<p>Hello, I am currently a junior and I am considering Northwestern, Brown, Hamilton, Swarthmore, UCSB, UIUC, and Colorado College. My GPA from freshman + sophomore year is 3.0 and I currently have a 3.6 and I plan to get at least a 30 on the ACT. I have been told that colleges like to see an increase like I am demonstrating but can it make up for two lackluster years? I take 2 honors classes and my extra curriculars were lacrosse freshman year and I am currently doing debate and student council and I am going to take a class this summer at University of Chicago.</p>
<p>Even if you get well above a 30 (like I did), a 3.0 is gonna hurt you (like it did me). Instead of a 3.6, try for a 4.0. That’s pretty much your only chance at the top tier schools. A straight 4.0 the rest of your high school career will give you a 3.5 cumulative, which is still low for Brown but respectable at the rest of those schools. Combined with a 30+ ACT, you’d be set up pretty well.</p>
<p>But, yeah, study the heck out of those ACTs, 'cause you’re not getting near most of those schools if your ACT matches your GPA. Take the SAT if the ACT falls short.</p>
<p>Kudryavka, where do you go to college? Seeing as we have similar GPA/ACT I am trying to see my options</p>
<p>I’m not accepted anywhere, yet. I’m expecting answers in the next month or so. I applied to Middlebury ED, and to OSU and UW-Madison EA. Middlebury is definitely a reach for me, while OSU and Madison are matches, maybe high matches. For safeties, I have Miami University and OSU-Lima, but I’m not planning on applying to those unless I get rejected by all three of the above.</p>
<p>But seriously, don’t get into the same situation I’m in. Get your GPA the heck up. You still have time to do a lot better than me. Even getting up to a 3.25 before you have to start applying would make a world of difference. Don’t just assume you can save a failing GPA with a good ACT. Until you take it, you won’t know what you’re gonna get. A 30 is a rare score. I’m sitting at a 34 and I’m still on the nitty gritty because of my GPA.</p>
<p>I think Colorado College and Hamilton will be in reach with a strong ACT if you’re not asking for aid. UCSB is very formulaic and their average UC GPA is a 4.0, so that will be tough. Swat, NU and Brown are crazy competitive and require very high GPA and ACT/SAT, think 33/2200 to be competitive, maybe a bit lower at NU.</p>
<p>thank you for the suggestions, do you have any suggestions as to what other colleges I should consider since it appears that I am stepping a bit out of my league with the colleges I listed earlier.</p>