First post!
I’ve looked up things about this before, and I’ve seen some people say a range of things from “ivies are a possibility” to “consider schools like stony brook and uc boulder as matches, Tulane etc. as reaches” (still excellent choices, I know, but I would like to consider all possibilities). So, I’m looking to get a straight answer. As an unhooked applicant with about a 3.75 GPA, disregarding the rest of the application, what schools are reasonable reaches or matches? Thanks!
that’s just not enough info to go by. have to factor in test scores (ACT/SAT), course rigor (AP’s…), “quality” of high school, demographics, strength of EC’s…
@joecollege44
Plenty of AP’s and honors, I am from Georgia, very involved in EC’s. I get my SAT results tomorrow, but for now let’s assume I can get them up to high 1400’s low 1500’s (fingers crossed). Also slight upward GPA trend.
there are definitely schools that will want to see that GPA closer to a 4.0, including the Ivies. I still think GPA (and courseload) is more important than test scores to most schools. But I would say anything outside the tippy top schools is still a possibility. I probably wouldn’t waste much time on Ivies, Chicago, Vandy, Rice. Hopkins, Williams, Amherst, Swarthmore…
But if you want to go after the next tier, like Emory, CMU, Wash U, Tufts, G-Town, go and pick a few reaches.
But I think your real targets are going to be schools like BU, Rochester, Bates, Case Western, Brandeis…still great places.
@joecollege44
Ok. I have been considering applying to some of the lower ivies (and maybe Amherst/Vandy as far reaches. Would you say this is absolutely a waste of time, or should I go for it but not have high expectations?
I did know a senior last year who had about a 0.05 pt better GPA than mine (but solid test scores) who got into Vanderbilt and Swarthmore (among others).
Thanks for the insight!
Especially since Vanderbilt has a relatively low-ish average GPA at about 3.8