Low GPA, High SAT/ECs

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

College applications are rolling around and I’m completely lost as to what level I’m at for applications. I personally think that my ECs are at an Ivy / MIT potential but my GPA is 3.4 (HPA 4.1-4.3? idk) and my SAT is 2270 (2280 superscore).

My ECs are at

goo. gl/VJEmbf (just a straight laundry list probably not going to include everything on a real app).

I done a lot of research online including CC and I haven’t found anyone with that low of a GPA and still those scores / ECs so I’m not sure how that will play out in admissions. I don’t want to spend $600 on applications to ivies / caltech / MIT if it would be a joke to even apply given the GPA. As for courseload, I’m in the CS/IB program at my school and this year I’m taking only 6.0s (Last year was all 6.0 but one honors i think is 4.5).

I don’t have any real explanation for getting my grades unfortunately (2Cs, Spanish and English, rest A/Bs), other than I just got them idk. I’ll be honest if I did all of my HW my GPA would be fine, but I didn’t, generally because I had no pressure to do so my family isn’t really oriented towards academics in that way. In terms of progression, which i heard is looked on favorably, for the first semester junior year i got 6As 1B, in Spanish, no idea for 2nd semester yet since USACO camp was over all of my exams and I haven’t taken them yet, but 2Bs maybe 3.

Other things: Hispanic (half colombian half italian), and < $70k a year family income.

TL;DR:
3.4 GPA, nationally placed in math/cs comps + founded a CS club that turned into a pretty big deal + 2270/2280 SAT, hardest classes available I took but did meh, hispanic middle income, what colleges count as solid bets? reaches? definite acceptances? I just don’t know what tier of colleges I should be aiming for.

Thanks!

(Also this is my first post so if I’ve done something wrong pls do tell me thx)

2

Do you have a class rank?

Your SAT is high by national standards but not outstanding by the Ivy standards. It’s at about their average. With a well below-average GPA top tier schools will be big reaches.

Don’t apply to all the Ivies. They’re very different from each other and prestige shouldn’t be the main factor for where you apply. Focus on schools with good CS programs if that’s what you’re interested in. Size? Location? etc. It’s not all about prestige and applying to all the top schools just because they’re “prestigious” is a waste of money.

3

My school does class rank but i have no idea what it is rn because the last time they released it there was some error for everyone and it was way off. I believe it’s 75 to 100 of 350.

4

bump

5

Run the NPC on all the following:

  • your state flagship(s)
  • RPI, Rose Hulman, Cal Poly SLO, CPP, SJSU, Santa Clara, WPI, RIT, Cornell CALS CS, Northeastern, Stevens, UCincinnati (possible Cincinnatus scholarship? Check minima as it may be 3.5, but it may also be weighted or unweighted…)