I am an undergraduate student trying to go to a private university. Here are a couple statistics about me that may be of use:
Unweighted GPA: 3.822; Weighted GPA: 4.222
SAT Score: 1210/1600 (CR: 620, M: 590)
FAFSA Estimated Family Contribution: 000000
Most schools that practice a need-aware admissions policy will reject me since I cannot afford their university or because I am not “worth” paying $240,000. In addition, I have a low SAT score.
Thus, I have a few questions and hopefully someone may be able to help me out:
How can a student like me be able to attend a four-year university?
Do universities care THAT much about SAT scores, will my GPA compensate for it?
What happens if I were to apply to a school where I am 75th percentile in GPA but 25th percentile in SAT?
The colleges I already have in mind and plan on sending an application:
Bowdoin, Pitzer, Wesleyan, and Wake Forest University
Whether or not an institution cares a lot about test scores depends on the school. If your GPA is in the 75th percentile it could help a little.
I know that Wake Forest is test optional.
The schools you listed above are test-optional, so they are good choices for you.
If you are considering schools that are NOT test optional, look at the school’s Common Data Set, sections C9 and C7. If Standardized Test Scores are considered “Very Important” (section C7) then you probably shouldn’t apply if your test scores are below the 25% percentile (section C9).
You say you are an undergraduate student - are you already in college? Transfer students typically have different criteria for admission than students who are attending college for the first time.
You aren’t an undergrad, you are a high school student. Your SAT score is a strike against you. You ideally need a test-optional college that offers good merit aid. I can’t see you getting into any of the colleges you listed. You need safety and match schools. That means your GPA and/or test scores need to be above the 75th percentile for safety, and ideally well above the 50th for match, with acceptance rates that are above 30% or more. You can easily find lists of test optional schools by googling.
Can’t help much with FA. Perhaps post in the FA forum to get some assistance there.
You are confused about what need sensitive means. People are not rejected outright just because they have a lot of need. What happens is that the student’s need is taken into consideration along with the rest of the application. If the college/university really wants to have the student, they will make an effort to come up with the money. If the student is OK but not super exciting, then a "cheaper"candidate will get the space.
I understand that my test score is very low. To compensate, I am looking at test-optional schools, such as the aforementioned. Also, I would need schools that meet full need. My parents are unable to pay anything towards my college tuition, room and board, etc… Therefore, I need schools that are willing to offer me a lot of money.
I have made some guidelines for myself, schools that are:
Test-optional
Meet full need
Need blind
But the only ones that I can find that are like that are those four.
I want to have a bigger pool of college to apply to in order to maximize my chances. What can I do at this point? I think the only other option I have is to apply to schools that are need-blind and meet full need but require the SAT.
I live in California and I have applied to four state schools and four UCs: UCLA, UC SD, UC SB, and UC Davis.
Can you all please help me find other schools that would meet what I would need and at the same time I have a decent shot at?
Some more stats about me:
I have taken 11 Advanced Placement courses
I am ranked somewhere in the top 25/709 in my class
My parents both have nor college nor high school level education
My father is unemployed and my mother is employed
I am an Iranian immigrant
Thank you all so much for your help! I have no one else to come to and I feel as if I’m at a dead end.
All the schools on your list are both test optional and full need which is a good strategy but they are also very selective, so add some safeties that are full need but have higher acceptance rates.
I think College of Wooster and Denison might be examples, based on this list:
You might want to look at Denison, Dickinson, Clark U, Allegheny, Ursinus, Willamette, U of Puget Sound for test optional/flexible or where your SAT would fall within their middle range. Not test optional but possible matches might be Redlands or College of Wooster. As your family is low income, you probably will need to take transportation costs into account - among those listed above that are on the west coast are Redlands (CA), and Willamette and Puget Sound (PNW).
I don’t know if these promise to meet full need or not but they seem like more likely options for your stats. Good luck to you!
Does anyone know if these schools happen to be need blind:
Connecticut College
Dickinson College
Occidental College
St. Olaf
Muhlenberg
Also, certain schools such as Hamilton College and University of Rochester have a test-flexible policy where they would accept AP scores instead of SAT. Do you think I should apply to these schools?
Here are my AP scores:
Chem (3), Bio (3), Calc AB (3), US Hist. (3), Euro (3), Eng. Lang (4)
You have a great list of test-optional schools so far. Other need-blind options in this category are College of the Holy Cross and St. John’s College - both are particular places but would definitely be worth checking out. If you are female, also check out Smith and Mount Holyoke. They are not officially need-blind, but according to Wikipedia, “at least 95% of students are admitted without their financial aid need being a factor (i.e., “need-blind”), but a slim percentage (1%–5%), generally students wait-listed or with borderline qualifications, are reviewed in modest consideration of the college’s projected financial resources.” Since both are test-optional, I don’t think you’d fall into the “borderline” category, especially at Mount Holyoke.
I don’t think it would be a great strategy to apply with AP scores instead as yours aren’t particularly high. How do you have so many AP scores already? You’re not a senior are you?
If you are a junior, look into some of the programs like posse, questbridge, jack cooke kent, etc. I’m not sure to what extent test scores are used to get into those, but they exist to support ambitious students who lack resources.
Some of the schools mentioned, such as Denison, do not meet my full need, making me unable to afford it. I looked into St. John’s College, that’s a good option alongside College of the Holy Cross.
Would my GPA be able to make up for my test scores if I were to apply to a school such as the University of Richmond or the University of Virginia? I meet their average GPA, but on the lower end for the SAT score.
Also, I am a male.
Thank you all once again! I find it very amusing how the members of College Confidential are far more helpful to me than my college counselor.
What about Berea College in Kentucky? I don’t know much about it (or its quality) but I’m under the impression that all students have campus jobs in exchange for a full ride. Anyone have more information or opinions? I feel sure OPs grades/stats would fall much higher than average there, so I don’t know if it would give the appropriate level of challenge. …but just throwing it out there in case…
Your first generation status will help you, so that’s a plus. Your AP scores, while fine, aren’t going to give you much of a boost at selelctive colleges, except for the four. I think you need to look at your in-state public colleges, where your threes will get you some college credit. You can also take CLEP exams which will help you place out of entry level classes. Between CLEP and AP credits, you could find yourself graduating with a BA in 2.5 years instead of 4.
Maybe you could consider retaking the SAT and trying for a higher score. I normally suggest students get an acceptance in hand and then take a gap year, but I think you might consider taking a gap year and studying for the SAT or ACT and retake the tests to get your score higher. That could help you a lot. You can spend a year working and saving money, because even if you get tuition covered you are unlikely to get a full ride that covers 100% of the expense of a year at a residential college.
You have a big problem, which is money. Being reaslistic, it is highly unlikely you are going to get 100% of the cost of attending college covered. Even if a college meets full need, that is most likely only going to cover tutition, leaving you to be responsible for soemthing like $15000 a year to cover. IMO, you need to take the public university route, where your APs will possibly get your some credits, and where you can test out of entry level classes with CLEP. You can also do two years for a lot less money by starting at community college. Then you can live at home and save money that way. Community college is much cheaper by many thousands. Be aware that if you start at community college, you then become a transfer student and are no longer considered a freshmen, which will likely mean you lose any chance of merit aid.
To answer your question above, NO, your GPA combined with your low test score is going to hurt you.
@AriSchmari, I looked into Berea a bit and I think you should consider it. All students there do work/study on campus. It looks really interesting. Your grades and test scores place you within the upper range of students there, but not so much that it seems you would go unchallenged. According to Princeton Review, approximately 1/3 of the students at Berea have GPAs of 3.75 and above. Your math is a little below the 75% mark and your reading is 20 points above. U.S. News ranks it at # 60 of liberal arts colleges, which is not bad at all; Berea is ranked in the range of schools like Sarah Lawrence, Beloit, College of Wooster, St. Olaf. These are all well-regarded, solid schools, even if they are not tippy top. Berea gets even higher marks with U.S. News for teaching quality. I don’t know what you are interested in studying , but it looks as if it offers some kind of arrangement to study engineering through another university nearby (I think University of Kentucky,)
Although most students at Berea come from the Southern Appalachian region, there are students from 43 states and 62 countries, and Berea was the first southern college to become co-educational and interracial. The school (like so many others) is loosely Christian affiliated but I didn’t see any mention of required religious coursework or rules.
Otherwise, if you are wanting a more highly selective school, I think @Lindagaf’s suggestion to study hard on SAT’s/ACTs and work during a gap year (maybe taking a course or two at a community college) would be a good one if your parents will let you live at home for a year.