Anonymous
08/11/2025 14:28
Subject: “Higher” SAT, “Lower” GPA
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP here. My bad. I meant WEIGHTED GPA of 3.9.
Upper 1300s are not "higher" in NOVA. Sounds like weighted 3.9 and upper 1300s are in-line with eachother.
This. The scores are reasonably balanced.
Anonymous
08/11/2025 14:26
Subject: “Higher” SAT, “Lower” GPA
Anonymous wrote:My kid’s SAT is in the upper 1300s, but their GPA is 3.9 unweighted, due to health issues that made them miss school for some time during soph year. They attend a FCPS, bottom tier HS. Also has three 5s on APs and one 4. Will take AP calc AB senior year, and three other APs At least one AP in the five main subject areas.
They have decent extracurriculars: summer jobs, two varsity sports, long term club sport, volunteer coach.
They are applying to large state, top 75 type schools (VT, JMU, UGA, Penn St) to non-impacted majors, think history, communications, sociology.
They will explain the health issue in the common app.
Usually admissions see kids with GPAs that are inflated compared to SAT scores. My kid is the opposite.
Will my kid have a good shot, being that now more schools are going test required? The schools they are applying to are still TO though?
OP, a 3.9 GPA and upper 1300s SAT (1380-1390) is a great combo! Your kid has strong grades (depending on rigor) and their SAT puts them roughly in the 94th percentile.
Anonymous
08/11/2025 13:55
Subject: “Higher” SAT, “Lower” GPA
ChatGPT can sometimes be helpful for this. Give it all the specific stats (grades in specific courses), what you can pay, and what your kid would like to major in. It can help you.
Anonymous
08/11/2025 13:17
Subject: “Higher” SAT, “Lower” GPA
Study the Naviance scattergrams.
Anonymous
08/11/2025 13:10
Subject: “Higher” SAT, “Lower” GPA
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP here. My bad. I meant WEIGHTED GPA of 3.9.
Upper 1300s are not "higher" in NOVA. Sounds like weighted 3.9 and upper 1300s are in-line with eachother.
OP here. I agree. Upper 1300s is common in top tier FCPS schools. However, my kid’s peers, with higher GPAs, have much lower SAT scores. And yes, the kids talk, so we are aware of their scores.
If you’re in FCPS, you should look at Naviance results for schools you’re considering. Using your son’s peers’ test results as your data point is not helpful.
Anonymous
08/11/2025 13:08
Subject: “Higher” SAT, “Lower” GPA
Anonymous wrote:I am not OP, but my kid is in that position - 1560 SAT but GPA 3.6UW - his school does not weigh GPAs but the vast majority of those classes are honors. Is there a way to determine which colleges are more receptive to that? His Bs were mostly freshman year.
I think most colleges recalculate and don’t weigh. Since schools vary weirdly with which classes are weighted and by how much
Anonymous
08/11/2025 12:54
Subject: “Higher” SAT, “Lower” GPA
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Jesus Christ. Is grade inflation so rampant now that a 3.9 UNWEIGHTED is considered a "low" GPA?
OP here. My bad. I meant weighted GPA of 3.9. That is why VT and JMU are their options right now. Not aiming for any top 20 schools.
Got it, there are literally hundreds of colleges, just not the T20 (and T50 maybe tough) for your student.
Consider out Purdue, Penn State, ASU, Wisconsin. Also talk to your high school college counselor, if the counselor's recommendation helps contextualize the health challenges and the student's etc have improved that will help tie it all together.
Would be very surprised if OP's kid got into Wisco. ASU is a good suggestion.
Anonymous
08/11/2025 12:43
Subject: “Higher” SAT, “Lower” GPA
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP here. My bad. I meant WEIGHTED GPA of 3.9.
Upper 1300s are not "higher" in NOVA. Sounds like weighted 3.9 and upper 1300s are in-line with eachother.
OP here. I agree. Upper 1300s is common in top tier FCPS schools. However, my kid’s peers, with higher GPAs, have much lower SAT scores. And yes, the kids talk, so we are aware of their scores.
Not sure your son is advantaged by applying TO. 1300 is a solid score, might try studying (check out Kahn academy materials) and taking it again to see if it improves (I wouldn't take it more than twice). Just look for schools where the median SAT is in the 1300's
Anonymous
08/11/2025 12:38
Subject: Re:“Higher” SAT, “Lower” GPA
I realize it may be a matter of money, but I'd also have him apply to a few LACs and some smaller Catholic Us (if Catholic is acceptable to you.) Smaller schools are often more likely to do a holistic review. Some LACs are really going to be hit by the lack of international students as well.
Anonymous
08/11/2025 12:29
Subject: “Higher” SAT, “Lower” GPA
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Jesus Christ. Is grade inflation so rampant now that a 3.9 UNWEIGHTED is considered a "low" GPA?
OP here. My bad. I meant weighted GPA of 3.9. That is why VT and JMU are their options right now. Not aiming for any top 20 schools.
Got it, there are literally hundreds of colleges, just not the T20 (and T50 maybe tough) for your student.
Consider out Purdue, Penn State, ASU, Wisconsin. Also talk to your high school college counselor, if the counselor's recommendation helps contextualize the health challenges and the student's etc have improved that will help tie it all together.
Anonymous
08/11/2025 12:24
Subject: “Higher” SAT, “Lower” GPA
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP here. My bad. I meant WEIGHTED GPA of 3.9.
Upper 1300s are not "higher" in NOVA. Sounds like weighted 3.9 and upper 1300s are in-line with eachother.
OP here. I agree. Upper 1300s is common in top tier FCPS schools. However, my kid’s peers, with higher GPAs, have much lower SAT scores. And yes, the kids talk, so we are aware of their scores.
Anonymous
08/11/2025 12:21
Subject: “Higher” SAT, “Lower” GPA
Anonymous wrote:OP here. My bad. I meant WEIGHTED GPA of 3.9.
Upper 1300s are not "higher" in NOVA. Sounds like weighted 3.9 and upper 1300s are in-line with eachother.
Anonymous
08/11/2025 12:21
Subject: “Higher” SAT, “Lower” GPA
Anonymous wrote:Jesus Christ. Is grade inflation so rampant now that a 3.9 UNWEIGHTED is considered a "low" GPA?
OP here. My bad. I meant weighted GPA of 3.9. That is why VT and JMU are their options right now. Not aiming for any top 20 schools.