low gpa - high test scores dilemma

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>hi, I’m a new member. I’m a first-gen male asian junior in my second semester right now</p>

<p>i’m considering applying to second-tier schools, but am concerned about how my low gpa will impact my chances of getting in. I’m hoping my test scores can offset it a little?</p>

<p>some colleges I’m looking at:
u of Illinois (champaign) (eng.)
university of Chicago (economics prolly)
northwestern uni (medicine)
cal tech (engineering)
cornell (comp sci)
dartmouth (dunno really)
upenn? (ha. ha. ha.)</p>

<p>here are my stats:
gpas:
freshman year – 3.9/4.4
sophomore year – 2.8/3.6
junior year (exp) – 3.6/4.2
senior year (exp) – 3.9 /4.4
overall (exp) – 3.5/4.1</p>

<p>ecs:
marching band freshman year
tons of math competitions
varsity track junior year
ultimate Frisbee in the spring
piano as a hobby?
errrrmm, that’s it</p>

<p>aps (will take this year):
english
bio (e&m)
stats
calc bc
u.s. gov
(expected in senior year):
physics c
chemistry
comp sci
micro/macro economics
u.s. history
german
euro history?</p>

<p>test scores:
sat – currently 800m/740r/670w (2-year-old score tho)
retake very soon – expected (800m/770r/770w)
act – expected (36m/35w/35s/34r (subset essay 10)) overall 35
psat – 80m/80w/80r
sat II - 800 math II
expected: english, bio</p>

<p>awards:
national merit semi-finalist?
4th overall indy state math freshman
4th overall pair state math freshman
8th overall indy state math soph
2nd overall team state math soph
Smattering of regional 1sts</p>

<p>random perk:
i've been really advanced in math since grade school (generally 3-4 grades ahead of my class)</p>

<p>If I do well on my essays, can I hope to save my college appss?</p>

2

<p>Lack of ECs and average GPA are hard to overcome, and will be a factor in first-tier admissions. With a 3.5 and minimals ECs, don’t expect admission at any of those schools, although it’s a remote possibility. High test scores are considered an anomaly for admissions officers, and don’t reflect as highly as high GPA/low SATs, which to my experience they prefer. </p>

<p>If you can compose an AMAZING essay that bares your soul with a unique flair for writing and a passion for (whatever) for each college, then at best it’s a crapshoot. If you’re not sure about what you want to study at the Ivies and are shaky about applying at all, even just doing it for the name and prestige (right?), I wouldn’t even bother. </p>

<p>Me: 3.7, 2110, a good variety of ECs I’m very passionate about, comparatively outstanding essays = Rejection by UPenn ED (did it for the prestige), accepted at NYU, Carnegie Mellon, 5 other second tier schools.</p>

3

<p>■■■■■ Alert! On his other thread said he had a 2400 and a 36.</p>

4

<p>Well his PSAT IS 240 and his ACT is 35. So he may have exaggerated a bit, but let’s not be so cruel so as to declare him a ■■■■■.</p>

5

<p>umm…just to let all know…this is a 3-month-old post, i dont know why people are grave-digging this - that was the whole reason y i started the other new thread, because some of my test scores got updated after i took them or retook them (my ACT score on here was a tentative ‘expected’ value).</p>

<p>yes, a lot can change in 3 months</p>

<p>maybe if rmadden15 had entirely read through my other thread instead of focusing on maintaining his ridiculously high average of 13.29 posts a day, he might have realized that i had already explained this to someone else on the other thread.</p>

6

<p>I agree, he’s not a ■■■■■.</p>

7

<p>I agree this is old; let’s drop this thread then.</p>