3.9 etc? I know the magic that you can do with your essay and the importance of the EC's. </p>
<p>Thank you for your help and attention.</p>
<p>The transcript is the most important element of the application. Not just GPA, but course selection and rigor, too.</p>
<p>For an unhooked candidate, even a 2100 is mostly a circular file (trash can) reaction at an ivy today as would be a rank under top few percent.</p>
<p>On the College Board website, search for a specific college and go to the Admissions link in the set of 10 links under the big school name. That page will show what factors are important to the school for admissions.</p>
<p>Also, there are hundreds of great and good colleges in the US, and many thousand students who want to go to the Ivies. No matter how good you are, you can’t guarantee admission into ANY of the top several colleges. 10% chance of acceptance times 10 schools does NOT equal 100% chance. You must find some safeties that you 1) will get in, 2) can pay for, and 3) would want to go to. Following is a whole fleet of threads along the lines of “oh no, I didn’t get in, what do I do?”. Don’t be posting your own in a few months!</p>
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<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I’m sure they would not “automatically discard” it. In fact, many admission offices make sure that each application is read by at least a certain number of people before a decision is made. And besides, there are people with outstanding accomplishments in other areas who are accepted with SAT scores less than 1800.</p>
<p>bump…</p>
<p>For Ivies, first thing is the grades and the rigor of your classes. Second is standardized test scores. A very low score will put doubts into admissions officers’ heads, but they will not automatically discard your application at that. They will then start to delve deeper into your app and look at your extracurriculars, your passions, your essay, etc. They will compile together all of this information into their decision, a low test score will just work to perhaps decrease chances, but not eliminate them entirely.</p>
<p>Where to you kids get these totally untrue accounts? May applications at top schools are read once and elimiated from further consideration. Without the stats, they stop reading unless you’re an Olympic athlete or Emma Watson.</p>
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<p>Might have been something MITChris said… Still, they do not “automatically discard” the application even if the score is under 1800.</p>
<p>Your source for this info? A legacy with an 1800 has no chance and an athlete would have to be world class and have a 2350.</p>
<p>This was what I had in mind when I wrote that:</p>
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</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/882019-statistics-mit-2014-admissions-cycle-9.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/882019-statistics-mit-2014-admissions-cycle-9.html</a></p>
<p>In other words, they did not “automatically discard” any application. Just as you have said, each application is read at least once.</p>
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</p>
<p>:O
What school are we talking about here?? (…your source for this info?)</p>
<p>Yes, every application is read, if for justt 2 minutes. My source? 20 years as a college counselor talking to adcom daily.</p>
<p>Redroses is misinformed or kidding. The standard line that Ivy coaches tell their top recruits is "grades have to be good, a couple of “B"s are ok, if all your SAT sections and SAT IIs start with a seven, then you’re OK.”</p>
<p>My source? Multiple coaches. P coach told me my UW 4.0, 16 AP, 35 ACT, 800, 790, 780 SAT 2 son was the strongest academic applicant he’d ever had.</p>
<p>2350? Major exaggeration.</p>
<p>Where do these self styled experts get these totally untrue accounts?</p>
<p>The 2350 is to balance the low GPA. Ivies work on a formula for athletes, an index that takes into account both scores and GPA.</p>
<p>Redroses - you might be confusing this with another thread. Balance out what low GPA?</p>
<p>The 3.9 in the OP? In any event, the AI is based on rank, when available, rather than GPA.</p>
<p>While I agree that many CC kids mistakenly believe that a “killer essay” or some such miracle will resurrect a subpar transcript and scores, I can assure you that a “world class” athlete with a 3.9 would not need a 2350 to get the Ivy brass ring.</p>