<p>Are there any top colleges heavily weigh SAT over GPA? It maybe give high SAT but low GPA kid a chance. Thanks.</p>
<p>Check out the 3.6 student thread. My younger son (B+/A- student) got into U of Chicago, Vassar and Tufts. He had a very high CR score, 690 Math, and great essays and recommendations. I think the latter were more important than SAT scores. Or at least there are schools that if your grades and scores are good enough to convince them that you are capable of doing the work, they then go looking in the application for reasons to accept you - academic spark, unusual creativity, a great sense of humor, teachers who rave about your class contributions, etc. </p>
<p>It also helps if a low GPA happens mostly freshman year or arises from a specific weak area. (My son had low grades in Latin, that brought down his overall GPA, but he persevered for four years of it anyway.)</p>
<p>I was very concerned that my son’s GPA is “low” for top schools. He is an A-/B+ student. The difference of 1 pt on the 100 scale really swings his GPA on the 4.0 scale. School does not rank. What I recently learned is that even though school doesn’t rank, the school profile does show that his GPA is high for his school. We do not have grade inflation. Be sure you are viewing his GPA in context of his High School.</p>
<p>GPA isn’t looked at in the same way a test score is. Is there a trend? Low freshman year marks are often ignored or discounted especially for slower maturing boys. Look at schools with a more holistic evaluation process. Are the low marks concentrated in one area (say, low math scores, but very high history, language and english marks)? Look at schools that favor ‘angular’ kids. Are generally lower grades off-set by exceptional ECs - a nearly full-time job? a passion that has generated significant recognition of achievement? Or is a lower GPA due to a specific circumstance that can be explained - an illness, a divorce, etc…?</p>
<p>And finally, what is low in your estimate? On CC, there are people who feel that their grades are ‘low’ if they aren’t in the top 20% of the class. Others who feel they are low if they aren’t making a 4.0.</p>
<p>I remember the OP from a previous post. Your student will be going into the process with a strong application as others on that thread mentioned to you. At that point he was an A- student in the top 10% and had great SAT scores (2300 if I remember) and many AP classes? You could read the 3.6 thread as there were some students there similar to your son but even with that he’s at the top of that bunch. Are you looking for match schools and safety schools or what are you looking for? Do you need merit monies? Perhaps if you are specific about your worries others could give you better advice.</p>
<p>Please rethink the process and the “fit” for your student. We have a son who had a 3.3 GPA in high school and an outstanding SAT score. I found that there are many young males that fit that profile. (I’m sure there are gals too, but I came across mostly males in my research). </p>
<p>Why don’t the guys have higher GPA’s? Two reasons, IMHO: 1) a bit less maturity in brain development and fine motor skills (so that chem lab report form is sloppy) and 2) a fierce independence when it comes to COMPLIANCE on tasks (as in “That’s a stupid requirement. I’ll skip it”). My guy absolutely did better when he respected the teacher and when the requirements seemed relevant or pertinent to the real world. </p>
<p>So have faith that the SAT score IS an indication of the kid’s intellect. And, furthermore, have faith that the kid will be a blessing to a campus – but it might not be Princeton or Harvard. </p>
<p>Instead of hammering a bright young man with his shortcomings (“OMG! You’ll never get into Yale if you don’t get those Calc worksheets done! For Heavens Sake! Why can’t you be neat on Mrs. Stickler’s lab forms? You earned a B instead of an A!” etc), please consider giving that kid a big hug and saying “I think you are an amazing young man. I am delighted with your SAT. Let’s look around and find a college that is exciting to you.”</p>
<p>Some places to consider: Colorado School of Mines (The marching band wears lumberjack shirts and hiking boots) or Lewis & Clark (very hip Portland private) or Evergreen State College (even more hip alternative college, home of the creator of The Simpsons). Look at “Colleges that Change Lives” for other possibilities. </p>
<p>I can’t tell you how many really nice 15 to 17 males I’ve seen be completely bludgeoned by their parents for being a slightly immature guy who is terrific but falling a little short of “perfect”. The guilt and anger some of the guys feel is horrific. They feel guilty that they aren’t 4.0 students – and angry that their parents and social world is so hung up on such trite measurements (believe me, they know that “4.0 Justin” or “3.98 Ashley” may be a cruel jerk or jerkess during the school day – and yet that is what some parents seem to value over a Sweetheart who is kind to the ancient family dog). </p>
<p>Instead of agonizing over HYP, please don’t “lower” your sites – TRANSFORM your value set and look for other options that might get you a 40 year old son who is happy with life.</p>
<p>Olymom, lots of wisdom there! Your description fits my kid (except that it’s a daughter) to a tee. And we have lowered our sights a notch–both because she may not have the grades to get into the top tier schools, and because she will be happier at a place where she can keep up with the pace. Took some mental adjustment–she is SO bright–but we are comfortable with where she’s applying.</p>
<p>I am alittle concerned that the OP doesn’t realize how great her son is (at least from her description) and hoping that the OP is simply struggling with putting a list together for the application season.</p>
<p>Olymom, your post is wonderful. It’s a keeper!</p>
<p>At the top colleges they want both. However the difference between a student with a 3.6 & a 3.9 isn’t as great as one with a 1300 vs. 1500 SAT score. Ratings, alumni, people in general are going to pay more attention to the colleges average SAT score than they are the average incoming GPA. The most common variable that keeps kids out of top schools is SAT / ACT scores.</p>
<p>My nephew is on a full tuition ride to Ohio University due to his SAT scores. He had a 3.0 GPA and a 2100 SAT. He’s in his 3rd year, has a 4.0, and plans to head to law school next. I agree with some of what was said above, he mainly needed more time to mature.</p>
<p>Olymom is exactly right. Many boys just need more time. Older son was one of those high SAT/high grades kind of guys but younger son was not. It was an adjustment to have a son who was just not that interested in grades, thought lots of the homework was busywork,etc. His SAT’s and standardized tests ,AP scores,etc. much better than his grades in high school. He has totally turned it around and is one of the top students in his cohort in engineering at his college. He just needed more time and to find an area of study that seems to interest him and that he wants to do well in.</p>
<p>Olymom…One of the best posts I have ever seen on CC!!! I admire you for everything you said. I have one of these high test/lower GPA S. He learned to read at 3 and has read everything and anything since then. I took him to the book store when he was 3 and told him he could pick any book and he came back with the EMT college book… was bigger than he was. He still has that book with the tattered binding and all. He used to take it everywhere he went.</p>
<p>Anyway, he is an amazing kid and a son that any mother would be thrilled to raise. He is a kid who wrote ME a thank you letter on HIS 16th birthday, for being such a great mom. I never wanted to make him feel less because he wan’t an A student. He has SO MUCH more than that. He also can not figure out why society is so hung up on grades. His college essay is on this exact subject and also what learnng means to him. I was blown away and SO proud of him. He went to his first college interview today. I drove him and was waiting in the coffee shop next door. The interviewer came into the coffee shop after the interview was over just to tell me that she had to meet the mom that had raised such an exceptional kid. I’m pretty sure he will get in this school… and it will be in spite of his not “perfect” GPA.</p>
<p>Sigh. I have a girl who was crying today because she bombed the ACT yesterday. For the third time. It is hard for her as friends who didn’t study (she did) brag about their scores. I am looking (again) at test optional schools, but her horrendously bad scores cut out most merit aid for which her grades would otherwise qualify her, and financial aid alone at most places probably will not make them affordable for our family.</p>
<p>So for every kid crowing about his SAT/ACT score and how brilliant he is, remember that there are girls like my daughter who feel like utter failures and completely stupid. And I know there are kids on CC who would not hesitate to tell her she is both.</p>
<p>Of course, neither scores nor grades are complete proxies for who well one will do in life. It is so hard to make one’s kid recognize that.</p>
<p>In general, I would think that a private university would be more forgiving of this kind of thing(good SAT,not great grades). Younger son had over 700 math SAT, etc. but only applied to public instate schools. He had excellent EC’s ,the weakness was his grades. If we had been in the position to pay for an expensive private, he probably would have had more options. Good luck!</p>
<p>CCSite, I’m sorry your daughter feels she bombed the ACT. In general, most schools,if anything, seem to value grades above SAT or ACT when accepting students. If you are banking on merit aid to make things work for you, most schools will want to see good scores AND grades. That is just the reality.Have you considered instate options?</p>
<p>CCSite - have her take the SAT.</p>
<p>That is an interesting thought,Mister K. We are in SAT territory. Neither kid took the ACT. Where we are, kids who don’t do that well on the SAT are sometimes told by guidance counselors to try the ACT. So,maybe kids that don’t do well on the ACT could try the SAT?</p>
<p>Yay Olymom!!! Well-said!</p>
<p>Yeah,again, Olymom!</p>