I have been trying to find schools to apply to, but I have a low GPA and ACT/SAT score. My parents only require that I get into a top 50 school from US News’s national ranking. I’m already applying to Penn State.
My GPA is a 3.13 unweighted and a 3.2 weighted and my ACT/SAT is 24/1660 (the old one)
I know those are not the only things schools concider but I just want to know how high up the list I can go and the best places for me to apply.
Thanks!
Top 50 schools with those stats are not likely at all. At Penn State you may be referred to a branch campus for the first 2 years at best.
You should try the SuperMatch function on the left. But your GPA and ACT don’t make you a strong candidate for a top 50 US college.
If you are from Pennsylvania you should consider the PASSHE colleges.
So, as others have said it sounds like a Top 50 School is out of the question. Depending on how your parents are they might not accept that, but you’re just going to have to insist. If they’re still making you apply to top schools, at least make sure you have safeties there as well. I don’t think a four-year college should be unattainable for you.
A four-year college is not unattainable for you (especially the ones that are test optional) but you likely won’t get into a top 50 school with your GPA. But, despite what your parents think, that doesn’t matter! There are so many great colleges that aren’t in the top 50.
Some ideas that come from the US News ranking of colleges: University of Washington, Syracuse University, University of Denver, the SUNYs, University of Colorado Boulder.
All of these schools have over 50% acceptance rates, and you should look at these types of schools with your test scores and gpa.
^ Washington’s overall acceptance rate in 2016 was 45% (62.7% for instate, 39% for OOS/international).
Washington’s most recent Common Data Set reports the unweighted GPA of enrolled freshmen in 2015 as follows:
3.75 to 4.00: 64.24%
3.50 to 3.74: 27.16%
3.25 to 3.49: 6.52%
3.00 to 3.24: 1.52%
Under 3.00: 0.56%
Also, the 25/75 ACT range of enrolled freshmen in 2015 was 26-31.
I wouldn’t be so sure about Denver: their middle 50% is like 3.7-4.0 GPA and 28-31 ACT. But I’d say state schools are worth a shot.
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I have been trying to find schools to apply to, but I have a low GPA and ACT/SAT score. My parents only require that I get into a top 50 school from US News’s national ranking. I’m already applying to Penn State.
My GPA is a 3.13 unweighted and a 3.2 weighted and my ACT/SAT is 24/1660 (the old one)
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You won’t get into top 50 schools with those stats. Do your parents understand that top 50 schools are going to have students with much higher stats?
Why are they requiring that you go to a top 50 school? Do they realize that the students who go to those schools have MUCH higher stats?
know those are not the only things schools concider but I just want to know how high up the list I can go and the best places for me to apply.
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Well, they do mostly consider those things…first and foremost.
Even if they consider “other things,” what special talents or special accomplishments do you have that would make a top 50 school say, “ok, the stats are well below our other students, BUT he/she has done XXXXXX so we’ll accept him/her”?
What special talent or accomplishment do you have that would cause a top 50 school to ignore your modest stats and accept you?
I know this sounds harsh.
Why do your parents have such unreasonable expectations? It’s like they know that you’re a 3rd string quarterback, but expect you to get a football scholarship to a big Div I school.
What is your home state?