I was unable to sign up for Calculus because my high school had full seats. I heard some engineering schools require you to have taken Calculus in high school, but then I heard you’d have to take calculus in college so I shouldn’t worry about it.
My GPA is around 3-3.3, it is 85%. I am still in my senior year, so it can still change. My SAT score is currently 1140, but I’m waiting for the next result since I took it twice. (Hoping around 1300, expecting around 1200)
Would I be able to get in a “decent” engineering college?
Honestly, I have not decided on my career, but I want to do something related to engineering or maybe biology (such as doctor, surgeon).
I also want to ask if it’s possible that an “average” college graduate ends up getting the same exact job as an Harvard graduate. Are the chances low or zero and why?
Yes, with a 3.0-3.3 GPA, you can be admitted to many decent colleges with engineering. However, you should be aware that college academic work requires more self-motivation and time management than in high school, and college courses cover material faster than high school courses (though you may have fewer college courses per term than high school courses per term). Engineering is also generally considered a rigorous major.
Only a few schools (which are realistically out of reach for admissions with a 3.0-3.3 GPA, like Caltech, Harvey Mudd) require calculus in high school for admission (to engineering or in general). Most schools’ sample schedules for engineering majors start in calculus 1, so you do need to have strong knowledge of your algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and precalculus material from your high school math.