<p>What looks better? Personally I have a VERY strong GPA… 4.0 UW but my SAT scores are average (1150/1600 [first time]). What’s better to have? What do the majority of colleges say about the two?</p>
<p>one cannot go without the other. At least this is my take on it (i could be / probably am wrong)</p>
<p>One with a 4.0 gpa and a 1100 is no better off or worse off then a person with a 2.5 and a 2350.</p>
<p>I think they tend to compliement eachother.</p>
<p>Yea, I agree with the person above me. You need both to get into top colleges.</p>
<p>Get Kaplan’s SAT study book.
Study all summer for the SAT.
Nail the SAT.
Then apply. :)</p>
<p>I think that the SAT/GPA is a package deal. Having one without the other is like having a 100% homework/classwork average and having a 50% test average, or vice versa. One isn’t good enough to balance the other, especially when there’s thousands of kids out there with 4.0s AND 2300s.</p>
<p>Besides, you have plenty of time to prepare. If it’s only your first time taking the test, you have an excellent chance of making a huge jump in your score. Identify your problem area and work on it all summer until your test. I would recommend Barron’s and the College Board SAT Prep “Bible”. Also, I would recommend getting a supplemental workbook in your trouble area. Kaplan makes math workbooks and verbal workbooks. If you really want to go the extra mile, see if your local community college offers a prep course. If Princeton Review/Kaplan ever come to your school to offer a practice test or workshop, be sure to take the opportunity. The more practice you get, the better.</p>
<p>I also suffer from pretty low test scores compared to my gpa. My gpa is 3.98, and my sat is 1870/2400. But i hope my score in may is higher :D. I personally would prefer a high gpa, becuase sat you can always study for and change, but gpa not as much. Once you get a grade in a class, its pretty much set in stone.</p>
<p>I agree with most of the people above me, it’s a package deal. If you have a 4.0 UW and a really low SAT/ACT score, colleges begin to suspect grade inflation.</p>
<p>I would just try to raise your SAT/ACT score. If you got a 4.0 UW, you should be able to get a decent score on the SAT with a little practice.</p>
<p>Here’s the deal; it all depends on where you want to go to school. Top schools will not care about your perfect gpa if you don’t have the test scores to back it up. Top schools will not care about your amazing test scores if your gpa sucks. So if you want to go to a top school, have a high gpa and high test scores. For schools that aren’t the creme of the crop, gpa matters more than test scores. They would rather have an average kid who works hard than a smart slacker. I know a kid with a 2100 and a 2.9 that got rejected from schools where many kids with 1800’s and 3.4’s were accepted. But in any case, improve your SAT score. Buy Collegeboard’s Blue Book, memorize kaplan’s vocab list, and get Barron’s 2400 for intensive math and writing review.</p>