What really is more important?

Test Preparation
1

<p>I have always wondered if GPA or SAT/ACT were more important, for this question I will focus on if GPA is more important than SAT.</p>

<p>What is better- a 3.5 GPA and a 2000 SAT, or a 3.75 GPA and an 1800 SAT? or a 3.2 gpa and a 2200 SAT? Which one do colleges really care more about?</p>

2

<p>GPA is equal to or LESS of a factor than the SAT. But having a high SAT and low GPA shows lack of work ethic and having a low SAT and high GPA shows grade inflation/lack of quantitative skills compared to peers. Here is a good ratio between GPA and SAT should be for both to be considered apt determinations of a candidate. </p>

<p>3.75+ = 2100+ SAT
3.5= 1800-2000 SAT
3.0 or lower= 1700 or lower SAT</p>

<p>I left 100 point ranges in between as those fall under the margin of error zone. (If you have a 3.5 and you get a 2050, they will round down to a 2000, if you have a 3.75+ and get a 2050, they will consider it a 2100 when deciding)
Having this correlation really shows colleges that your GPA is a true determination of how you perform academically and that you have the apt skills associated with a person of that GPA when in a standardized environment.
But here is another thing, assuming you have no “hook” and apply to Harvard for example, having a 4.0GPA and having an 1800 SAT won’t even buy you a glance, but having a 3.70GPA and a 2200SAT will cause them to at least consider you.</p>

<p>Hope I helped.</p>

3

<p>Hard to say because schools may have widely different grading standards. I’d say class rank/decile is really important too, but of those 2, I think SAT is slightly more important.</p>

4

<p>That is quite helpful…right now I have a 3.75 average gpa and an 1840 average on SAT practice tests…is that good?</p>

5

<p>First off, Rank is the LEAST important of admissions factors (supported by hard stats and surveys of decision makers). And to cokeeper’s question, I would suggest you try to take the SAT again and get a 2000+ in order to solidify yourself as a competitive candidate. The 1840 is above average, but you want to try to break 2000 to really make that GPA count well.</p>

6

<p>Because of grade inflation, I think SATs and Letters of recommendation would better reflect someone than just raw GPA without class rank or percentile. I would be surprised if adcoms didn’t see it similarly.</p>