I got into Stanford with a 3.4 GPA: it is possible - Page 4

niloy.ghosh518 · 01-13-2009, 02:19 AM

congrats OP

Contrary to what many people say, I admire people like you. People would think that you have no chance at the top schools because of your GPA. Yet, you managed to get in. While it is true that the admissions process is a mystery, you clearly had something to offer them, so they took you. There are far too many students out there of the same mold (high SAT, high GPA, EC's galore with leadership). But you must have been different in your display of passion. I congratulate you again, and thanks for serving as such a great example to everyone here on CC that there are many more ways to get admitted than one would think.

sorghum · 01-13-2009, 10:11 AM

Stanford is building a community. Like a city, it has all types of diverse people. A community needs some happy but not so bright people who can run fast and make coffee. And a few smart people.

justwaiting3 · 01-14-2009, 03:30 AM

ii was freaking out about my SAT scores, but I got in as well. so there's always hope. =)

inev · 01-14-2009, 05:22 AM

Same here. I got an 1890 for SAT and I thought I had no chance, but I got in

futurexreject · 01-14-2009, 06:02 AM

Wow @inev.... are you like urm or a curer of cancer? omg.... imagine all the urms that get 1800s and accepted but dont go on CC to post...

inev · 01-14-2009, 06:17 AM

Not really lol. The SATs aren't everything....
Also, as future pointed out, in another thread I've mentioned that I got 2300. I didn't post that. My friend used my computer to post that for a project of his.

miawrites · 01-14-2009, 05:13 PM

i have a question.
My school doesn't exactly do GPAs. I've tried looking up conversions online, but it seems like every single one is different. So, for those of you who know the 4.0 GPA thing, what would a 94 average be? And by the way it's not weighted.

magicmissile27 · 01-15-2009, 04:07 PM

no way. I didnt get in EVEN THOUGH I HAD AN 800 WRITING

nstar19 · 01-15-2009, 04:36 PM

yeah but magicmissile I saw you said in another post that you had a 450 math and 510 reading, so that 800 writing would probably not have been enough to get you in.

blueducky · 01-15-2009, 06:47 PM

After all that, you guys are still obsessing over SAT's? Seriously?

BevoUT · 01-20-2009, 07:32 PM

Jenny, thanks for the post. After googling for some information about colleges and winding up here, I saw all these people with ridiculous achievements. My high school experience seems extremely similar to yours in terms of grades, sports (football for me), and overall experience I suppose. I hope this shows people that they don't have to be perfect academically to go where they want to go.

Snickers2 · 01-22-2009, 09:15 PM

stonegill - I agree with you 1000000000000000000000000000%. I applied to three schoo, wich were "out of my range" and it completely angers me that I spend long hours on school work and alot of time and energy on extra curriculars, yet I am not accepted to the college I want to go to. What is that? It does not make sense to me at all. I'm glad someone is feeling the same!

faraday · 01-22-2009, 10:42 PM

I don't see why we should put down people who are overachieving, and stereotype them. I am not attacking the OP, or anyone else, but pointing out that there is a tendency to brand high-achieving students as simple-minded "high SAT, high GPA, EC's galore with leadership" students.

In fact, most overachieving students tend to me just as interesting, if not more, than other underachieving students. We shouldn't bash people for being smart.

Memories of Time · 01-23-2009, 03:34 AM

Congratulations on your acceptance. I hope you do well at Stanford. I have a similar problem to yours. I had a 4.0 unweighted gpa in my freshman year. From this time, I wanted to get into MIT because I love science and technology. When sophomore year came, I lost motivation and became depressed, which caused my gpa to decline greatly. I went from a 4.0 unweighted gpa to a 3.71, then to a 3.57 for both semester gpa's. Now the first semester of my junior year has just passed, and I did worse than last year. This time I have under a 3.0 unweighted gpa with honors and ap classes. This is caused by the same reason as last year's, lack of motivation and depression. Into my last chance now, I'll be trying harder. My own hands shattered my dreams; my life will never be the same because of the lack of motivation and depression that came into my life at the wrong time; the time that mattered most in my life.

mathboy98 · 01-24-2009, 03:01 AM

"there is a tendency to brand high-achieving students as simple-minded "high SAT, high GPA, EC's galore with leadership" students."

Very important point pointed out in another thread as well. It is very possible to give students who are happy with their acceptances a pat on the back while acknowledging that it's *REALLY RIDICULOUS* to what degree people brand high scorers as 'the same' -- not every high scorer is at all intellectually the same. Hello! How many various academic fields are there...how diverse are the passions going into them? How much does it take to really become a master of one of these fields? A lot!

A lot of people who congratulate people with lower GPA's and scores are highly disrespectful towards many of the academic minds.