Which would you rather have?

<p>A low GPA/High SAT or a High GPA/Low SAT? Mine is the latter about a 3.86 (16/526) with a 2070.</p>

<p>umm... the latter lol
But if that's not a choice, then a low GPA with a High SAT assuming the SAT is a 2300.</p>

<p>In high school, I had the former, which obviously made me a statistical anomaly. I think adcom's would be more intrigued by situations like that, although it would depend mainly on the circumstances (i.e - broken home vs. laziness).</p>

<p>EDIT - But in retrospect, I guess I would have the latter. I would feel prouder of my hard work than by the merits of one test I aced.</p>

<p>low gpa, high sat. VERY big difference tho. otherwise, high gpa and low sat</p>

<p>definitely the latter.
i have a 4.05 unweighted gpa, which is an accumulation of alot of hardword.</p>

<p>the first time i took the SATs I didnt do so great. 1930. But by simply studying and reviewing alot I bumped up to a 2200. The SATs are not impossible to achieve a good score on, it just comes more naturally to some people. But if you study alot, you REALLY can improve your score.</p>

<p>with that being said, you can't go back and suddenly change your GPA which has been affecting you since Freshman year.</p>

<p>if only i could change my gpa =P</p>

<p>How is a 2070 low? I don't think anyone in my entire school got above a 1970.</p>

<p>^by cc standards, anything less than 2200 is low, 2200-2300 is average.</p>

<p>It depends on where you go to school. Personally, I go to a public school in which students are assigned to homerooms alphabetically (that is, in a systematic random manner, not on the basis of academic performance). In my homeroom, 4 of the 12 people received a score of over 2300, even though that corresponds to the top 1% nationally. In some schools, the opposite could hold true.</p>

<p>Also, I would prefer to be intelligent rather than hard-working (high SAT / low GPA).</p>

<p>High GPA with a low SAT. The SAT and similar standardized tests DO NOT test for intelligence. They have very limited value, and almost no ability to predict success. A GPA is subjective, but it is an indicator that the student succeeds in classes. GPA is more important for scholarships/grants/fellowships and internships. Some colleges don't even require the SAT.</p>

<p>high SAT/low GPA. A low SAT can easily keep you out of schools. actually my friend had the opposite-high GPA (4.00 ) and bad, low, low ACT (learning disability) of 18. she's going to a CC to transfer to state u.</p>

<p>No, but the correlation between SAT scores and intelligence is far stronger than that between GPA and intelligence; the opposite applies to work ethic. Also, I could add that some colleges don't require GPA; however, I'd prefer to consider the merits of SAT scores / GPA objectively and independently. How various institutions take such measures into account does not factor into my personal decision.</p>

<p>Although you say that 2200 is low, and 2300-2400 is average, I have to completely disagree. If you are looking at soceity as a whole, then you are seriously off. College Confidential caters to alot of people who are not neccesarily applying to ivy league schools also.</p>

<p>but the ones that are kinda just ignore anything below 2200, and determine their "averages" with 2200 + :)</p>

<p>well yea i agree, if you're applying to ivy league i would say minimum 2100.</p>

<p>but i do know someone who got accepted to STanford with a 1610. and someone who got accepted to Yale with a 1930.</p>

<p>obviously they had great extra curriculars.</p>

<p>I guess by CC standards I have a high GPA and a "low" SAT. I'd rather have that than the other way around.</p>