How does it look when you have a high rank but low gpa

It will be clear from the school profile that this isn’t the case.

How schools interpret it may depend on your personal circumstances. If your application indicates that you are a student with some advantages (majority, stable home situation, above average income for your district), they will probably focus on your GPA and that you didn’t maximize your potential.

On the other hand, if your application indicates that you have had the kind of challenges that students in your district may often face, they could be more forgiving.

Will you be submitting test scores?