<p>Like you can tell from the title, I have a good SAT score (2340: 800 CR, 770 math, 770 writing), but a mediocre GPA (3.6 WEIGHTED, only top 20% out of 340).</p>
<p>In this situation, what schools should I be looking at as safeties, matches, and reaches? I have good extracurriculars and a V shaped trend in grades, but I'm not like an Intel Finalist or a Quiz Bowl champion.</p>
<p>I want to study International Relations/Development in college, and I am open minded as to everything else!</p>
<p>Please help with some suggestions :)</p>
<p>I am currently thinking
Safeties:
BU
American
Mt. Holyoke</p>
<p>Matches:
GWU
Smith
Bates
Barnard
Scripps</p>
<p>Reaches:
Wellesley
Swarthmore
Wesleyan
Stanford
Chicago
Claremont McKenna
Cal</p>
<p>Unless there's something you aren't telling us (URM, recruited athlete, top magnet high school, etc.), I think you are shooting unrealistically high with Stanford, Swarthmore, and several other reaches. I'm sure they'd love to take your $60 application fee, but....</p>
<p>91% of Swat's acceptances this year were in the top 10% of their high school classes. The 9% who weren't were likely from ultra-competitive high schools (like a Thomas Jefferson High or some of the international magnet schools) or had a hook. 56% of the acceptances were in the top 2% of their class.</p>
<p>The problem with high SATs and so-so GPA is that it can be interpreted as a lack of effort. I think the best approach would be to meet with your guidance office and find out where students with your GPA have been accepted in recent years. Then, figure your SATs will almost guarantee acceptance at those schools, maybe allow you to shoot a little higher or get some merit money (especially at schools that emphasize SATs.</p>
<p>Philosophica1, you have a fine academic record. It just isn't good enough for the Stanfords, Swarthmores, ivy's, Barnards, Scripts, Chicago etc. The GPA is the more important factor. I am not even sure that you would get accepted to Michigan. Oh yes, I really know what I am talking about in case your were wondering.</p>
<p>As for hooks, you would have to do something extraordinary for you to overcome GPA that isn't top notch. Examples of extraordinary ECs would be:</p>
<ol>
<li>Being an olympian</li>
<li>Publishing a best seller</li>
<li>Solving a math theorem that mathmaticians would have loved to solve.</li>
<li>Inventing some cool product and geting a patent</li>
<li>Writing some plays that were used on TV</li>
<li>Being not only in your state honors music band but published some great musical composition.</li>
</ol>
<p>In fact, even with these ECs, you probably wouldn't get into the really top schools with your GPA.</p>
<p>As you can see, it is going to be really tough for you to get accepted to the really top school. The good news is that your SATs are really strong. There are schools that want high SATs in order to boost their stats. You might even get a scholarship.</p>
<p>I would lower your expectations. You might want to attend your state's flagship university. If you do really well, you could always transfer. Transferring to a top school is actually a bit easier than geting admitted as a freshmen.</p>
<p>I'm not sure taxguy DOES know what he's talking about. For one thing, transferring to a top school is NOT always easier. Often it's as tough or tougher. I don't know what kind of high school you come from, but 40% of Smith's students were not in the top-10% of their class, which to me seems to mean you've got a shot. Get a Princeton Review. Look up those stats for the other schools. I would agree that Swarthmore, Stanford, Claremont McKenna, Cal are out of reach. Know though, to have a shot at the other schools you listed, you'll need to have really great essays, and put together a really nice application. If you have some explanation for the V-shape of your grades, that might help a bit as well.</p>
<p>You should look at Tufts, Johns Hopkins, and Georgetown, they are the three best schools for international studies. Georgetown is probably a big reach, JHU and Tufts are probably reaches, but I wouldn't be suprised if you got into either of them. Also, taxguy doesn't know what he's talking about! I would agree that Stanford and Swathmore are out of reach, but you have a slight chance at the others. U Chicago also really likes the high SAT scores. The are known for accepting low GPA/high SAT students more often than other schools. Good luck...</p>
<p>I think Wellesley, CMC and Chicago are the only of your reaches worth doing an app for. A hook would mean being a recruited athlete, URM or the daughter of someone really rich or famous.</p>
<p>look at schools that care about demonstrated interest thru essays, such as Chicago and Hopkins. Your gpa is not a strong part of your package, but killer essays for those schools would help a lot. Also, consider schools that are more test-fcoused, such as U SoCal -- they provide merit money discounts for NMFs. A neighbor kid got accepted with a 3.1 gpa but 1560 SAT.</p>
<p>btw: disagree with ubetter....Ted O'Neill (UofC) has often expressed his disdain for standardized testing, but creative essays could help seal the deal, particularly at that school.</p>
<p>wow, it is depressing to think that anyone not in the top 10% of their schools should be at their state university. thank you all for your great advice. would being the captain of a national team be a hook?</p>
<p>Actually, I guess I am digressing from my main intention in posting this thread. I have no interest in attending any of my state's party school universities, so I am seeking advice as to reasonable safeties, matches, and reaches. If you had to categorize the schools I am looking at, how would you do so? I am not looking to create a thread where I implore individuals to tell me whether I will get into Stanford, but where I should realistically be putting my schools. Thanks!</p>
<p>A person from my school had a similar gpa and a similar SAT score as you and he got into Haverford. I think he might have gotten some good letters of rec that helped. There are plenty of good schools out there that will be willing to overlook a weak gpa if you're able to justify it in an essay or compensate for it with something else (like your SAT score).</p>
<p>I think you need to consider what you want in a school. BU and Mt. Holyoke on the same list? Why? One is large & urban, the other is small and rural. Very, very different college experiences. Same with Chicago, Wellesley, Stanford.</p>
<p>First consider what you want out of a school (not just the major), and then you'll be able to get more focused recommendations.</p>
<p>I think the recommendation of a "state flagship" is extreme, especially since Philosophica mentioned all small, private schools.</p>
<p>Lonefreckle is about right about the schools where you have a good shot. I'd even add Wellesley in there; women's colleges have the luxury of being able to admit more qualified applicants than can some of the other top schools. Note, though, that you still have a lot of work ahead of you. Strive for straight As, or as close as you can get to that, for your first two marking periods. Early Decision will be tougher for you than for others because you still have to prove that you can put the effort into matching your grades with your scores. Hone your provable leadership potential to overcome a weaker GPA. Most schools look for leadership to "boost" weak parts of the application.</p>
<p>I suggest adding Dickinson (they emphasis global education), Bucknell, Gettysburg, University of Rochester (if you can stand Rochester itself), and Syracuse (if you can stand Syracuse). I don't know whether most of these offer IR, but these days it seems like a fairly common and popular major.</p>
<p>The problem with Haverford/Bryn Mawr is limited course offerings. When you look at the courses, make sure the courses are offered at least in alternate years. My daughter found that many she wanted to take are listed but haven't been offered for two years or more. You'll have to compare course catalogues from different years to find this out.</p>
<p>A couple things...you have this mismatch in grades and scores, yet it's the same schools on your list that we see pop up time and again. Since you have this "problem" why not try some "different" schools like Oberlin, Grinnell, Carleton, Wisconsin. I think the suggestion for the Pa schools and Syracuse is good for safeties, but I don't think you would find too many like yourself at a Dickinson or Gettysburg even though they're good schools, very few if any of the kids there have 2300+ so intellectually (I may be wrong) I don't see you there.</p>
<p>Also, with 800 and 770 in reading and writing, you will be expected to write one heck of a super essay (s), with scores like that there is no excuse and schools will expect it. I'm gonna respectfully disagree with taxguy...I think Stanford is the only impossible school on your list. My s was AT 20th % and got into Johns Hopkins and went to Carnegie Mellon. His problem was the same as yours...in spite of the class rank he NEEDED to go to a school with very smart kids like himself. The class rank will kill for the ivies etc but you have a lot going for you and with fantastic essays may be able to sneak into Chicago or Wesleyan imo.</p>