So. I’m starting senior year and I will have a 3.61 GPA. I realize this is low for Top 20 schools but I would like to give some context. It is most definitely an upward trend, as my low gpa can be attributed to a bad freshman year and it will only go up with senior year grades. I am taking the most difficult classes at my school, a full schedule. I took APUSH sophomore year. Then I took AP Psych, Euro, Environmental, and English Lang this year along with Pre-Calc and Spanish 4. Senior year is AP Bio, Chem, Lit, Gov, then I have spanish 5 and calculus. Although I have a lower-ish gpa I am still in the top 10% of my class!
I have 5s on AP Euro, AP Psych, APES, and APush…and a 4 on AP Lang. I have a 760 on USH, 780 on BioE, and 800 on World History SAT 2.
I’m expecting around a 33 on the ACT when I retake in the fall.
I also have a low income hook if you may through Questbridge. I have state level awards, phenomenal extra-curriculars. Granted I have great essays, is it reasonable to be applying to top 20 schools such as Ivy League, Duke, Uchicago…etc???
Thank you!
Same boat lol but I’ll tell you what I’ve heard on this website: 3.6 isn’t amazing but it isn’t horrible if you’re in the top 10% and your rank is good. That tells colleges the difficultly of your schools curriculum.Upward trend is great do it isn’t the end of the world and you still have a shot at those schools with your scores. The higher your act the better!
Absolutely. I had a 3.56, without any prior APs til senior year, but all honors. I am going to Notre Dame next fall, which I believe is number 16 on USNWR. Anything is possible. You seem like a well qualified candidate! Good luck
Class rank, school profile, and course rigor can help your sub-optimal GPA. However, you do need to have great score to go with it. What is your current ACT? For top 20 schools, you need to be all around in different aspect.
Well if your in the top 10%, then it just shows college that your school is super hard, which is a very good thing! They look at your GPA IN CONTEXT, so they will look at successful applicants from past years too and put everything in CONTEXT. Honestly, your 3.61 is better than a 4.0 in tons of other schools, and colleges will know that since a 3.61 still puts you at the top 10%.
I totally understand your situation. I have a 3.66 UW GPA, which might as well be a scarlet “A” sewn onto your chest on this website. I am around the top 15-ish percent of my class and my school is notoriously hard. I’m applying to some top 20 schools with my GPA and I think that if your class rank is good (which it is) and your EC’s/essays/test scores are excellent, your GPA can probably be made up for. GPA is the flaw on my application too, so don’t be discouraged and not apply to top 20 schools.