Safety and Reach Schools for 3.5 and 1300 SAT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A 3.7 GPA with a 1300 should you a least a chance at most flagships, aside from places like UC Berkeley, Michigan, or UVA.

You just have to apply to a larger amount of schools now than in the past, with the understanding that 80% of them will reject you.

3.7 weighted and 1300 would get you into most flagships 15-20 years ago. Not now. Still gets you into some but others are a toss-up or reach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just an FYI that Pitt is possibly getting rid of rolling admissions as they have gotten more competitive. We were told they are still deciding at a tour 2 weeks ago. I can tell you that we went in as a safety and it is now high up my daughter’s list. Very happy kids and campus. Free transportation all over Allegheny county, great dorm options and a lot of school spirit.

That would be a big negative for them. That’s what keeps their app numbers up.

Perhaps they want to focus on yield more than total apps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just an FYI that Pitt is possibly getting rid of rolling admissions as they have gotten more competitive. We were told they are still deciding at a tour 2 weeks ago. I can tell you that we went in as a safety and it is now high up my daughter’s list. Very happy kids and campus. Free transportation all over Allegheny county, great dorm options and a lot of school spirit.

That would be a big negative for them. That’s what keeps their app numbers up.

Perhaps they want to focus on yield more than total apps.

Not a secret that many of us used Pitt for peace of mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A 3.7 GPA with a 1300 should you a least a chance at most flagships, aside from places like UC Berkeley, Michigan, or UVA.

You just have to apply to a larger amount of schools now than in the past, with the understanding that 80% of them will reject you.

3.7 weighted and 1300 would get you into most flagships 15-20 years ago. Not now. Still gets you into some but others are a toss-up or reach.

Of course a 1300 SAT 20 years ago is probably over 1400 today due to changes in 2005 and 2015 which raised the average scores. The same could be said of grades due to grade inflation. Colleges are definitely getting harder to get into, but part of it is the inflation of grades and SAT scores making it appear much more selective.

Here's an article from 1991 about a kid who got a 1600: http://articles.latimes.com/1991-01-31/local/me-539_1_perfect-score

"Naranjo, 17, was one of only 10 students in the United States to earn the highest possible score on the test in 1990, said district spokesman Alan Trudell. Last year, about 1.8 million students took the test, which is the most common examination required for college admittance."

Compare that to today, where thousands of kids get perfect scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A 3.7 GPA with a 1300 should you a least a chance at most flagships, aside from places like UC Berkeley, Michigan, or UVA.

You just have to apply to a larger amount of schools now than in the past, with the understanding that 80% of them will reject you.

3.7 weighted and 1300 would get you into most flagships 15-20 years ago. Not now. Still gets you into some but others are a toss-up or reach.

Of course a 1300 SAT 20 years ago is probably over 1400 today due to changes in 2005 and 2015 which raised the average scores. The same could be said of grades due to grade inflation. Colleges are definitely getting harder to get into, but part of it is the inflation of grades and SAT scores making it appear much more selective.

Here's an article from 1991 about a kid who got a 1600: http://articles.latimes.com/1991-01-31/local/me-539_1_perfect-score

"Naranjo, 17, was one of only 10 students in the United States to earn the highest possible score on the test in 1990, said district spokesman Alan Trudell. Last year, about 1.8 million students took the test, which is the most common examination required for college admittance."

Compare that to today, where thousands of kids get perfect scores.

Lurker with a young child here. This was about my score in high school, in the mid-1990s. I thought it was pretty damn good back then, especially because I didn't do much studying. I got about a perfect score on the verbal (bombed the math, tho). I see how many people post that their kids got a 1400 or 1500 and was wondering how so many kids are scoring so high--I figured, jeez, there's going to be no hope for my kid in a little over a decade. But, given both spouse and I got around a 1300, perhaps kid will do even better, since we've got even more resources in place at this age than either of us had..

[Anonymous]

Stats most likely not high enough for most state flagship schools as an OOS applicant and most have limits so it can be tough if you are counting on those. Maybe second tier state schools like FSU, Temple, Towson, Louisville, Auburn, etc. COfC is a great suggestion

[Anonymous]

Naviance data from our MD HS (2000 enrollment) shows these stats will get him into most state flagships except the elite.
No one with those stats was denied or waitlisted at Pitt or Penn State.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A 3.7 GPA with a 1300 should you a least a chance at most flagships, aside from places like UC Berkeley, Michigan, or UVA.

You just have to apply to a larger amount of schools now than in the past, with the understanding that 80% of them will reject you.

Good heavens, no! OP's child's GPA and stats are too low for Berkeley, Michigan or UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A 3.7 GPA with a 1300 should you a least a chance at most flagships, [b]aside from places like UC Berkeley, Michigan, or UVA.[/b]

You just have to apply to a larger amount of schools now than in the past, with the understanding that 80% of them will reject you.

Good heavens, no! OP's child's GPA and stats are too low for Berkeley, Michigan or UVA.

Umm. I think you need to read a little closer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A 3.7 GPA with a 1300 should you a least a chance at most flagships, aside from places like UC Berkeley, Michigan, or UVA.

You just have to apply to a larger amount of schools now than in the past, with the understanding that 80% of them will reject you.

3.7 weighted and 1300 would get you into most flagships 15-20 years ago. Not now. Still gets you into some but others are a toss-up or reach.

Of course a 1300 SAT 20 years ago is probably over 1400 today due to changes in 2005 and 2015 which raised the average scores. The same could be said of grades due to grade inflation. Colleges are definitely getting harder to get into, but part of it is the inflation of grades and SAT scores making it appear much more selective.

Here's an article from 1991 about a kid who got a 1600: http://articles.latimes.com/1991-01-31/local/me-539_1_perfect-score

"Naranjo, 17, was one of only 10 students in the United States to earn the highest possible score on the test in 1990, said district spokesman Alan Trudell. Last year, about 1.8 million students took the test, which is the most common examination required for college admittance."

Compare that to today, where thousands of kids get perfect scores.

Lurker with a young child here. This was about my score in high school, in the mid-1990s. I thought it was pretty damn good back then, especially because I didn't do much studying. I got about a perfect score on the verbal (bombed the math, tho). I see how many people post that their kids got a 1400 or 1500 and was wondering how so many kids are scoring so high--I figured, jeez, there's going to be no hope for my kid in a little over a decade. But, given both spouse and I got around a 1300, perhaps kid will do even better, since we've got even more resources in place at this age than either of us had..

Well now there are prep books, courses, strategies, Khan, Kaplan, etc... to perfect the score and m6 God is it sad how many 5hrow away their high schools years overcstressed and focused in this one test. Not to mention that many colleges superstore now and kids take advantage of that too.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for all the great suggestions.
We are visiting Delaware next week. We also plan on visiting UMBC and Towson, since they are in-state for us.

We have already visited UMD and Salisbury. We are also going to JMU.

I would like to get him out to Pitt as well since everyone here and others I have talked to have had nothing but positive things to say about it.

We are still trying to pin him down on size, type and location. He seems to be all over the place. Fairly certain that he does not want schools with huge greek life, which I suspect will eliminate many of the schools in the south.

I'm both excited and terrified at the same time with this whole process. Seems like every year it is getting more and more difficult to be accepted anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Given your update I’d also look at GMU, WVU, and Ohio University. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for all the great suggestions.
We are visiting Delaware next week. We also plan on visiting UMBC and Towson, since they are in-state for us.

We have already visited UMD and Salisbury. We are also going to JMU.

I would like to get him out to Pitt as well since everyone here and others I have talked to have had nothing but positive things to say about it.

We are still trying to pin him down on size, type and location. He seems to be all over the place. Fairly certain that he does not want schools with huge greek life, which I suspect will eliminate many of the schools in the south.

I'm both excited and terrified at the same time with this whole process. Seems like every year it is getting more and more difficult to be accepted anywhere.

If you go to Pitt check out Duquesne too. You can probable go see Gettysburg and York college on the way too. If you want to go to Ohio a few places only about 2-3hrs away from Pitt: Denison, Otterbein, and Ohio State. You can also hit up WVU and then Frostburg on the way back.

[Anonymous]

We visited Delaware and DS liked it alot. Students seemed happy, good tour guide, very walkable campus. Definitely moved up on his list.

Just wished it was further south where it would be warmer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We visited Delaware and DS liked it alot. Students seemed happy, good tour guide, very walkable campus. Definitely moved up on his list.

Just wished it was further south where it would be warmer.

+1
My kid at Delaware is happy. Honors program is good and not that hard to get into. Had many young, enthusiastic profs.