<p>That stereotype is what I've been getting out of people here. I read some of the threads and all I see is "High SAT score makes you look bad" "You look lazy", but can't it mean a number of different things? Maybe someone had family issues, like death of parents. Maybe someone has other priorities. I don't know. But, where does that leave people like me? High SAT but Low GPA, where do I even stand a chance? I'm not looking at any top schools, but I'm definitely not thinking of any CCs. There no chance for me anymore, as a incoming High School Senior, My only chance is excelling first term, maybe first semester.</p>
<p>What are your specific test scores and GPA? What is your home state? Planned major? Financial situation? There are certainly colleges for you beyond CCs. And if you do have extenuating circumstances, sometimes those can be addressed in the application or by your school guidance counselor in their recommendation.</p>
<p>@intparent I wasn’t speaking for me specifically, I was speaking for everyone in this category. If I give out my stats, this is going to turn into a Chance me thread haha. I was just wondering how to admissions view this? Because theres people making it seem like theres no hope…</p>
<p>IMO, as someone who struggled and had to deal with family issues throughout middle school and high school who ended up with a low-ish GPA and a higher SAT score (compared to GPA), I understand what it’s like. Colleges will too, provided you explain it either via the GC rec, another rec, or in the Additional Info section of the Common App.</p>
<p>However, if a student admits they have a low GPA because they didn’t care or didn’t focus on their work and have no documented reason…I feel no sympathy for them. A lazy work ethic will do you no good in school and in the real world.</p>
<p>If you fall into the former, or even the latter, of course there are thousands of schools you can still apply to and get into. There’s a school out there for everyone, I’d wager. You just have to buckle down and get serious starting now, and find schools that are a match for your stats just like any other student. Break the laziness and find a place you can go to tune out the family stresses so you can get your homework done (I used to hole up in a teacher’s classroom and stay late if it meant I could find some peace).</p>
<p>There is always a chance. And just remember that everyone, especially people here on CC, are quick to judge. People who reply and want to help you don’t know the full story unless you share it with them - and you don’t have to if you don’t want to. But just keep in mind that they may not understand what you are going through.</p>
<p>And what I am saying is that there are very few students that there is “no hope” for. But if you can’t get specific, you won’t get any helpful comments. There is a big difference between a kid with 2100 SATs and a 3.4 GPA, and a kid with 2100 SATs and a 2.5 GPA. But there are college choices for both of those kids. Sure, lots of people with high GPAs and high test scores post out here. And there is an awful lot of conversation about the top schools. But there are thousands of schools in the US, and most of the students in them don’t have a great test score/GPA combo. So a generic whining post asking for a pity party for the more “average” kid is silly.</p>
<p>If Low GPA means like a C average or such, then yes you have slim to none chances for top tier schools. SAT does not make up for horrible GPA, especially if other kids in you’re school are doing great.</p>
<p>Don’t sweat that. My brother and dad nearly flunked out of high school. They now have multiple graduate degrees and also doctorates to show for. It’s funny looking at your high school class with 10 years past graduation. Things change.</p>
<p>There are a lot of back door opportunities to get into elite universities. A low GPA in high school will not define you or where you’ll ultimately graduate from. Nor will it represent what your undergraduate GPA will be. </p>
<p>Columbia GS accepts people with GEDs…ha. Their school holds the highest GPA average among any of the programs at Columbia University. Go figure…lol. Learning and motivation as well as how you process information is much different when you’re older. Things become much easier and with better speed. So long as you’re exercising your brain daily.</p>
<p>a low GPA could also mean a brilliant mind that feels unchallenged by the lackluster education they received in their school district. I know fairly hard working individuals that did well in college who performed horribly in their high school.</p>
<p>There are other factors that contribute too.</p>
<p>@dancegrl Yeah, I’m not lazy it was family struggle lol that was just an option I put in the OP. But thanks for your insight, yeah I’m gonna do my absolute best this first semester.</p>
<p>@intparent I already posted my all of my stats in Chance me, and I got one response. One persons opinion isn’t the be all and end all, I need much more than that. I’m not looking for a pity party… I’m trying to get answers. I’m trying to have a discussion here not trying to get people to Chance me outside of the “What are my Chances” thread.</p>
<p>@smarty99 Yeah, but I’m not trying to get into top tier schools. I’m not looking at Harvard or Princeton or anything of that sort haha</p>
<p>@sksbl88 I see. But I feel like admissions will look at my stats and write me off as lazy, and maybe they don’t want to take a chance on me. You’re right in the sense that H.S GPA doesn’t define your undergrad GPA, but its a gamble when they read your app.</p>
<p>If you link to your chances thread, maybe you will get some more relevant comments. No one here can say if they will write you off as lazy because we don’t know if you are a 2350/3.6 gpa kid or something else. There is a wide variability in how admissions will look at your application depending on your situation. You really won’t get any comments that help you without specifics…</p>
<p>@intparent Oh okay. [Chance</a> Me](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1535189-low-gpa-high-sat-chance-me-please-my-gc-useless.html]Chance”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1535189-low-gpa-high-sat-chance-me-please-my-gc-useless.html)</p>
<p>A bit more info - I couldn’t get a lot of ECs because my sister was a teen parent, so later on she had to go back to school, go to work etc leaving me with my nephew throughout middle+high school, babysitting took up my time and never allowed me to be 100% committed to anything, sports and clubs alike. My father is incarcerated and other family problems I’m not trying to put out there, lol. But I feel like it looks like I’m trying to make excuses when I’m not.</p>
<p>I agree with the OP. I have high SAT’s and a low GPA and I’ve gotten a lot of people telling me to aim lower or that there’s no way I’m getting into my reach schools. I did notice, however, that the one time I accidentally misrepresented my SAT’s (said 75th percentile SAT’s not 75th percentile for the school I was thinking of) I got a lot of constructive criticism and support. I think that the mentality here is geared towards the extremes of the Ivy League applicant pool with not much useful criticism for those of us who don’t fit the norms for a high school student.</p>
<p>I think once you get some space from your family problems you’ll really have a chance to excel, no matter where you go. I also think you have a good chance at UMass Amherst if you have strong essays and explain your situation honestly without making it seem like your asking for pity.</p>
<p>EDIT:
Just to add, that is my opinion on the matter. I think once you get into college whether or not you succeed is up to you. I’m going to work my ass off no matter where I go because my goal is to actually learn and get a good education.</p>
<p>@smithy545 Yeah, I’m definitely dorming in college to get away from all this, haha. I’ll be working as hard as I can, but yeah. Everyone automatically assumes I mean “can I get into top tier/ivy schools” but thats not what I’m asking. I don’t want to resort to CC or a commuter college, and thats basically what everyone is telling me to do on here.</p>
<p>I think it really stinks that you had to pay for years for a choice your sister made, not to mention an incarcerated parent. You’ve had a lot of challenges to overcome to try to have a normal high school experience and time to study and participate in school activities. ‘Lazy’ is not the first word that comes to mind when I read that you scored well on the SAT. Do not be shy about laying out your family situation clearly in one of your essays.</p>
<p>*I’ve really messed up high school, putting family issues first and school later, bad decision. I’m you’re average smart student/bad family situation therefore distracting me from school, with a bit of lazy in me, but I can explain the bad grades in my college essay - without looking like the victim -.</p>
<p>Ethnicity: Mixed, minority blood in me
Freshman year gpa: 2.56 UW/2.71 W
Sophomore: 2.56 UW/2.96 W (more classes)
Junior : 2.41 UW / 2.62 W
SAT:2120
Class rank 389/about 950 (huge school)
I’m in all honors, 1 IB
Some community service, nothing to make the people at admissions jump out of their seat though. Got a scholarship for my standardized test scores, all being advanced.
International Amnesty club soph. + junior year
supposed to be starting ASL club senior year as pres.
work experience </p>
<p>So where does this leave me? I really don’t want to go to CC, like I seriously will consider reclassifying if that means I have to go to CC. (probably not, even though I say this now)
I don’t even know where to apply, I’m at a loss. Lets say I seriously apply myself senior year, like a straight A(+/-) first semester(don’t tell me not possible, I know what I’m capable of) and a killer essay? I’m from Massachusetts
I was thinking of:</p>
<p>Barry University
University of Tampa
Rutgers
Umass Dartmouth
Umass Amherst (not happening, though if i applied myself junior year maybe)
BU (was my dream school, i know its not happening, just me wishing)
Suffolk University</p>
<p>Most of those i won’t get in, if i’m correct. Can you guys suggest some schools in MA, NY, NJ, FL? Those are pretty much the only states I’m willing to go to, but I wanted to stay in MA. I used to want to go to CA but its a bit too far, family emergencies come up, etc. HELP.*</p>
<p>Large state university. They will want your high scores, and may be forgiving of your gpa. Once there you will rise, or fall, on your efforts. If indeed you are from MA as the above reply suggests, I suggest you be “willing” to look elsewhere. You might do well to consider U of Kansas, for example.</p>
<p>First of all, please ignore all the chatter about “elite” schools; it is utter rubbish and completely unnecessary to your success later in life.</p>
<p>Secondly, please ignore chances threads. The people who reply are likely to also be hs students and have absolutely no idea beyond their own preconceived notions about what it will take to be admitted to any given school. If you want to know what your chances are at a particular school, look at the common data set for that institution or in any of the various college guides to get an idea where you would fall among admitted students. Don’t be so quick to write off community colleges because of the snobbery you will encounter from people who disdain them. They can be a godsend for anyone who is motivated but didn’t work up to their ability in high school and/or may not be able to afford 4 years at a sleep-away university. Many, many successful people began at cc.</p>
<p>You need to start figuring out how much your family can afford to pay per year for your education. If you will need financial aid, that should be your primary consideration for identifying target schools (along with your planned major and what’s in-range for your stats). You obviously have academic ability and there’s no reason to think you cannot get a good education, just because your gpa is lacking. Good luck.</p>
<p>This is an interesting case. </p>
<p>I’m surprised mom2collegekids hasn’t asked you what you can afford?</p>
<p>I actually think that your list (and your assessments) are pretty good. You won’t get into all of those schools but you’ll get into some. </p>
<p>I saw that you didn’t want to live at home. Maybe you’d reconsider. Here’s an idea for you: Harvard Extension. It’s extremely cheap, and their admissions process is designed for a “second chance”. The courses meet at night, and are quite rigorous. The student body ranges in age from 16-80. </p>
<p>The point is it’s a very high quality education at a very low price, but you’re going to have to get your “academic game” up to the point of being able to do well there. It’s about the level of a good liberal arts college. You might even try to take a course during your senior year, but don’t underestimate how much work it might be. A lot of local HS students take classes there. There is a program called the Lowell Scholarship which pays half the tuition for one course each semester. Checkout extension.harvard.edu </p>
<p>This is a very different road then going to “college” with kids your own age. You won’t have quite the party scene, and there is very little interaction between Harvard Extension students and Harvard College students. But the upside is that the academic level of your fellow students will greatly exceed the level of the schools which you can currently get admitted to. That’s a double edged sword, but if you are really getting serious, maybe it’s not so crazy. </p>
<p>It would also not be crazy after two years of doing well at Harvard extension to transfer to a really good Liberal Arts college to finish your degree.</p>
<p>@JoBlue @snuggapug @ClassicRockerDad :</p>
<p>My main goal is honestly Umass Amherst, I already have a state scholarship there so I’m really trying to get in. Anything with money helps, my older sister (not the one with the kid) is in college right now, so I definetely need financial aid. My mom doesn’t make 8 figures and she has me going into college, my other sister in college, my eldest sister who just recently got certified as a home health aid constantly needs help with bills and her 2 kids, so we’re really in a tight financial situation.
About the harvard extension, I will look into that, but I’m really not trying to stay at home. It wouldn’t be in my moms best interest financially wise, shes trying to refinance, and if not then move. So, It’s really best I leave for college, me and mom already talked about this a lot.</p>
<p>@SnowDog</p>
<p>Yeah, I’m just gonna have a tough time conveying it in a way that doesn’t sound like I’m a victim or making excuses. Hopefully I have a good english teacher this upcoming year haha [thats my best subject anyways 
]</p>