SAT Scores...

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I don't know if anyone has posted a thread like this before, but I could not find one when searching the forums. </p>

<p>Anyway, my friend and I were discussing how much the SAT I scores offset a mediocre GPA. We can use my statistics here for this situation. So lets say I get a very good score on the SAT in this final sitting (2300+ - or even a 2400), how much would that offset a GPA of 3.45 UW / 3.86 W? Assume I am applying to colleges such as Johns Hopkins University , Northwestern or other top colleges (But obviously not HYPS, but very good colleges ranked #10 and below). </p>

<p>My friend says that SAT I scores do not offset a GPA like 3.45 at all, and I tend to agree with him. We came to the conclusion that the SAT I does not really mean as much as most people think. I mean, from how I see it, doesn't the GPA show more about the applicant than an SAT score? It should seem that way, but people seem to believe the SAT is everything in college admissions. Now I am not saying they are wrong or anything, but can anyone else add their input about this discussion we've had (How much an excellent SAT score offsets a mediocre GPA). </p>

<p>ANY INPUT WOULD BE GREAT!</p>

<p>I don't know if anyone has posted a thread like this before, but I could not find one when searching the forums. </p>

<p>Anyway, my friend and I were discussing how much the SAT I scores offset a mediocre GPA. We can use my statistics here for this situation. So lets say I get a very good score on the SAT in this final sitting (2300+ - or even a 2400), how much would that offset a GPA of 3.45 UW / 3.86 W? Assume I am applying to colleges such as Johns Hopkins University , Northwestern or other top colleges (But obviously not HYPS, but very good colleges ranked #10 and below). </p>

<p>My friend says that SAT I scores do not offset a GPA like 3.45 at all, and I tend to agree with him. We came to the conclusion that the SAT I does not really mean as much as most people think. I mean, from how I see it, doesn't the GPA show more about the applicant than an SAT score? It should seem that way, but people seem to believe the SAT is everything in college admissions. Now I am not saying they are wrong or anything, but can anyone else add their input about this discussion we've had (How much an excellent SAT score offsets a mediocre GPA). </p>

<p>ANY INPUT WOULD BE GREAT!</p>

<p>PS: I do have some sort of interest in the answers given because I am applying to JHU and Janurary 27th will be my last shot to get a 2400 on the SAT I. Your answers will either give me the reassurance that I have no shot (thus not getting my hopes up), or give me that sliver of hope.</p>

2

<p>sat scores are looked at less than gpa =( but they are still relatively important =D gl!</p>

3

<p>Haha, yes I know that - but what I am trying to get it is how much does an excellent SAT score offset a mediocre GPA like mine? I have taken the most difficult schedule avaiable at my school. I've taken EVERY AP class with the exception of AP Spanish at my school. I can say with confidence that nobody has taken the classes that I have at my school. There are people that only take 3-4 AP classes at my school and they are considered "smart". I have taken 12 AP classes as well as honors courses and my GPA has taken a hit because of it. Most teachers at my school assume you only take one or two AP classes a year, not 5. Thus they stack the homework and projects on like crazy.</p>

<p>Anyway, to get off that rant, how much does an excellent SAT score offset a GPA like 3.45?</p>

4

<p>Here is my view.. probably wrong but here goes. </p>

<p>Two situations</p>

<p>4.0 GPA 1810 SAT I 3.0 GPA 2100 SAT I</p>

<p>Colleges could think one of two things for the first case:
1. Person is poor test taker/ SAT I is only a 4 hour test/ One bad day does not counterract 4 years of hard work.
2. Adcoms are confused by this and may ponder... "Is this person just a really good cheater?"</p>

<p>Second Case
1. Really hard curriculum. Pushed his/herself to the limit. Smart enough to attend this institution. <em>Edit</em> <--Sounds like you fit in perfectly here!
2. Smart But Lazy.</p>

<p>As you can see, it really is a tossup here. I can't say a 2400 never hurts - however; man its a 2400. Colleges may look down on your GPA, but the fact remains that you literally aced the SAT.</p>

<p>In short,</p>

<p>Go for it.</p>

5

<p>My friend just got home today from a vacation to California and he got into U Michigan.</p>

<p>His statistics are less than stellar but he has only taken 4 AP classes which allows his GPA to be much higher than mine with much less work. I mean my senior year alone I am taking 6 different AP classes, whereas he has taken only 4 through his high school career. His GPA / SAT is 3.74 / 1970 and he got into U Mich, now assume I have a 3.45 / 2300, would my chances be just as good as his because of my SAT score?</p>

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<p>Colleges will look at the intensity of your schedule and see that you have a more rigorous schedule...
However, on another note, I don't like how you consider yourself to be anyone else's "intellectual superior"... Have you two taken IQ tests or something? How do you know that your "friend" is dumber than you are? You may not mean to sound conceited, but it certainly came across that way.. I hope that colleges don't pick up on that trait of yours. I think you need to stop worrying about what Adcoms think about your grades, and start worrying what they think about your personality.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the input doctorsboy, but I know for a fact I am more towards the #2 throughout my sophomore and senior year. I mean even as a Freshman I took the most difficult courseload. I took Geometry and Adv. Algebra II for my math courses (most people were sophomores and juniors in my classes), but I actually did my homework and applied myself during Freshman year. I ended up getting a 4.0 with only 1 elective class during the year (Keyboarding). After that year I felt like I could take all the hardest classes an breeze through them without even trying (obviously the biggest mistake ever), but I still took the hardest courses despite taking hits to my GPA every trimester. </p>

<p>I truly will admit that I was lazy, I mean take LAST YEAR for example, I had 4 AP classes and the most difficult english class in our school (Not an AP, but the course is the hardest english class in my school), and I was very lazy, barely doing the homework in any class. In my AP Calculus class last year, I never did the homework at all and I pulled 3 B's for all three trimesters. In AP US History, I never read the book and also got 3 B's. In AP Biology, I did do some homework because I was interested in the beginning, but then I lost interest and I ended up getting 1 A and 2 B's. In AP Statistics, I got 2 A's and 1 B. My GPA took a LARGE hit because of this courseload. I know if I just dropped 1 AP class and took an easy class my GPA would much higher (I do ALL my homework at school during lunch/class, never at home).</p>

<p>To apply this to your analysis I am in the middle of 1 and 2. I do all the homework, but I don't "try" on it. I mean, I do it all at school during lunch or during other classes. I care about my grades, but I just get so tired and restless with school sometimes I don't want to think about it while I'm at home.</p>

<p>Anyway to anyone that read that little anecdote, props to you. Again, to get off my rant, how much would an excellent SAT score offset a mediocre GPA? More input would be excellent because I would like to discuss this more.</p>

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<p>Sorry I came across that way, but what I mean is that by intellcutal, I mean the ability to grasp concepts faster. I definitely will not come across like that in my application or interview, I mean I am a very humble person(<- Irony eh? haha), but when it comes to discussing this stuff I become very passionate and do sometimes come across as a not very nice person. I will edit it to make it sound different.</p>

<p>The reason why I said that is because we both always joke around like that, I have known him for many years and in my group of friends we know who the smartest people are, and who the "not so smart" people are. I am not the smartest person, but I am not the "dumbest" person either. I shouldn't have said that and I wish I didn't say that the way I did.</p>

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<p>ok umich doesn;t look at sat...umich is hardcore based on gpa...that's usually for public schools...anyhow solsek just apply i am sure some college will want a person w/ a 2300+ =D gl!</p>

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<p>"some college"? Sounds like you think I won't get into any colleges.</p>

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<p>Will a good SAT score offset your GPA = Will a good SAT score help you get into a good college.</p>

<p>The answer is obvious. Getting a 2400 certainly won't HURT your chances, it will only help. </p>

<p>Academic Criteria Importance</p>

<p>Secondary school record Very Important
Class rank Considered
Recommendations Important
Standardized test scores Important
Essays Important</p>

<p>They look at SATs, but as someone said before. They are hardcore GPA.</p>

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<p>agree w/ lurker >.< don;t worry solsek i had a low gpa also lol</p>

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<p>Where did you get into? USC? hehe</p>

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<p>I don't see why you wouldn't apply to HYPS if you got a 2400 btw, or even above a 2300. That certainly qualifies you to at least take a shot at it. </p>

<p>U of M is going to frown at your GPA but a 2400 may cause them to smirk a bit. </p>

<p>P.S. - USC is a very competitive school.</p>

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<p>Anyone else have any input? </p>

<p>PS: So when calculating my GPA should I remove my PE and health classes? If that is the case then my GPA is around 3.4ish (maybe 3.39).</p>

<p>This is so ridiculous that health and PE do not count towards the overall GPA. My school requires these courses to graduate, and if the student wants to take courses that actually mean something towards their academic record (instead of wasting their time in PE/Health), what should stop them from doing that? I don't see ANY reason why ANY school should require a student to take PE/Health over another academic class.</p>

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<p>i had ****ty grades (ABCC as level grades, As and Bs for GCSE) but a pretty good sat (2150) and got into emory ED, if that helps.</p>

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<p>I'm doing something like this -- I have a 2320 SAT I (800 CR 770 M 750 W), 2390 SAT II (800 Math 2 800 Phys 790 Chem), but only an 82/100 as a GPA. And I'm applying to top colleges (MIT, Caltech, Stanford, etc.). </p>

<p>[Thing with me, though, is that my 82 GPA still places me second in my (small, admittedly -- 32 students) class (top mark is 85), and therefore colleges might realise that, really, my school's grading system is six kinds of crazy.]</p>

<p>Still, it can't hurt to try -- if your SAT score is excellent, go for it.</p>

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<p>What does a 82/100 GPA recalculate to in terms of 4.0/4.0 scale?</p>

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<p>karan, what was your GPA? U / UW?</p>

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<p>If you calculated my GPA in the US system (A = 4, B = 3, etc.), I'd have something like a 3.7, actually (for us, > 70 = B, > 80 = A.). Direct conversion of 82/100 to something by 4 gives 3.3, though, which would be comparatively low for Ivy applicants. (Though, like I said -- I doubt they'll do this in my particular case.)</p>