<p>Like title, I have 2320 for SAT, a couple of 800 SAT IIs, extremely good extracurricular activities, a famous local musician...etc. </p>
<p>Everything's fine,
Except GPA.</p>
<p>There's not exactly a calculating rule for GPA, but that's approximately 2.0 (we don't have GPAs at school)
And I'm at the bottom of my class.</p>
<p>Which universities would you guys suggest?</p>
<p>I really need the help guys, thanks.</p>
<p>There are undoubtedly some colleges and universities that will perk up at the sight of those test scores. You might have a tougher road ahead of you if you need a significant amount of financial aid. What are your interests? Any geographic preferences? Do you want a large or small school? Are you a very strong writer? If so, you might look into Bard’s option for submitting prompted essays in lieu of transcripts. Finally, have you fulfilled all the standard academic requirements, even if your grades were lousy?That will be important for some universities with less selective admissions. They will like your test scores, and might be able to apply a weighting system that will help you, but you need to have completed some basic coursework. One school worth looking at immediately is Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA. It has open admissions. </p>
<p>@woogzmama thanks for your info! You were saying Bard? How does that work?</p>
<p>Just a couple of extra things…</p>
<ol>
<li>I don’t need financial aid</li>
<li>I’m an international student</li>
<li>Preferably on the East coast, and no preference of schools. Probably want to do Politics, Communication, Journalism, Music, Economics, Business…</li>
<li>Yes, I’m good at writer. One of my EA is writing in a local magazine and newspaper</li>
<li>Yes I fulfilled every requirements, and I have good GCEs to compensate a little (I guess?)</li>
</ol>
<p>The big problem is that you’re at the bottom of your class. That suggests that you are simply not prepared to do college level work.</p>
<p>You’re an international student; is there anything unusual about your school or classmates that would mitigate your low GPA?</p>
<p>You should research the unique admissions option via Bard’s website; don’t ask an anonymous stranger to do it for you. Bear in mind that it is very competitive, but I thought of it since you are obviously very intelligent. They ask for essays on a selection of assigned topics. If they are impressed by the quality of the submitted work, they will offer admission to a student without test scores or transcripts. Your test scores are obviously an asset; your transcript will be a liability. </p>
<p>In some international schools a gpa 2.0 is a middle of the road student, 3.0 is a top student. It is just depends. In some cases, to graduate is a accomplishment by itself. OP should apply broadly and perhaps the college adcoms will recognize his accomplishment and admit him. Since he is a full pay student, try some public unis maybe appropriate. I would start with top 100ish (uni+lac) and go from there.</p>
<p>Columbia College Chicago might be another good option, although it is not on the East Coast. Your scores could possibly get you into Temple, in Philadelphia.</p>
<p>If you use the “supersearch” function on CC, you will find 100’s of Unis you can choose from. Some have been suggested here. If you do not like any of them, you can move the indices up and down to find more. </p>
<p>Not meaning to pry or anything, but why is there such a disparity between the two numbers? Did you have any extenuating circumstances that might explain why your GPA is so low? If that’s the case, colleges will definitely take that into account. </p>
<p>Do not worry about the GPA right now. Use the college-matching search engines for your major and the part of the country you think you’d like to be in. Contact the International Admissions Office at each place that looks interesting to you. Let them know your GCSE results as well as your SAT score and what you think your grades convert to. Let them know that you aren’t asking for any financial aid. Ask them what the next step would be for you to apply.</p>
<p>You also should pay a visit to the closest office of EducationUSA. The advisors there probably are in a better position to advise you because they know more about hour school and educational system. <a href=“https://www.educationusa.info/centers.php”>https://www.educationusa.info/centers.php</a></p>
<p>My thought is that you are going to have to provide an explanation on your apps for the discrepancy. With such a vast difference some might suspect shenanigans with the standardized testing.</p>
<p>I agree with HarvestMoon1 and offer this additional recommendation:
<p>Thanks guys for all your information.</p>
<p>My school does have a reputation of giving out low grades for students, if this is mentioned in the school counsellor reference form, will it be slightly better, coupled with my SAT scores and British scores? I’m worried that schools might wonder if I cheated on public exams, but I also have the Stanford Online High School straight A scores to back up. Does it help or does it actually make the whole situation worse?</p>
<p>The possible reason that I’m not such a good student is because I’ve been engaged in too many EAs. Where should I explain this in my Common App when I’ve already written an essay on another topic?</p>
<p>Do you think it’s really useful if I spread big and apply to many colleges, instead of limiting myself to those less competitive schools around 100th? I don’t feel my school’s offering the fair treatment to me…especially I’m the only student applying to USA.</p>
<p>Your GPA is “THE” problem. A more-favorable class rank could ameliorate the – let’s candidly face it – awful GPA (for example, if your 2.0 placed you in the upper third of your class, it would go a LONG way to reduce the GPA’s highly adverse impact). Furthermore, some universities do employ indices that provide comparative GPA metrics among many secondary schools (I’m not sure if non-US schools are included). I wouldn’t worry about any academic fraud issues . . . it’s your GPA – and only your GPA – that appears most inadequate. A counselor recommendation indicating your full readiness for rigorous undergraduate work is vital; that letter should also comment on your school’s VERY STRINGENT grading standards and your resultant 2.0 GPA. Finally, I would not use extensive ECs as an explanation; while I might utilize them as a competitive plus, (leadership, ethics, teamwork, and so forth), their employment as an excuse both belittles your application and seriously calls into question your judgement in over-emphasizing EC (at the expense of your primary responsibility: pure academic work). </p>
<p>You’re at an international school. Your GPA probably means something entirely different there than here, where 2.0 is really not good and means you’re not ready to go to college, probably need remedial work… something your test score clearly indicate isn’t true.
In addition, are you at the bottom of a comprehensive class (with kids going to college, others entering the military or staying at home, starting a job, etc…, with a wide variety of tracks and levels) or a selected, honors-only class where everybody’s expected to go to college?
If all kids are preselected to attend your school and your track, then your counselor should indicate your school does not rank, the way top private schools do in the US.
For instance, was there a selection to enter your secondary school or do all kids who want to start? What percentage students go on to college?
If the scores are 1, 2, 3, 4, what percentage students get 3? The top 10% or the top 40%?</p>
<p>In any case, if you have GCSE’s and GCE, you will NOT be asked for a GPA.
You’ll be asked for your GCSE results (8 strong results would be expected, more = better), your AS results (4 strong results would be expected, up to 6) and 3 strong predicted GCE results (4 would be better but isn’t compulsory, even for top universities).
In addition, traditional subjects are considered more seriously (ie., Business studies, Media Studies, General Studies… are worth less than A-Level French, Maths, Geography, Economics, Religion, etc.) Your GCSE should include at least 5 traditional subjects (typically: English, Maths, one foreign language, one social science, one science.)</p>
<p>If your school does not report GPA, how do you know you have a 2.0? Are you worrying over something that is not reported?</p>
<p>IMHO, if you can get good recommendations from your school, or even better, great ones, then you should have no issue.</p>
<p>I agree with MYOS, this is an international school and you should look at the GPA in terms of American HS.</p>
<p>In my days, as I said, the TOP students in my school will have a score of 80/100. I think op should </p>
<ol>
<li>submit the scores he got at the school as is instead translate it to gpa</li>
<li>I think the school can provide their grading criteria </li>
<li>If the adcoms at the target schools are anywhere international, they should recognize it.</li>
</ol>
<p>Also, there are US Unis that will accept just about any one that will full pay and they are not “bad” schools.</p>
<p>NYU will review your application based on GCSE and GCE scores ONLY. No SAT necessary but submitting those can only help. NO GPA required. Of course, you need ECs, essays, recommendations, but this system is custom-designed to make it easier for international students with national exams to apply.</p>
<p>I think you should seriously look at Bard. You seem like the right student for the school. Intellectually engaged, musical, very bright, pursuing things because they interest you rather than for a resume. Here’s the information on the alternate admissions through essays only. It seems to me you might enjoy the application process itself, whether or not you ended up at Bard. <a href=“The Bard Entrance Examination”>http://www.bard.edu/bardexam/</a></p>
<p>From the website: The Bard Entrance Examination offers a new way to apply to Bard that bypasses existing standardized tests and admission processes, leveling the playing field among applicants worldwide. The examination enables motivated students to gain admission through an essay test, engaging applicants in a process that more closely mirrors actual college coursework. The examination is composed of essay questions in three categories: Social Science, History, and Philosophy; Arts and Literature; and Science and Mathematics. Applicants are required to complete four of 21 questions with 2,500-word essays.</p>
<p>The examination will be graded by members of the Bard faculty and staff. Each of the four essays will be evaluated separately. There will also be a composite grade. Candidates scoring a composite grade of B+ or higher will receive notification of an offer of admission to the College by the end of December. </p>
<p>FYI: I AM an international student in a really competitive school. It’s ranked top 5 in the country. I’m just saying my GPA is 2 because the general average I’m getting is a C. You guys’ discussion has peaked my interest, what do you know about NYU and where did you get that information? @MYOS1634 </p>
<p>I’ve researched on Bard and don’t seem to appeal to me too much. I’m really interested in the top 20 colleges, so are there anything else to do in order to get in? I’ve heard there’s a possibility of only handing in GCSE/GCE scores in lieu of transcripts?</p>