3.2 GPA, late bloomer, HIGH SAT score, top university?

[marite]

Thanks for the clarification. I did think that 1300/1600 was a bit low, too, to make up for a subpar GPA.

[thumper1]

I would agree that a 1300 CR/Math SAT score would not make up for a less than stellar GPA when applying to UVA or W/M...or Brown, Cornell, Emory, BC, NYU.

The good thing is that the OP said he/she has already applied to some safety schools. That is a good thing.

I DO think that UVM (U of Vermont) is within reach...but I will caution the OP that it is a very expensive school for out of state students. I would think that U Del is in the match range...not a safety...but IS also a possibility.

There is nothing wrong with applying to a reach school or two or three...as long as there are some match and safety schools on the list too. It sounds like this is the case.

To the OP (who is not reading this thread.....just in case you come back). Good luck to you. I hope it all works out.

[busdriver11]

There is one thing that many people may not be thinking of. There are some particular, usually private or magnet schools that are very well known to colleges. These schools practice active grade deflation and are extremely selective to get into in the first place. My son went to one of those schools, and based on his grades, there were several schools that he got into that if he'd looked purely at the numbers or averages, he wouldn't have even bothered to apply. If you are going to one of those high schools, particularly if you raise your SAT a bit, you may have more of a shot than people think.

Brown is practically out of reach for any human being, Cornell coming close...but of course you need your dream schools, so you want to pick some of the super reaches. You may have a surprising advantage for some of the out of state schools-they are looking for $$$ and you can't really tell what their policy is this year by looking at the past. Another thing, is if you did poorly in your freshman year and that is dragging your GPA down, some schools don't even compute that in the GPA.

[TwistedxKiss]

Well, you're being fact checked on Yahoo Answers. I find it kind of funny that one would consider that a more credible source.

[Protagonist111]

to everyone on page 2

*yawns*

great job, keep pulling up more numbers and see if I care to buy in

to thumper and busdriver, thanks.

By the way I already have some safety schools on my list and everything, everyone on this thread is catching a fit.

Once again, same people with "experience" telling kids "don't apply to a good school you won't make it!"

As for yahoo answers, quite a bit of people there actually know their stuff as compared to this site where a 2300 and 4.0 GPA along with tons of ECs and volunteer hours is not good enough for Yale.

[marite]

Protagonist:

You are totally at liberty to ignore the comments that you yourself solicited.
the information I pulled on Emory and NYU come from their websites. If you want more information, each of the schools you are considering have their own forum on CC, under CC Top colleges. At the top of the forum is a link for applicant stats. Some are for students who are currently applying but many are for students who applied last year and were either admitted or rejected. These can serve as guides for you.
It's good that you already have some safeties. As for reaches, if you don't apply you will certainly not get in. Just be realistic about your chances.

[Consolation]

As for yahoo answers, quite a bit of people there actually know their stuff as compared to this site where a 2300 and 4.0 GPA along with tons of ECs and volunteer hours is not good enough for Yale.

My S had better than a 2300, an A- unweighted average, 5s on all AP exams, maximum rigor, strong ECs, 3-season varsity athlete, volunteer hours, state and national awards, and he didn't get into Yale.

And by the way, I'd advise asking someone with a better grasp of grammar to review your essays.

[Naturally]

Man, OP . . . RUDE. Why are you even asking these questions if you're only going to listen to the people who say what you want to hear? People are just trying to help you.

[mathmom]

I don't know why you asked if you didn't want to listen. It's true you can't get into a school you don't apply to. Come back in April and make us all eat humble pie.

[Protagonist111]

Oh yes, lets crucify someone for not having the good grammar shall we?

Also being rude? Not really, I asked and listed my situation but everyone kept bugging on the 3.2 GPA ("IT DOESN'T MATTER, A 3.2 IS A 3.2 NO MATTER WHAT, YOU WILL NEVER MAKE IT ANYWHERE").

Get your forks and spoons ready for some humble pie then, I may not be a valedictorian but I lived a rough life as an Asian American in a deep south town. I am applying and even if I don't get in, at least I had guts to try out and not for fall your "expert" advices.

[busdriver11]

If you do go to a super competitive highly reguarded school, actually I am certain that schools like UGA, U of Vermont, U of Delaware are easy safety schools. Kids from my son's high school with similar stats have gotten into Boston College, NYU and Emory-so certainly those schools at least are doing more than looking at GPA. I really think there are some schools that they consider more than just the number, but where it comes from. For example, there are multiple valedictorians at our neighborhood schools coming out with 4.0+ GPAs. One school nearby had about 30 valedictorians, and if you got a B or two in the entire four years of high school, you wouldn't even be in the top 50% of the graduating class. In my son's school, only one kid every five years or so graduates with a 4.0 GPA, so I do think some of the schools consider that.

Unfortunately, I think being Asian goes against you (unless you apply to a school that has a low Asian population). Any way to leave that out of the application?

[beth's mom]

Just to add an additional data point, I checked Naviance for my D's high school for UVa, because frankly I was surprised at what the UVa rep had said. D goes to a competitive suburban public in the midwest that sends well over 90% of its graduates to 4 year colleges. Average weighted GPA at the school is 3.0. The average weighted GPA of students from the school who are admitted to Virginia is 4.2, the average ACT is 32 and the average SAT is 2000 (we're in an ACT area, so I suspect the SAT sample is small).

I wouldn't discourage you from applying to any of the schools on your list if they're schools you really want to attend. You can't get in unless you apply, after all. I would, however, consider them reaches. But as long as you have a safety school you'd be happy to attend, I don't see the harm in trying, especially if you raise your SAT and have a positive grade trend and an explanation for your slow start. Good luck!

[Collegehelllp]

"lets say I raise it to a 2100 or 2200"

Not to be a downer, but you almost certainly won't raise your SAT score to a 2200.

You do realize that a 2200 entails scoring, on average, a 730 (out of 800) on each and every section?

That being said, a 2200 with a 3.4 GPA trending upwards would make your application somewhat competitive for the lower-reach schools like NYU or Emory. Then again, aren't you Asian?

I didn't get into a stellar school, but I'm doing remarkably well in college; although this isn't conventional advice, you seem to be a person who wants to be academically-focused in life, so don't fret too much about getting into a good instead of decent undergraduate university, and simply prepare yourself to work very, very hard in college.

I remember that in my final year of high school I was frantically trying to raise my SAT score, and also get all A's in order to impress colleges, but the fact of the matter is that the majority of the schools you listed above won't take you anyway, and even if one (BC) did, it's really just more important to work in college.

Don't get me wrong, putting the effort in now may be worth it if you do somehow get into Emory or NYU, but I'm simply trying to say that the reality of the situation is that if you want to be a distinguished academic, then you'll have to work very hard in college, and get into a superb graduate school which will wipe out your undergrad university.

[pugmadkate]

As for yahoo answers, quite a bit of people there actually know their stuff as compared to this site where a 2300 and 4.0 GPA along with tons of ECs and volunteer hours is not good enough for Yale.

I'm not understanding the hostility. A 7% acceptance rate means that 2300, 4.0, tons of EC's and volunteer work is not a guarenteed admission to Yale. Why is that making you so angry with the posters here?

You can go here to read about it yourself, Official Yale 2013 SCEA Results Thread Here are just two posts from that thread from rejected students who applied SCEA when the acceptance rate is approx 15% (I edited them down to the basics):

SAT I (breakdown): 800CR/ 800M / 800W /
SAT II: 800 Math Level 2, 710 Physics
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.867
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 5-9 of 528.
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): NM Semifinalist
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): soloist, concertmaster, founder of school string quartet, debate (team captain, coach of two junior teams), editor of school literary magazine


SAT I (breakdown): 700 CR 800 math and writing (2300)
ACT: 35
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): we use a 100 point scale, 99.5,
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): XC, Track, Winter Track for all four years (captain, mvp), Mathletes 4 years
Volunteer/Community service: 200+ hours


No one has said not to apply. They have simply provided information about admissions. I'm glad you have safety schools, truly.

Lastly, the only person throwing a fit on this thread is you.

[coureur]

>>Not to be a downer, but you almost certainly won't raise your SAT score to a 2200.<<

It's possible. D2 raised her score from 1950 to 2210 in one retake. A little studying (using the Xiggi method) can go a long way for a bright student.

Protagonist111 - the people here are trying to help you if you just let them. I suggest you send a Private Message to CC member Dean J. He's the Dean of Admissions at UVa, so I don't think you'll find a more authoritative source than that. He may not respond to direct Chances requests, but I'm sure he can fill you in an all things UVa and offer you realistic advice.