Hello. I was very lazy throughout high school and ended up with a lackluster GPA of 3.5 unweighted (taking 4 APs and 2 honors in a relatively easy school). To “make up” for it, I was thinking of submitting the SAT and ACT (1450 on the SAT and 31 on the ACT). Would this help my application and at least compensate a little bit for my low GPA?
They’ll definitely help your application. If you can, retake either one or both of them for a higher score. That way, if you want to apply to a “good school”, you might have a better chance of getting in. Also, some colleges (like me) give merit scholarships for test scores. For me, I got a 20k scholarship for my 32 ACT score so be sure to find schools that appeal to you and might give you a scholarship for your scores.
Hope this helps and best of luck!
cool, thanks!
No. The school will take the higher score. Google Common Data Set to see what weight is assigned to grades vs. scores (and other things).
You can submit both but the college will use whichever is the higher score.
Okay cool thanks for the responses guys! I’ll probably just end up trying to raise both as much as possible before November then end up sending both unless one of them is low and not worth sending.
Perhaps you would be better off focusing on having a great academic first semester.
Yeah I should, but I am an incoming senior. Hopefully I will maintain a 4.0 through the first semester as I am only taking 2 AP classes and one honors class. I also don’t have a sport to play in the fall, so I can spend most of my free time studying for the ACT and raising that score up. Will getting a 4.0 first semester help my cumulative GPA?
It will, but not if you are taking “only” two AP classes and an honors class…you seem to state that you aren’t challenging yourself if that’s the language you are using. I also have a 3.5 GPA, but I’m taking 5 AP’s while playing a sport. It’s less the actual number, and more the circumstances surrounding it. If you think that your curriculum to come is easy, then you are in a bit of trouble.
It won’t help your GPA but the upward trend will be noticed.
Apply wisely to a mix of reach, match, and safety schools that appear affordable and that you would be happy to attend.