Is it true that once you have above a certain gpa or sat score (maybe around a 3.7 and 2200) then all applicants are viewed the same academically and any differences are negligible?
3.7 is low for most selective colleges, probably 3.85 or 3.9 is where everyone becomes very similar and it is probably 2270-2280 for SATs.
GPA is relative so I think top 10% class rank (rough estimate if school doesn’t rank) is more important.
SAT of 2200+ is probably pretty accurate although generally you do want each section to be around 700 or more.
650+ in each section will qualify you for consideration; 750+ in each section will put you in the “top tier” of applicants and essentially remove your test scores from the evaluation.
Sorry to barge in, but how would a 3.75 (10-12) and 3.83 (9-12) UW and 35 ACT serve an applicant for selective colleges such as top 15?
@blessupman I’d suggest you create your own thread in the Chances section. However, I’ll say that 3.75 will be slightly low for Top 25, but the 35 is at the top of the mid-range for those schools, so with good essays you’d have a shot (which is the best that can be said for any applicant at such selective schools).
I don’t think there’s such an obvious GPA threshold the way there is for SAT score. GPA is so highly varied from high school to high school it would be foolish to have a universal standard.
How selective? It varied a lot at our school, but generally speaking for the single digit acceptance rate schools students had GPAs of 95+ unweighted and rank in the top 2-3%. For those more in the 20% range those numbers would be about right. It really varies - an academic magnet school or a well-known prep school is likely to have very different GPA numbers.
Google: Common Data Set <>
You’ll find the school’s 25th-75th percentile SAT scores and GPA distribution of admitted students.
If your HS subscribes to Naviance, look at the GPA & test scores of the students in your school who were admitted.