I recently applied at Boston Uni, Northeastern, and Boston College; they’re all pretty competitive. I noticed their SAT scores range from a 1300 -1600. I’m worried because my SAT score is below that average (my average is a 1160). My grades are good though for the most part; but I’m very worried that my SAT score will hold me back. My weighted GPA is a 3.9 and my unweighted GPA is a 3.6 I believe (my school goes by the weighted scale though). Also, my class rank is a 13. My extracurricular are pretty decent too. Will colleges consider my SAT score over my grades and extracurricular?
Go to the Common Data set for each school. I have linked BU for you. https://open.bu.edu/bitstream/handle/2144/29782/cds-2018.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y You will see that 8% of matriculated freshmen scored between 500-599 on the ERW portion of the SAT and 7% scored between 500-599 on the Math section. You can also assume many of those students were probably athletes or had some other strong hook. I hope you have other applications in for schools that have lower test score ranges or are test optional.
All three schools are going to be very high reaches, near impossible ones honestly. SAT won’t rule you out alone, but as mentioned, you’ll need a lot to make up for that, and your GPA, while solid, is not high enough to make up for it. Don’t let that get you down though, there are lots of schools out there and you’ll be a match for many of them with your profile!
PengsPhils is right - it would be tough to get into these schools with your profile even if you had a significant “hook” (i.e. recruited athlete). Is your heart set on being in the Boston metro area? UMass Lowell (rapidly up-and-coming especially for STEM) and Stonehill College (recently featured in Business Insider’s “50 Most Underrated Colleges In America” piece) would be matches for you. Also Simmons if you’re female.
Less than an hour’s commuter-rail ride away from Boston, both Clark and Holy Cross are test-optional. Clark would be a high match for you and Holy Cross would be a reach, but not a completely unrealistic reach given that you wouldn’t need to submit your SAT and your GPA is a hair above their average. A binding Early Decision application (due date 12/15) could bring Holy Cross within range - their ED acceptance rate is 78%, compared to 37% in the regular cycle. Holy Cross is frequently cited as one of the most beautiful college campuses in the country https://news.holycross.edu/blog/2018/08/31/photos-holy-cross-named-among-most-beautiful-college-campuses-in-the-country/ and it has an excellent academic reputation. If you want to reach above your stats within a public-transit radius of Boston, this could be the place to take your shot.
Thank you! I have applied to test optional schools as well. I recently applied at Holy Cross and smith college; I was just concerned about the ones I listed because they’re both my dream colleges. Thanks for your comment, you really helped!
