Senior with anomalously bad GPA, what's realistic?

College Search & Selection
1

FOR THOSE WHO DON’T WANT TO READ IT ALL - TL;DR towards the top, question at the bottom - thanks for reading my thread.

Hey guys, I have an anomalously bad GPA relative to my test scores and other qualities. ~3.2 unweighted after first-quarter A’s in 4 AP’s, 2 regular courses. I am going to school at a relatively competitive magnet high school in South Carolina - we are one of the few southeastern cities with significant Asian population and my high school offers plenty of APs - and I do not place in the top decile.

Here’s the thing though: I’m a fantastic writer for creative prompts, I come across genuinely in writing, I have great interest in my selected field, and show a very strong upward trend. My AP scores include a 4 in Human Geo. from freshman year, 3 in APUSH from sophomore year (my breaking point), and three 5’s in Calc AB, Biology, and Eng. Lang last year. I’m a 2250 SAT (800CR / 760M / 690W) and 35 composite ACT (+36 writing), both were in one sitting and neither was the result of extensive studying; I can still raise my SAT for an application in the springtime. I’m waiting on my subject tests from this past Saturday (10/7/15), but I’m quite confident in a 780-800 in both Math I and Math II. I’ve done independent research, independent writing, and can display my individual passion for sports, writing, and STEM fields in my extracurriculars. I’m a member of every honors society offered at our school, a leader in charitable clubs and our ultimate frisbee team, a 6-year varsity swimmer and captain, and I have individual interests in fashion, design, etc. that I can speak extensively about in essays and interviews.

I’ve ~almost~ covered all the bases, but I haven’t. My GPA is abysmal. I haven’t taken myself seriously enough in high school, which manifests itself in every facet of my admissions. I did not understand that there was so much infrastructure for high school success, from doing well in classes with tutoring to reading books on college essay writing. In short, I’ve put myself behind, and I’m sorry about it. I applied to Columbia University with my Early Decision on the 1st of this month, and I can already see the catastrophic moment when I read that letter - I’ve put all my eggs into one basket because I love that school so much.

With all this in mind - can you guys recommend some quality schools where I have a reasonable chance of admission this fall/spring? What’s the furthest reach I should go for? I think I’d be happy at a school like Vanderbilt, Boston College or Boston University, or Carnegie Melon, and my test scores actually show me very significantly ahead of their average student. I’m an engineering applicant looking for a major in Civil hopefully with a design or art history minor and I’m hoping for a career in Architecture after graduate school. I’ve currently got UChicago, Princeton, and Cooper Union (engineering) on my short list, but I can’t see myself getting into these schools on regular decision. Which schools will like me back?

Thanks, CC, love ya

2

You applied ED to Columbia, but your GPA is more in the range of Columbia College - Chicago.

Unfortunately low GPA/high SAT is a less good situation to be in than the other way around. I’d advise considering state schools in the south and west that are very stats driven. You won’t qualify for the merit aid some of them offer because of your GPA but some of them may admit you based on SAT.

Really, how would you feel about Ole Miss or New Mexico School of Mining and Technoogy, for example?

I’d also advise using the SuperMatch tool (http://www.collegeconfidential.com/college_search/) to search for schools where a 3.2 is average. You’ll need to apply to some of them - schools like Columbia Chicago or Radford University. Or, if you can’t stomach something like that, you may need to consider community college + junior transfer as your “safety” option.

3

Sorry but the schools on your list are very unlikely with your GPA. In general colleges are not eager to get really bright people who don’t have a history of applying themselves academically – there are plenty of applicants with similar test scores to yours and GPAs to match. Agree with the suggestion of using the SuperMatch function on the left and if your HS has Naviance use that as well. There are tons of great colleges and universities out there which would allow you to reach your goals.

4

While I agree with the other posters in that your list is unrealistic, I disagree that the best you can do is community college. You have a B, B+ avg with rigor and great test scores. There are plenty of competitive schools that will want you. For engineering, look at Union, Clark, Lafayette, UConn. Do a little research and you will find strong options

5

Thanks for the responses guys, it is very sobering hearing how damning that mark is, and what you’re all telling me is very similar to what the SuperMatch tool has to recommend. I haven’t considered many schools on the level of Union, Lafayette, etc. so I’ll have to look into those - I might even be fortunate enough to get a nice offer from one of these schools on the basis of my STEM or writing talents, so this is at least somewhat of a one-door-closing situation.

I should add that I already have University of South Carolina (+Honors, applying w. legacy) and Clemson University (+Honors) as fine quality safety schools which I stand to pay <$2000 (max) annually for, so my back isn’t entirely against the wall.
Any more recommendations would be helpful.

6

There are many many schools between community college and Columbia, so ignore the comment about community college. A B student with AP classes and an upward trend may not get admitted into top 20 schools but certainly you will be accepted to many outside the top 50.

Look also at the College Simply website. They will also match solely on GPA and solely on test scores. For you, this will be an interesting experiment. Try to find overlaps in the two lists.

My daughter had a similar dissonance between her GPA (also with 9,10 AP classes) and test scores with lower test shoes than you. We chose her schools very carefully and usually her scores were in the top 25% while her GPA was below average (and maybe around 25th percentile or lower). She applied to 7 schools and was accepted to every school. In the end, she chose based on how she learns rather than name, prestige or even location and she’s thriving so far in her first year.

Good luck.

7

My son also has low GPA and high SAT and he is applying to schools that have acceptance rates between 30 and 50%. He got one acceptance already. We looked at our school’s Naviance and there are a lot of competitive schools that take B students assuming rigor and high scores. Just to put some names RPI, University of Rochester, Brandeis etc. Of course it depends on how your application reads but with your essays and EC you might look attractive. I would drop the Ivy League schools though. Also try some schools that have high acceptance rates but are known for rigor. I think you need to do a smarter search.

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<<<<
should add that I already have University of South Carolina (+Honors, applying w. legacy) and Clemson University (+Honors) as fine quality safety schools which I stand to pay <$2000 (max) annually for, so my back isn’t entirely against the wall.


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? How would you have that net price at those schools? Your GPA will be merit killers. If you think you’re going to pay less than $2k annually for those schools, you’re naively thinking that you’d be given free tuition and free room and board…I highly doubt you’d get that at either school.

You won’t get into Clemson’s Honors with that GPA.

You may not get into USCarolina with that GPA.

Does USCarolina have your eng’g interest? Don’t they have few E disciplines?

BTW…I doubt that your first quarter grades improve your GPA since those typically do not calculate. Semester or year-end grades are used for GPA calculation for colleges.

Your current list of schools Columbia, BC, Vandy, UChi, etc, is simply unrealistic. Your test scores tell them that you’re gifted, but your GPA tells them that you don’t put in the effort in and out of the classroom. They want students who DO put in the effort because they want you to make them look good.

How much will your parents pay each year?

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Most Honors Colleges and scholarships require a 3.5. Are there specific circumstances that make you think this won’t apply to you at Clemson and at USC?
I assume you’re a SC resident, right?
Math 1 and Math 2 only count as ONE subject test - you would need to take an extra one at least but because your GPA is low you’'d need to prove you have mastered subjects - since you’re a great writer I would suggest Literature, plus Physics if possible.
It’s really too bad you wasted your ED card on a school you have zero chance of getting admitted to. Look at colleges with ED2 and choose carefully.
Your SAT score will mitigate your GPA is you apply to colleges where the average is about 3.4-5 -those would be your matches. Keep in mind that applicants to engineering will typically have MUCH higher averages than the “typical” student at that university.
What about RIT, Stevens, UCincinnati (for the co-op)?

10

To clarify, I wasn’t trying to imply that community college was the only plan. I only offered it as a backup if schools where a 3.2 is average weren’t acceptable to OP as a safety option. Everyone needs a safety. If your schools are all reaches, CC is your safety.

Would echo @MYOS1634 's advice about 3.4ish schools. Lot of good options in that bracket.

11

Have you spoken with your parents about how much they can afford? For instance some of the schools mentioned above are OOS publics for which you would pay high tuition.

12

A 3.2 UW is not an impossibly unworkable GPA, and has been sufficient for admission to Middlebury recently, for example. I’d try Union, suggested on this thread (3), which offers engineering and at which the average HS GPA is 3.41. Trinity (Conn) would also seriously consider your application.

13

We had unhooked students from our school that got accepted to University of Vermont engineering (directly) with dismal GPAs (Cs in humanities) but A’s in AP calculus, AP Physics and high SAT subject scores. Once you are out of the stratosphere of the elites there is a lot of choice. Of course paying is a different story.

14

^the problem then becomes financial: UVermont can cost 45-50K OOS without any financial aid possible…

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Some of the schools listed in your post do not have civil engineering.

Note that an MArch degree after a non-architecture bachelor’s degree is typically 3 years.

For an affordable safety, look into Louisiana Tech, which has [ABET accredited civil engineering](http://main.abet.org/aps/AccreditedProgramsDetails.aspx?OrganizationID=249) and a [full ride](http://admissions.latech.edu/tuition_fees/scholarships/freshman-scholarships.php) or close to it for your stats (Presidential scholarship + Bulldog out-of-state tuition waiver), if your in-state public choices are not possible in terms of admission and affordability.

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Your GPA, heavy extracurricular involvement, and high standardized test scores indicate that you have difficulty paying attention to things that aren’t interesting to you, and that you may need help learning to better manage your time so that you can get through the boring parts of college. You should stroll into the guidance office at your school, and ask about screening for ADD and for executive function issues, so that you can take advantage of services offered by the resource teachers. You want to have all of your ducks in a row before you get to college.

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With your stats, you’d probably get a nice scholarship at Montana State University - good in engineering, and has a respected 5-year Master’s in Architecture program. A place to consider if you like the outdoors (great hiking/backpacking/skiing/snowboarding.)

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seconding @happymomof1 - smart kids are often able to get through high school w/out anybody realizing that they have learning challenges- then they hit college and the need to manage your own time becomes a problem. Oxford University tells incoming students that as many as 20-30% of them who have never been tested or suspected for any LDs will get an LD diagnosis while there.

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Hey guys, I love the degree of response I’ve received for such a personal and genuinely unimportant consideration for the most of you. Even if the pragmatism here is not soft on my heart, I appreciate hearing it, and it drives my future ambitions.

I should expand on USC Honors: I qualify for all their requirements for application, my SC-scale weighted GPA will be ~4.3 with my current year trajectory, relative to their average 4.6, and my test scores are in excellent standing relative to this school. The $2k/year figure I gave was with consideration to Palmetto Fellows, the foremost state scholarship which my SC-weighted 4.0+ GPA and my 1560/35 qualify for, as well as the academic scholarships many of my old friends receive enrolled at USC honors college. Clemson Honors is very similar in figures, and is considered to have a more remarkable Civil program.

I appreciate greatly the advice here to apply to more safeties than these two, and the recommendations for best-case- scenario schools (Union as a strong example) as well as schools like Louisiana Tech where my few quantified successes (e.g. 35) confer great financial freedom. I’ll work towards a great application to Union and see if any of the other colleges mentioned here are similarly worthwhile - though many are still quite expensive.


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happymomof1, 12:32pm
Your GPA, heavy extracurricular involvement, and high standardized test scores indicate that you have difficulty paying attention to things that aren’t interesting to you, and that you may need help learning to better manage your time so that you can get through the boring parts of college. You should stroll into the guidance office at your school, and ask about screening for ADD and for executive function issues, so that you can take advantage of services offered by the resource teachers. You want to have all of your ducks in a row before you get to college.

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This is an unhappy place to have this discussion, but you have a very good point. I attribute most of my misadventures in high school to poor performance in freshman and sophomore years, climaxing with a failing mark in an online class that is a negative outlier in my GPA. My junior and senior marks would grant a 3.8-3.9 (collegeboard unweighted) if extrapolated for four years - I am very much a victim of my past self and feel despair at how profoundly my ignorance will affect me today. However, I have always been a very distracted person, and I have peculiar difficulty managing my hard class load right now - when I have more free time, I can find myself working less. This is a significant thing for you to bring up and I think I want to discuss this more with my parents and my school guidance department. I’ve felt, recently, that a mental health professional might have something more valuable to diagnose my personality than online personality tests which tell me I’m an ENTP. Thank you, personally.