So, I applied today early action to SUNY Binghamton for Human Development (in-state). I think I have a good chance for many reasons, which I’ll get into. But my main concern is my weighted GPA is low compared to my SAT, only an 89.4 (3.4) due to a struggle specifically in the math area. Other than that, I have a 1460 SAT (720 English 740 Math), I will have taken 6 AP courses and many honors courses by the end of high school (3 already taken that I got 4’s on), I have many great extracurriculars, good essay and recommendation letters, I go to a very competitive high school on Long Island (which Binghamton is familiar with) which may have impacted my GPA negatively, and for whatever it’s worth, my dad attended there. I looked at my school’s scattergrams from previous years, and while I think I should be good, I don’t want to be disappointed.
Also, for anyone familiar with Binghamton’s College of Community and Public Affairs (CCPA), will it help/hurt/not impact my chances of acceptance if I apply there rather than Harpur College. I believe it should help me because Harpur College has more to offer and therefore is more competitive, but CCPA only offers a Human Development major and is smaller, maybe making it harder to get a spot.
Any input is greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.
My best guess is that you will get in. I don’t work for the school or anything - I’m just a parent who spent way too much time reading through the forums here and elsewhere. My impression is that Binghamton favors the SAT over grades when one is questionable. Based on reading posts regarding who did/didn’t get in last year, and the scattergrams, my take is that you are better off with your stats - i.e. 75th + percentile for SAT, and 25th percentile for grades, than if you were 25th percentile SAT and 75th percentile for grades.
I think your worst case scenario is that you don’t get accepted EA, but get rolled into RD, and you have to wait to get accepted in March. Last year kids were accepted via RD in the spring who had your GPA and much lower SATs.
My sense is that colleges like Binghamton really want kids with high SATs. From what I’ve read, the college rankings, etc., are more based on SAT scores than the GPAs of in-coming freshman. Your SAT score will make them want you, and your AP and honors classes will allow them to look past your overall GPA.
Two years ago my S applied EA with excellent stats. Very high GPA, high class ranking, great high school, varsity sports, all the right APs and ECs…BUT his ACT was on the low end of their range.
He was deferred to RD, then he was waitlisted, then he was rejected…in MAY!
It was torture. And we felt it was unfair because of the amount of direct solicitation he received from Binghamton AOs.
Bad taste in this mouth.
Having said that, with your high SAT, you probably have a great chance.
Good luck!