Mediocre SATs, Great Grades?

Applying to College
1

<p>I saw a similar post earlier like this, but with the opposite purpose: Mediocre Grades, Stellar SAT....something like that.</p>

<p>Basically, for an ivy league school I know you can't be weak in anything to get in, but what would be preferred (assuming both students took the most rigorous course load available at their school?)</p>

<p>Student 1-
SAT Score: 2050
Unweighted GPA- 4.0
(10-11 AP Courses; very rigorous)
Top 10 Percent of Class</p>

<p>Stuent 2-
SAT Score: 2350
Unweighted GPA- 3.65
(10-11 AP Courses; Very rigorous)</p>

2

<p>Good question, but I would pick....Student C</p>

<p>Student C-
Sat score:2410
Unweighed GPA: 4.000001
Top Imaginary percent of class
Found cure to cancer</p>

3

<p>Thanks, lol.</p>

<p>Btw, it is actually possible to have an Unweighted GPA higher than 4.0. My school does A+ 4.33, A 4.0, A- 3.66.</p>

<p>I have a 4.05.</p>

4

<p>I'd say that student A would have to have some sort of hook (i.e. comes from disadvantaged background) or absolutely terrific essay/EC's to be admitted into HYPS. Also for having an unweighted GPA of 4.0 and taking 10-11 AP classes it is highly unlikely that the class rank of this student would be merely top 10% (more like top 1% or valedictorian/salutorian). A 4.0 is not as difficult a feat as a 2350 SAT (although the 2350 SAT does seem quite common on CC. For some reason to me student B seems to have the slight upper hand. But also it depends on the school and student B's ranking as well</p>

5

<p>I'm not Valedictorian at my school because GPA is done in unweighted terms. We don't even know our weighted GPAs.
I would have probably the highest weighted GPA at my school, but it doesnt really matter since we don't use that.
It is possible to have a 4.0 with a great deal of APs though. I took six junior year, one self study, and I'm taking 5 next year. And I currently have a 4.05.
But I'm not valedictorian, the valedictorian only took 3 APs and the salutorian took 2.</p>

6

<p>"Btw, it is actually possible to have an Unweighted GPA higher than 4.0. My school does A+ 4.33, A 4.0, A- 3.66.</p>

<p>I have a 4.05."</p>

<p>Your school is insane.
But yeah I wuld say that student A is waaay more likely to get in. Also, student A should just retake the SAT lol.</p>

7

<p>Insane might be an understatement.</p>

<p>Do most schools just give 4.0 for an 89 percent and higher?</p>

8

<p>No. Most schools dock points for an 89 (considering it a B+) and most schools also dock for 90-92.9 (an A-, I believe this is a 3.7)
As for a B+ I think that is something like a 3.5 or a 3.2, not 100% sure.</p>

9

<p>I don't think student A would get into any ivy unless he/she comes from a truly top HS (average SAT 1350 cr/m) and then we're talking Cornell. They would just see grade inflation at the kid's school, there are probably a dozen 4.0s.</p>

<p>For student B it would depend on what the 3.65 meant at his HS. If it was top 10% as it could be at top schools, he's in the game.</p>

10

<p>Okay.
Our school gives a 3.66 for 89.5-92.5.</p>

11

<p>Perhaps, but the B student (or the A student) would have a greatly improved chance if they were URM status</p>

12

<p>"Okay.
Our school gives a 3.66 for 89.5-92.5."
That seems fair.</p>

13

<p>Ooops repeat post.
Please ignore.</p>

14

<p>URM status?
Does that mean minority?</p>

<p>And Asians/Indians don't count as URMs do they?</p>

15

<p>Yes URM means minority, and no Asians/Indians are not URMs.
URMs are Hispanics and African Americans.
Also, Asians and Indians are almost over-represented minorities, so this won't really help on an app.</p>

16

<ol>
<li>no Asians and Indians are ORMs, meaning they are the OPPOSITE of URMs meaning that whatever advantages URMs get, ORMs get the opposite.</li>
<li>why would you take the hardworking student over the smrat student?</li>
<li>there is NO WAY taht a 4.0 is easier than a 2350. nuh uh. i dont do any work and my grades suck but my SAT is still about that. but that's just me obviously</li>
</ol>

17

<p>at your schools can anyone take AP classes? cause at mine there is always a prerequisite like A-/A in Spanish 3 honors to take AP Spanish and teacher recommendation. although, only the top students take the classes because they're the only ones who actually want to take the classes. at my school 4+ AP courses throughout HS is considered insane and hard because the classes are so difficult (8 for me) . that's why i'm amazed that so many people on here talk about taking 10-11 APs like it's standard at their schools lol. </p>

<p>anyway, i would take student 2 just because his SATs are basically perfect and his unweighted GPA is still decent considering he's taken 10-11 APs!! if AP scores are really high (4s and 5s) I think that would make up for his above average GPA.</p>

18

<p>lol, akittka that's like my school as well. but i know the courses are hard because EVERYONE gets 5s. a 4 is considered a failing, horrible score. your teacher will be like "what happened xxx?" (heard teachers saying this, not to the student's face tho but to other students and teachers)</p>

19

<p>I would say that public/GPA-Rank focused schools would be more willing to admit person A. However, for higher tier schools in the top 20 or so than I think they take student B. There are a lot more students with 4.0s and good SATs than 3.65 (which is still really good for having 10-11 AP) and amazing SATs.</p>

20

<p>i would say that high grades and mediocre sats will trump great sats and decent grades</p>