<p>Let’s say I have a strong passion for a particular subject (math and sciences). My courses and EC’s clearly reflect on that. Will bad grades in other subjects (not particularly bad but not A’s) which have brought down my gpa a bit affect my application to top colleges much? And I’m guessing colleges like MIT or caltech will care even less?</p>
<p>I guess it depends on how many non-As you got. Your example of Caltech and MIT is poor because, being at the top of the heap, they DO get tons of 4.0 applicants. It’s the next few tiers down where your less than tippy top GPA and school ranking isn’t going to negatively affect you.</p>
<p>I’m still at least top 10% GPA. My point is, if my math/science appeal is strong enough (for the very best colleges ie HYPSM) some bad grades in non-math/science courses won’t bring me down too much right (or at all)?</p>
<p>Well, you need to consider that your competition may not have the apathetic B’s that you do-- they may have apathetic A’s. Top colleges will expect you to do well in even those subjects for which you lack passion. Also, something they surely see a lot of is the type of student who excels in their favorite area and doesn’t show an interest in another. yes, you can specialize your EC’s, but no college is looking for a closed-minded individual.</p>
<p>You’re hoping we’ll say “it’s ok, you’re lovely anyway”. Well, it’s probably TRUE that you’re lovely anyway, but the top schools including the geek schools have LOTS of lovely people to choose from - more than they can accomodate. You have to show that you’re better than the people who don’t have the “apathetic Bs”, and that will be difficult.</p>
<p>What people don’t understand, and I’m SO glad you’re looking at this now, is that there are more awesome students than all the top schools can handle. You need to find safeties you can love, because you may end up going there. And this isn’t true just for you, but for the people with 4.0 / 2400. Shoot for the stars, but find some safeties and matches that will make you happy. Consider your reaches as lottery winnings, but don’t bet the farm.</p>
<p>It will look better if you have all As in a certain area, yes. But you’re going to be competing against people who got As even in the subjects they don’t like, so it’s still going to put you at a disadvantage.</p>
<p>Yes, it will hurt you. Perhaps not to the point of rejection, depending on which school you apply to and how unique/strong your ECs are, but it will hut. MIT and CalTech receive thousands of 4.0 applicants–not all with high SATs and excellent ECs, but enought that they could easily fill a class with top students all around who have demonstrated superior knowledge of math and science through SAT IIs and ECs. You can demonstrate specialization without sacrificing your GPA. </p>
<p>Still, lower ranked tech schools may be forgiving, at least when comparing you to a kid with the same GPA but a smattering of Bs across all subjects rather than concentrated to non-science/math courses.</p>
<p>yes, it will hurt, ESPECIALLY for MIT and Caltech. there’s a kidfrom my school who is brilliant in math (taking graduate school math courses junior/senior year) and was rejected from MIT and Caltech because of B’s and like two C’s in other courses.</p>
<p>@glassesarechic
I dont want to sound disrespectful, but I almost laughed out loud when i read “superior knowledge of math and science through SAT IIs”. SAT’s are BABY stuff compared to math competitions, which I compete in. I may not be the best in math competitions, but I do well enough to be considered to have demonstrated a “superior knowledge of math” than those who get 800 on SAT II’s. Not to be conceited or anything, but I probably could have gotten an 800 in 8th grade.</p>
<p>@mediopolito
your story is quite interesting. I’m curious if he competed in math competitions are all and if he indeed took graduate courses (not undergraduate level) and what courses those were (I mean, a lot of math college courses can be trivial… Would need to know exactly what the courses were before we can make a judgement)</p>
<p>@everyone else
TBH I think a lot of people here at CC are biased and are inclined to say you need to be “perfect” to have a shot at top colleges. I probably should have expected these answers and not bothered to ask in the first place. Just to add background info to my situation, my school has a weird GPA system + harsh grading teachers. Average GPA for the past 5 years of students accepted into harvard has been 8.52, MIT 8.51, Princeton 8.58, Standford 8.49. I will have around 8.65~8.7. In fact, 8.7 equates to only A- (honors class). B+ is 8.3 . Considering that, a lot of students who have been accepted into top colleges have had quite many A- and/or B+'s.</p>
<p>There’s no doubt that a lot of people who get into the top schools, including HYPSM & Caltech, have many A- and B+. But there are a lot of people with all A+ who DON’T get into those schools as well. Passion and good grades are no guarantee - for anyone. Check out the following links for people who were **good **enough but not **lucky **enough.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/903068-pls-help-question.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/903068-pls-help-question.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/901891-any-competetive-colleges-still-accepting-applications-late-applications.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/901891-any-competetive-colleges-still-accepting-applications-late-applications.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/902051-taking-gap-year-disappointing-admission-results.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/902051-taking-gap-year-disappointing-admission-results.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/678183-heartbroken.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/678183-heartbroken.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/192395-no-acceptances-one-kids-story-year-later.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/192395-no-acceptances-one-kids-story-year-later.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/high-school-life/904592-i-lied-all-my-friends-i-got-into-yale.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/high-school-life/904592-i-lied-all-my-friends-i-got-into-yale.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/484336-anyone-like-me-got-rejected-all-their-schools.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/484336-anyone-like-me-got-rejected-all-their-schools.html</a></p>
<p>Which teacher of the “classes you don’t care about” will be writing your required liberal arts recommendation for MIT?</p>
<p>My english teacher. I never specified that the subjects I don’t care about are necessarily liberal arts or (if it seemed like I had implied it) that I don’t care about every liberal arts subject. In fact, this english class is one of my favorite classes Ive ever had because the teacher is just so brilliant.</p>
<p>@geekmom64
All the links you gave me have little info on the students. I would be more interested in a student with >3.7 gpa, > 2300 sat, decent EC’s focused in one particular subject who didn’t get into any top college.</p>