I currently hold a 4.0 gpa and 34 on my ACT, what are the odds for colleges with average gpa of 3.7 to reject me?
Depends on the college. Some colleges will accept you some don’t. So it’s a 50/50
Really depends on the college and their criteria. Your GPA/test scores do not guarantee you to most colleges.
I think it depends on any of a number of factors. IF the median is 3.7 and you have a 4.0, you seem to be solid when it comes to grades. So based on grades, the odds look good.
Then again, if the median for your major is 3.8, maybe not so much. If they’ve filled their class with legacies or tuba players or soccer players or whatever, again: not so much. If you’re out of state, it’s possible that they give preference to in state kids… or maybe it’s the other way around.
What I’m trying to say is that this whole process is about more than grades; different colleges have different admissions criteria that’s not always easy to discern.
Look at the Class of 2018 threads-- a whole lot of kids were denied from schools they felt were safeties.
The moral to the story is to cast a wide net. And to make sure that your safeties are real safeties: schools you really, really should be able to get into, that you know you can afford, and that you would be happy to attend.
If your 4.0 GPA was earned in classes that are the most rigorous your high school has to offer, you will be considered a serious candidate at any school to which you choose to apply. In that case it will come down to your essay, your ECs, whether or not you have a hook or a spike, and possibly your demonstrated interest or your interview. The AOs will also think about what the college can do for you and what you might do for them. If you are a borderline candidate, the AOs will be considering all this in relation to the other candidates. So with all that in play, it is impossible to calculate the odds. You’ve got a ticket into the ballpark, though. Keep up the good work!
OP, probably the most important stat that you should look at is admission rate. If you are looking at a school with an admission rate of only 10-15%, there is a very good chance that you will be rejected even if your GPA and ACT score place you above the median GPA and ACT numbers for the school. Also, keep in mind that a lot of kids with somewhat lower GPA/ACT numbers will get into a school because they have a hook (recruited athlete, legacy etc …). Thus, an unhooked kid might need to be at around the 75% mark to have a legitimate shot.
It’s not just about stats. Look at this. https://admission.stanford.edu/apply/selection/profile16.html Why do you think so many 4.0 kids got rejected? In a stiff competition, the ones who don’t show the various qualities a college wants are at a disadvantage.
It’s on you to figure out what matters, what “they” look for, not just what “you” want, and how you match. Not just that, in your hs, your stats are tops.
So start looking more deeply at your possible targets.
Google the term “Tufts Syndrome”. Some colleges will reject applicants if they have a reason to suspect that their college is the fail-safe backup plan and the student isn’t enthusiastic about applying. Nobody wants to feel like someone’s last resort. Your stats would make you a likely admit for colleges with those averages, if you also make sure that they know that there is a decent chance that you would attend if admitted.
Absolutely possible to be rejected for numerous reasons including (but not limited to)…
–The fact that admissions at most colleges are holistic. That means things like EC activities, essays, recommendations etc. are given weight in the admissions process. Some college also take into account things like demonstrated interest etc.
–Some schools are need aware and could reject candidates if they don’t want to give them the aid that is needed for them to be able to afford the college.
–Some college want subject tests and your application could be at a disadvantage if your don’t have them.
–Some colleges accept by major (or by program – such as the engineering or business school) and if you are applying to a more competitive major then you may not get in even if your stats are above the average profile for the school.
–Many top tier colleges do not have space to accept all of the well qualified candidates.
–If you are an International student needing aid admissions is generally way more competitive.
–If you are applying for an OOS public school admissions is typically more competitive than for a state resident.
–Also in another post you ask about replacing grades with summer school classes. In that case, colleges will likely see your original grades even if you re-take a class in the summer and that will probably be a factor in admissions regardless of what your recalculated GPA is.
Be sure to have a list that includes safety schools that appear affordable and that you would be excited to attend.