I am a concerned junior who is wondering whether a “mediocre” GPA at a very difficult HS along with great ACT scores will hinder admissions. For reference, I’m probably running a 91-92 average at my school, with 3 APs (AP World (5), APUSH, and AP Spanish) this year, along with IB English HL. I have a strong upward trend, going from an 87.5 freshman year to a 93 sophomore year. This year, I struggled with severe depression and anxiety, and possible ADHD as well (trying to get on Adderall ASAP). I also have problems associated with mild high-functioning autism, so that will be something significant I overcame that looks good on my application. Anyway, my 1st semester average this year was only an 89, so with the way things are looking right now I could realistically get a 92-93 this year with a much more difficult course load.At my school, which doesn’t rank, a 95 weighted puts you into the top 6-10% (we have a ceremony every year for people above that average, and about 25-40 kids out of 350-370 get invited per grade). Therefore, I’d say that I’m probably in the top 15-20% at least, and I have 3 college courses + accelerated math out of my core subjects. Anyway, most of the people in my classes who are running 94-96 averages are subsequently getting killed. Pretty much everyone is scraping for a high B in most APs at this point, myself included. It isn’t uncommon for people to get 32-35 on their ACT while getting well under a 4.0. For myself, I got a 33 on my ACT (35E, 32M, 33R, 30S), and I’m taking the SAT Saturday and I’m expecting around a 1500. If my scores are there, but my GPA isn’t a 4.0, will colleges think “smart, lazy kid”, or take into account my rigorous course load. solid test scores, learning difficulties and stellar LORs against my supposedly mediocre GPA? I am most likely not applying to Ivies, but at schools like Emory/Lehigh/Colgate/Georgetown with 15-30% acceptance rates as my matches/reaches.
@giftedkidburnout
You won’t be getting merit aid at Emory and GTown. You have a decent chance of admission at Emory if you apply ED, however GTown is a Reach no matter what and Emory is a Reach RD. Lehigh and Colgate are High Match/ Low Reaches. If you can improve to a 35 on the ACT then things change.
I understand I won’t get merit at these top-tier schools, and I’m not banking on getting in either. I don’t expect to take the ACT again, because if I get >1520 it really won’t matter. I’m just asking if these circumstances could still warrant a denial at the reaches I apply to.
@giftedkidburnout Every school issues a school report with statistics about test scores, mean and/or median GPA, availability of high rigor course and % of students that take them, etc. This enables colleges and universities to place your school in context. So if the mean unweighted GPA at your school is a 3.0 and you have a 3.3 that is different than a school where the mean is 3.8 and you have a 3.3.
What is the cutoff at your school for an A - 90 or 93?
Our school has a 93 as an A. It doesn’t really matter though: we only report weighted GPAs out of 100. The highest possible grade you can get in a class is a 106.6, but our vals usually end up with a 100.5-101.5 average due to the required electives and regular courses in our schedule.
Do not disclose disability because it will not help in admissions. Your statement reports depression, anxiety, ADHD, and high functioning autism. Your conditions are episodic and/or chronic and problem grades are attributed to you to one or more conditions that you report. How can you guarantee problems related to your disabilities won’t occur in college.
Admissions offices select the best applicants for admissions because those students are viewed as best prepared for the rigors of college. Disclosing your disabilities and their self reported impact on your grades clearly tell admissions that you have reservations about your academic success in college. Don’t do that!!!
Admissions committees do not extend mercy. Yet your disclosure is requesting exactly that with the additional complication of not telling the school what you will need to succeed there or how often disability will complicate learning. If you were denied admissions because of circumstances you voluntarily disclosed, you could not claim legal protections for students with disabilities.
Instead, apply and let admissions committees worry about the mismatch between your grades and other information. After acceptance, promptly register with the disability to verify your need for accommodations.
Disability offices provides services that compensate for functional limitations of you conditions.
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so that will be something significant I overcame that looks good on my application. <<<<<<<<<<
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I don’t know if kids are being told this or this is some actually held belief driven by parents. Either way, you haven’t overcome depression, ADHD or autism. That is not how it works, these are things you manage and will live with forever. Do not advertise this in your application.
Of course I know these conditions will always stay with me. But why shouldn’t I put these on my application? I am managing them and that is something I can take pride in.
Why would I want a bunch of strangers who don’t know my circumstances speculating about the mismatch between my grades and scores when I could just tell them? It’s not like I have a 3.0… I have an A- cumulative average with a pretty rigorous schedule in a notoriously difficult school. Does that tell AO’s I can’t do college work, even though I’ve ran Bs - A-s in every AP course I have taken so far? I think you’re really overestimating the impact the discrepancy will have.
Have you visited these schools and learned more about them? What is a good match for you?
Yes you can take your IEP to college with you and use it.
What else could you write your essay about?
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