Alright, GPA is a 3.5UW (3.95W).
Could Middlebury College happen? I understand it’s a pretty prestigious little school hiding up in Vermont- but with leadership roles, reasons for low grades (mental health struggles fresh/soph), and a strong essay?
thanks!
(going for architecture and environment)
There’s no harm in applying but I suspect that without some really really compelling other factors you have not disclosed, your GPA will be tough to overcome in a competitivepool like Midd’s… But we don’t know how your school grades either, so take a look at Naviance if you have it.
As @gardenstategal wrote, it’s not about your absolute grades, but about where you stand relative to the grading practices in your high school. If you are in the top 10% or so of your class, 3.5 is good enough. If students with 3.5 GPAs are being accepted to Middlebury or similar colleges (not as recruited athletes), that would also mean that there is a chance.
In any case, good luck!
@schoolstruggles : the only way to guarantee that you won’t get in is by not applying, and if admissions were only about the numbers, a vast amount of time and cost could be saved by getting an algorithm to run the numbers. The fact that this isn’t the case should tell you that there is more to it than simply the numbers.
That having been said, the previous answers are sensible: your numbers are on the low end, and you’ll need to show a compelling reason why you’re a great fit for Midd to have a realistic shot. This includes what you’ll add to the community in your four years there, that you’ve visited and reached out to your target department and sat in some classes/talked to Profs, identify/explain what when wrong, and what you’ve done to fix it - demonstrating that it has worked and has been sustained. You should also make the same points to an alumni interviewer. (Pretty obviously low grades in Freshman year are less important than as a Senior; you should also show that you’re taking the most demanding courses your HS offers.)
Hope this helps,
CP