READ TITLE (Is it AP scores, grades, course rigor, ECS, SAT/SAT II, etc.?)
Transcript.
Grades overall - you can have awesome extracurriculars, but if your grades don’t meet the requirement for colleges or are not near it, you have a difficult chance
In this order:
GPA
Test scores
Class rigor
Essay
EC
I thought the order was:
GPA
Class rigor
Test scores
Essay
EC
Correct?
grades are king.
It’s different for different schools.
I’m no expert, but
GPA
Test Scores
Class Rigor
Essay
EC
I’m pretty sure most schools don’t look at EC’s, probably only super-elite ones do
ECs at the bottom!?
Would you guys say that once your grades/test scores are reasonable like 3.95/2300 that ECS become the deciding factor. Oh and someone told me that academic ECS, debate, research are weighted heavily in admissions. Is this true?
I feel that grades and class rigor combine to form their own category, with test scores a significant distance behind.
I have no idea how things actually rank, but if I had to guess I’d go with what the others say, though I would have thought the EC’s would be as important or more so than the essay. EC’s are something you do over time…and essay is a onr time deal.
Anyway, yes, I imagine after the other things are reasonably solid ECs become more of a deciding factor. (With so many kids who are well qualified academically, something has to be a “tie-breaker”)
The advice I’ve heard again and again on EC’s is not so much what it is, but rather that it is something you are passionate about (and it shows)…They want to see some longevity, commitment and passion…not that you joined 10 clubs in your senior year. So I’d be surprised if academic ECs are given more weight.
For all of the colleges, it is grades hands down.
Even for the Ivies/Other top schools as well.
People only think that grades are not as important because top schools generally look past the grades during the admissions process because they have so many 4.0’s applying.
Grades and course rigor are a main determining factor for academic success at college, which is why they’re so important.
A balanced list.
Whatever your stats, make sure your list is balanced at every tier.
GPA, course rigor, maybe SAT next. My kids didn’t have a lot of ECs but did get into a lot of good schools.
@Defuze your thought is probably right. Once you reach a certain threshold, the non-academic factors start to kick in.
Have to disagree with the majority here:
Test scores > GPA. Standardized things make it easy to compare ppl.
Check the Common Data Set for the schools you are applying to; that identifies the priority placed on each component of the application, from gpa, rank, rigor, testing, through service, talents, demonstrated interest and legacy.
Know your competition at your school, even if you have higher grades. Legacy can be a real threat to your chances.
- Is your name Malia Obama? Yes or No
Well I’ll disagree a bit in this sense: if you grades are top-notch, your test scores can confirm that you’re a great academic candidate. If your grades are mediocre or bad, then your great test scores will only prove you’re not a top student for some reason. (laziness? distraction? personal problems?) In which case it will be up to you to make a case as to why your mediocre grades did not match your potential.