<p>I'm 394/462 with a 2.3 gpa. I know, I suck. But I'm in AP classes almost exclusively by this point (just finished junior year), I do well in speech, mock trial, student government, and drama, and when I took the SAT it really felt like a piece of cake (haven't received my scores yet). I'm one of those "smart" kids who doesn't live and die for straight A's, and I know that hasn't done me any favors. I just want to know if such a shitty class rank will take me out of the running for places like Reed college or Colorado college? Places with around 30% acceptance. I know that places like UChicago (my dream school) would take a miracle for me to get into, but I feel like I still have a chance at one of these slightly less selective places? Is anything beyond state school a pipe dream?</p>
<p>a 2.3 gpa won’t really get you in anywhere except for maybe schools like Chapman and Lafayette</p>
<p>Your best shots at that sort of schools (Chapman, Lafayette, Reed, Colorado College) is to first spend 1-2 years at a school where auto-admit plans do not depend on class rank or GPA (Missouri, Iowa) and then transfer. And do not assume privates are better than state schools, given equal selectivity.</p>