<p>Been looking through average SAT scores for various universities. Several universities are claimed to be good (for engineering) such as calpoly Lehigh etc, yet the average SAT score is less than 1,500 for those two. Does a low average GPA not mean it’s a bad school?</p>
<p>I’ve also heard that a lot of people enter those “good” schools with low GPA requirements but only a few graduate. How true is this?</p>
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<p>Do you mean SAT?</p>
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<p>Are those all three combined or just Math and Critical reading?</p>
<p>The high school academic credentials of the entering frosh class indicate how selective the school is. How much that relates to how good the school is depends on a number of factors, including your preferences.</p>
<p>There is a direct co-relation between Average SAT and the quality of students+ the academics. If a school has like 1700 average, the school is pretty bad(with unmotivated students being the majority) and should only be considered if its in-state.</p>
<p>Colleges with 1900+ average SAT are top institutions and everyone should consider them. </p>
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<p>Not sure where you are getting that 1500 from. Lehigh has an average ACT of 30 which roughly equals to 1980. Cal Poly is also pretty selective with an average ACT of 27 (1820 SAT).</p>
<p>The problem with incoming students stats is that they don’t tell you anything about what the university offers its undergrads once they arrive. I’ll take the case of my friend versus myself. Both of us are studying earth science fields, but she’s at a UC which enjoys a far better reputation than my “lowly” University of Oklahoma. But when I compare the opportunities my school’s geology department provides to its undergrads to hers, it’s not even a close comparison. It seems as though every other day the department emails me about recruitment fairs, research opportunities, new 1 credit classes, job openings, and various trips open to undergraduates. She was actually amazed when I told her everything my school offered me, because her “better” school doesn’t make informing undergrads of all the opportunities within the major a priority. </p>
<p>The reality is, at most decent schools there will be far more opportunities than you can take advantage of. Also, I know a ton of very bright students at Cal Poly. If you’re worried about finding an intellectual fit there (assuming you’re preprofessional), don’t be. All ABET accredited engineering schools have to teach the same concepts (although the depth of which they’re covered can vary from school to school), and most state schools have more than a few very bright students.</p>
<p>“If a school has like 1700 average, the school is pretty bad(with unmotivated students being the majority) and should only be considered if its in-state.”</p>
<p>I disagree with this. Not every student who is “motivated” is able to score a 2000+, and standardized tests are not the only measure of a schools well-being.</p>