I think if your score met a certain threshold, it was good. It seems like maybe for applicants who submitted scores, the merit aid was determined the traditional way, by scores. For test optional applicants, they had to devise a new method of determining aid that included review of GPA, rigor, ECs, whatever.
I am so confused. The website says scholarships determined by weighted gpa and test scores. TO could still get scholasrhips it seems. It is really confusing and these awards/lack of could make her decision for her!
Not sure what that threshold is, as there are at least two students with test scores of SAT 1520+ in this thread who are deferred.
she applied criminology and he applied biology…
I empathize with those who are veey confused and disappointed! I feel most of those deferreed will probably be accepted based on how well rounded they are described as on here! Something to consider is the trend, even before Covid, that many colleges were moving towards being permanently test agnostic or optional based on data indicating test scores are not the best indicator of success in college, and in past few years, the movement indicating equity issues in standardized testing/test prep. (Note- This is not a debate for or against these notions… I am just stating whats been reported) but in some comments here it seems people are automatically assuming colleges would/should value high test scores over other components of a students application- (things that we on a message board, have no idea about - like a students essay, recommendations, leadership and volunteer experiences). You cant and it certainly isnt fair to call someone “average” without knowing the whole of their application which as I stated, we on here do not. It seems what we are seeing is that test scores clearly arent being weighted how they used to be in decisions. What I don’t understand is why a 3.6 gpa vs a 4.6 gpa would have the upper hand, if gpa is the best indicator of success in college which is what data shows. But then again…all high schools across the country are likely not weighted equally either. So we will never know why or how they made the decisions they did.
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Similar to my daughter. Accepted to Darla Moore OOS with $86k. 3.96 UW, 4.6 W, 33 superscored ACT (32 not superscored). Hoping for the honors college admission now.
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OOS, 3.99 W GPA, ~3.7 unweighted, 27 ACT, job in related field (but unsure if they looked at EC), primarily honors, 4 AP/2DE. Very sorry about the deferral!
Excellent post. I would also add this - not all high schools are the same. My older two children each attended two high schools, as we moved to a different state when the were teenagers. Their grades at the first high school they attended were all A’s (oldest child) in all Honors and AP classes, while my younger child had mostly A’s but some B’s. After moving, their new high school was far more academically rigorous. My once straight-A child was suddenly earning one or two A’s and many B’s in mostly regular classes (a couple of Honors and no AP classes), while my younger child earned B’s and C’s in all regular classes (i.e., no honors, and certainly no APs).
When my kids were at high school #1, I thought they were getting a great education. They had plenty of homework and expectations were high, at least I thought they were at the time. Our whole world was rocked at high school #2. It was overwhelming, expectations were far higher and the homework was college-level, but they worked their butts off and made it through. One has now graduated from college, the other is a senior, and both said that high school #2 did a much better job preparing them for the demands of college.
College admissions offices have a very good idea of the rigors of the high schools both in and out of their areas. They understand that earning a 4.0 at one high school may not be nearly as difficult to achieve than it is to earn a 3.6 at another. I have lived it with my two older children, and the differences are real!
Don’t misunderstand me - I have no idea why some people get admitted and others don’t. I’m just saying this may be another piece of the jigsaw puzzle that is College Admissions.
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Great points! I am rethinking all of my daughter’s applications bc I keep seeing how everyone has a 4.0 with a million AP etc. My daughter is a B student(about 95% A and B with renegade C+ a couple of times) But we are in Mass. at a top 50(ish) HS so maybe that means something? Guidance said to look at Naviance to evaluate “match” or “reach” which is what we did but now worrying this was not accurate when I read about these super high stats out there. Very stressful.
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Agree with your assessment! All high schools are not always the same! And youre right colleges definitely know the more rigorous counties/ schools and that could attribute differences in gpas
Ridiculous. My DS had a 3.99 gpa and a 29 ACT and was deferred.
Found out from my son’s guidance counselor that several students with lower GPAs were accepted while my son was deferred. She was also quite confused about why he was deferred. Who knows what they were thinking?
Hit reply too fast. I meant who knows what any admissions departments are thinking? All we can do is accept it and move on to the next steps, whether at UofSC or his other schools.
OOS twins- both accepted to Darla Moore with $40K/$86K respectively
3.8/3.9 UW
30/32 ACT
Mostly honors and AP courses
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My daughter was accepted! 
OOS / no test scores
4.0 weighted gpa
Extensive extracurriculars
Varsity captain
We are excited!! Crazy because she was deferred from auburn with much higher grades than her sister who just graduated from there!
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Out of state deferred 3.71 FPA, 29 ACT, Honors/AP, Varsity sports…DISaPPOINTING
This is similar to my daughter.
OOS/TO
4.0W
Varsity captain
10 years club sport
Peer Leader
Part-time job
She applied RD so maybe there is some hope for her. 
During this year’s EA Auburn has accepted <5% of Test Optional and placed TO in deferral.
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Hoping for an acceptance for your daughter!! Their stats are the same so that’s promising!
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Wow!! I wondered if that was the deciding factor! So many deferrals of overqualified kids! This year is crazy!