I am from a competitive public school and have rigorous curriculumns. But my GPA was dragged down at the same time. My ranking is 15%. ACT is 34. EC, essys, and LORs are strong though. Do you think the ranking is a problem for me to apply for the most selective schools?
Thanks,
No, but a sub-par GPA might…and you didn’t post that.
If you are applying to “very rigorous” colleges, a lower GPA will definitely hurt.
Let’s be real, GPA is definitely an important factor of your app. However if you have outstanding test scores and good ECs and awesome letters from teachers then you’re not at a completely bad spot. Pretty much everyone has had a drop in their GPA at some point, so just work on showing that you’re resilient by working to get your GPA up and impressive. An upward trend in your transcript is definitely a good sign. 
My UW GPA is about 3.7, and W GPA is 4.16. This senior year is all A so far
An UW GPA of 3.7 is going to be a negative factor on your application if you are shooting for highly selective (say, top 20 or 30) schools. It’s not an absolute rejection kind of thing, but many of those schools are selective enough that GPAs in that range are well below the average of the admitted students.
Your class rank is pretty much irrelevant - it’s pretty consistent with the GPA.
If the rest of your application is as strong as you think it is, you are still in the game with those test scores, but the GPA isn’t helping the cause.
Thank you NickFlynn. I know my UW GPA is not good enough. But i don’t have strong EC and leadership. My ACT is ok too. Hope this can help my application.
You application to where? To the uber-competitive schools it will hurt, but for many other excellent colleges and universities you will be fine. And class rank is relevant – if your GPA put you in the top few percent of your class then the colleges would see that your particular school grades on a very difficult curve, but the combination of your GPA and rank hurts.
It may matter less at your HS, and also at your state flagship.
I always feel depressed when students ask if a 3.7 or similar will ‘ruin’ their applications to the highly selective schools. The sad implication that admission to these schools will somehow validate their intelligence, drive and overall worthiness, in their own eyes and the eyes of their peers/community/family, makes me want to holler. Do yourself a big favor. Buy Frank Bruni’s book, Where You Go, Is Not Who You Will Be. It will give you some badly needed perspective.
There are dozens of really wonderful schools out there that will change your life if you take advantage of what they have to offer. At every one of the top 200 schools, you will find students who are brilliant, creative, interesting, and likely to make successes of their lives in ways you haven’t even dreamed of yet. There are faculty at all of these schools who are looking out for a student with that intellectual curiosity, drive, and spark that will turn them into scholars. Widen your lens from the usual suspects and you will be amazed at the opportunities - and you’ll have a much less stressful senior year.
^^Yes, this.
Curious, how do kids know their LORs are strong? I have seen others say this, but am I incorrect in saying that students don’t see their LORs? Anyone know? My D has NO idea whatsoever about these letters, other than she assumes they will be good because the teachers were happy to write them.
^^^ All LORs and essays are 9/10 or better, don’t you know that?
Joking, obviously, but that’s what almost everyone puts on their chance threads, so it must be true.
@Lindagaf A lot of schools have different procedures for LORs. At my school when I request an LOR from a teacher they are required to give me a copy of it.
Thanks, that makes it clear.
Most of our high school teachers don’t show their letters to the students, but a few do. When you waive your rights to see the letter, that doesn’t mean a teacher is not allowed to share it. My younger son saw one letter written by a math teacher who gave him a B+ - so I was a bit dubious about him asking that particular teacher for a recommendation. When my son told me what he’d said, (basically that my son had the best mathematical mind in the class even though he often forgot formulas, but was able to rederive them on the fly which slowed him down, resulting in less than perfect grades), I knew my son had made a good choice. I agree though unless you’ve seen all the letters coming from a teacher you won’t know if they are really a 9/10.
I actually was on an admissions committee for architecture grad school years ago, and I found the teacher recommendations fascinating. There was one teacher from a particular undergrad program who ranked all the students applying that year. I actually ended up finding it rather irritating.
The teachers and counselors always write good things about their students, right? Then what is the point of the LORs?
My counselor and teacher state my rigorous curriculum and list of my leaderships and ECs. She also says she “enthusiastically recommend” me to all schools. Is it a good saying or too normal and generic?