Low gpa high test score which schools for ED options?

[Anonymous]

Context: DC’s school has sent kids to a few T20 schools in the past, but not all. These include HYP, Cornell, uPENN, brown, northwestern, Chicago. The school doesn’t send many to other T20 so the scattergrams are not as helpful.

DC will apply to schools outside T20, mostly T30-T50 in RD round. DC wants to give T20 a try in ED. School counselor suggested one in the list, DC thinks it is tough but will consider it further. DC would like to find a T20 that is not in the above list. There will also be much less internal competition due to much fewer kids applying to T20s not listed.

Average or below EC, varsity team captain, club leader, summer activities, etc. Test score: both math and verbal in “Bucket A”. GPA: top 25% or maybe higher, school doesn’t rank. Rigor: highest. Major: non-oversubscribed. Non dmv, mid tier private. School sends about 15% to ivy+. Not sure how many are hooked. The school has very few recruits in the past.

Request: Please recommend a T20 school that will consider an applicant who has a low gpa and a high test score. TIA

[Anonymous]

Following

[Anonymous]

You need to give way more information (including information about the major because that is relevant to picking the right school). Also extracurriculars are too vague to give you real advice.

Lastly, what college is not listed in your T20 list that comes to your school in September or October? That is a very important factor - - because those T20 schools are looking for applicants from your high school.

So for example, if Emory or Washington University St. Louis are coming to your HS this fall, I would say either/both should probably be a high choice.

[Anonymous]

Top 25th percentile is low? What's the actual unweighted GPA?

[Anonymous]

ED choices:
UChicago; Columbia; Michigan; WashU; Emory.

All depends on major though. Last two are probably best bet.

[Anonymous]

This question gets asked every week on here and the answer is always the same: it depends on your high school.

My current college freshman attended a top private high school had not had any kids admitted to Northwestern or Vanderbilt with under a 3.9, unhooked in 5 years, regardless of ED/RD. This school does better with HYP than NU or Vandy. My current senior attends a very similar private that routinely has 3.8 kids admitted to both Northwestern and Vanderbilt.

Almost identical schools, vastly different outcomes at these 2 colleges. You really, really, can't generalize between high schools.

[Anonymous]

You’d be better off feeding your school’s data into (paid) AI and get much more tailored advice than you would from here. Random advice from people who are strangers online who don’t know your high school without any real information about the kids major or activities is not going to help you.

We can all tell you have no idea what you are doing.

[Anonymous]

What about a school like High Point? The low GPA suggests he might need more of a focus on life skills such as time management.

[Anonymous]

How the hell are we supposed to know if you won’t name the school and it’s not in the DMV? What are you doing on this website anyway?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about a school like High Point? The low GPA suggests he might need more of a focus on life skills such as time management.

Yes, kid in top 25% of their high school class with a 1500+ SAT would definitely benefit from High Point’s unique educational environment.

[Anonymous]

Wash U
Emory
Rice
Vanderbilt

Maybe Johns Hopkins and Vanderbilt? Tufts?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ED choices:
UChicago; Columbia; Michigan; WashU; Emory.

All depends on major though. Last two are probably best bet.

Agree with this list minus Columbia, Wash U and Emory are close to 35 percent admission rate for ED. Could also consider Tufts which is similar acceptance rate. Honestly, kid with resume you describe from a mid tier private is unlikely to get into a true top 20 even in ED so would strongly consider Wash U or Emory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wash U
Emory
Rice
Vanderbilt

Maybe Johns Hopkins and Vanderbilt? Tufts?

Vandy likes 3.85uw from our private. TO is fine. They LOVE leadership.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Context: DC’s school has sent kids to a few T20 schools in the past, but not all. These include HYP, Cornell, uPENN, brown, northwestern, Chicago. The school doesn’t send many to other T20 so the scattergrams are not as helpful.

DC will apply to schools outside T20, mostly T30-T50 in RD round. DC wants to give T20 a try in ED. School counselor suggested one in the list, DC thinks it is tough but will consider it further. DC would like to find a T20 that is not in the above list. There will also be much less internal competition due to much fewer kids applying to T20s not listed.

Average or below EC, varsity team captain, club leader, summer activities, etc. Test score: both math and verbal in “Bucket A”. GPA: top 25% or maybe higher, school doesn’t rank. Rigor: highest. Major: non-oversubscribed. Non dmv, mid tier private. School sends about 15% to ivy+. Not sure how many are hooked. The school has very few recruits in the past.

Request: Please recommend a T20 school that will consider an applicant who has a low gpa and a high test score. TIA

Maybe read this?
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1193637.page

[Anonymous]

The answer is always Chicago if you want a sure bet