Liberal Arts Schools and Grades?

Applying to College
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<p>Sigh. I've recently started looking at colleges to apply to in depth- trying to find the one true "school for me" amidst the hundreds that have flooded my real and electronic mailboxes. As I had expected before they began coming, the liberal arts schools were without any doubt the most appealing.</p>

<p>So, I've been reading up on them, finding out about them, etc., thinking that a liberal arts school was exactly what I needed. They're loose and artsy with a big emphasize on self-directed learning. Ideal. But, to my horror, I've also learned that liberal arts schools look at grades as much, if not MORESO than regular colleges and universities. </p>

<p>My question to you, The College Confidential Forumgoers, why? I always felt that LACs were looking more for a kind of student that would enhance their environment (demonstrated by their resume) than a student who has been, academically, very successful in high school.</p>

<p>I understand that no college wants to be full of a bunch of smart, artsy slackers with lots of ECs, but why is it so hard for someone who has demonstrated intellect, passion and devotion to get in? Shouldn't who a person is and how much they can *do*be more important to a LAC than how much time he/she's spent studying and working towards doing well in school? </p>

<p>This is my feeling: in theory, it should be difficult for a student to flourish academically when he/she's spending so much time doing other things (I suppose this is the cutoff point between someone who's devoted and someone's who's not only devoted but also a good student). But, to counter the lack of decent grades, said devoted, passionate student could demonstrate his/her "natural smarts" by performing well on standardized tests.</p>

<p>I guess I'm just a little frustrated. I had always felt that the colleges I applied to would see past my academic shortcomings. I had always secretly wished that every college had its own magic mirror on the wall, which would tell the admission agents whether a student was worthwhile or not.</p>

<p>I tried to be more objective in writing this, but I suppose all of this sprouts from personal chagrin. Any suggestions for me and people like me?</p>

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<p>i'm in the same boat. i'm applying to emerson for early action, and, like you, i'm not quite up to par academically. my gpa is a 3.2 and their average is a 3.6 (although i have taken my fair share of honors/AP classes). my class rank is also in the bottom half and according to college board like 98% of their undergrads were in the top half of their class.
on the other hand, my act score is well above their average, my ECs are go hand-in-hand with the major i'm applying to (writing, literature, and publishing), my essays are pretty good, recs should be solid, i had an awesome interview, etc.
and then, as soon as i start to get confident about my chances of getting accepted, i go online to one of those calculate-my-chances sites and it turns out that kids with GPAs equal to or higher than mine have gotten rejected sometimes, almost frequently in the past. and then i collapse into a state of asceticism and of enmity towards everything and everyone, and for weeks at a time i'll brood about my poor academic profile and basically turn into a sedentary amorphous blob. so basically, reading your post has made me realize that i hate myself and i have no chance of getting in. thanks a lot. this post probably hasn't helped to assuage your fears. sorry.</p>

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<p>bump because i want to hear what others have to say</p>

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<p>It's hard for EVERYONE to get in, especially at the elite colleges.</p>

<p>If these elite colleges are, indeed, where you want to go, then there's no harm in trying. Instead of letting your "mediocre" GPA be a detraction, turn it into something positive. Admissions officers like to see upward trends, so try for that. If there's a specific class where you're just geting killed, address that in the extra information of your common app.</p>

<p>You also have to remember that your GPA is taken in the context of your school/what opportunities you pursued. If you have a 3.7 in a very academically challenging environment, that might come across better than a 3.8 in super-easy classes.</p>

<p>It isn't impossible to get in by showing your devotion and passion to your activities. At the same time, colleges like to see that you're good at managing your time--there are other applicants who might show the same degree of passion as you do who ALSO have shown that they have the study skills needed to succeed in college. Colleges don't want a kid who will ignore and bat aside whatever they don't like (i.e. studies)--what do you think it says about your character if they just read this sentence:</p>

<p>"Shouldn't who a person is and how much they can do be more important to a LAC than how much time he/she's spent studying and working towards doing well in school?"</p>

<p>The answer to your question is yes, but doing well in school will help you do whatever it is you want to do. Doing well in school means a lot more than just the immediate grades--it means good study skills, it means learning how to think analytically, etc.</p>

<p>So, my point is that LACs will forgive a bad grade or two---as long as you show that you worked your butt off for those grades. I'm living proof of that. However, I'm getting this sense of entitlement from you that says "I'm passionate so why the hell don't I deserve to get in above others?" I don't think that would come across very well to admissions officers.</p>

<p>But then again, this is a message board and I might've not understood what you meant/your tone.</p>