Anonymous
01/20/2026 11:11
Subject: Low gpa strong SAT with strong math focus
Yes, UVA wants a 3.8 from the top DC private my kid attends. If you can get into UVA, you can get into an Ivy. I believe that outside of one ED kid and one athletic recruit last year, every single one of the other UVA admits were also admitted to an Ivy.
Anonymous
01/20/2026 11:07
Subject: Low gpa strong SAT with strong math focus
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What kind of colleges should a student who has a gpa of 3.4 from a private school with 1550 SAT but strong math EC (multiple prestigious math camps and published research paper) and advanced math classes have a good shot at. She does not want to apply to LAC.
Rigorous HS curriculum? Full pay?
Pretty much anywhere except the most highly selective schools.
Yes, its a rigorous private and full pay. But she has a couple of Cs in language.
It just really depends what she wants and is looking for -- and also, it depends on your private and its track record
I might start with schools like USC, BU, NYU (has the new Courant school!), Wake, UVA, Tufts
Are you DC local. OP? At the Big3, a 3.4-3.5 will not get you into UVA. They want sky high GPAs even from the Cathedral schools & Sidwell. [b]The others could work if you did ED.
This. UVA’s 75th percentile has a 4.5; median is a 4.4; even bottom 25th percentile has a 4.2.
Anonymous
01/20/2026 10:37
Subject: Low gpa strong SAT with strong math focus
More than one C, even if in a foreign language, is going to make most of the names being thrown around unlikely. Look at schools with at least a 40 percent acceptance rate.
Anonymous
01/20/2026 10:23
Subject: Low gpa strong SAT with strong math focus
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What kind of colleges should a student who has a gpa of 3.4 from a private school with 1550 SAT but strong math EC (multiple prestigious math camps and published research paper) and advanced math classes have a good shot at. She does not want to apply to LAC.
If they are ross, promys, canada/usa, sumac, it could hold a lot of weight. Get a recommendation from the collaborating professor since you have published work.
Small private school, extremely rare ECs, you are not going to find much of a clue from your school data. Focus on T20 other than the very top 5. Good luck!
T20 when OP said kid is bottom half of class with GPA? Absolutely no
Anonymous
01/20/2026 10:12
Subject: Low gpa strong SAT with strong math focus
Anonymous wrote:What kind of colleges should a student who has a gpa of 3.4 from a private school with 1550 SAT but strong math EC (multiple prestigious math camps and published research paper) and advanced math classes have a good shot at. She does not want to apply to LAC.
You have to research the schools and the major. The ones that my DD applied to (big state flagships) all preferred and prioritized kids with high GPA and high rigor over SAT scores. She is a business major and has gotten into IU, Penn State, Clemson, Michigan State, Pitt, Delaware, South Carolina, and didn't submit test scores but has a high GPA and great ECs applicable to her major.
Anonymous
01/20/2026 10:11
Subject: Low gpa strong SAT with strong math focus
Anonymous wrote:If "name" matters to your daughter: harvey mudd, CMU, Tufts, Rochester, BU, BC but they are all still reaches in ED with a 3.4 even if its from Sidwell
Private Colleges with strong math she could potentially get into with her GPA from a strong private: Brandeis, Syracuse, Tulane
If she wanted the best math program she can get into: Illinois - Urbana, Ohio State, Indiana, Florida
These are great suggestions. Thank you.
Anonymous
01/20/2026 10:03
Subject: Low gpa strong SAT with strong math focus
If "name" matters to your daughter: harvey mudd, CMU, Tufts, Rochester, BU, BC but they are all still reaches in ED with a 3.4 even if its from Sidwell
Private Colleges with strong math she could potentially get into with her GPA from a strong private: Brandeis, Syracuse, Tulane
If she wanted the best math program she can get into: Illinois - Urbana, Ohio State, Indiana, Florida
Private Colleges with strong math she could potentially get into with her GPA from a strong private: Brandeis, Syracuse, Tulane
If she wanted the best math program she can get into: Illinois - Urbana, Ohio State, Indiana, Florida
Anonymous
01/20/2026 09:49
Subject: Low gpa strong SAT with strong math focus
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What kind of colleges should a student who has a gpa of 3.4 from a private school with 1550 SAT but strong math EC (multiple prestigious math camps and published research paper) and advanced math classes have a good shot at. She does not want to apply to LAC.
Rigorous HS curriculum? Full pay?
Pretty much anywhere except the most highly selective schools.
Yes, its a rigorous private and full pay. But she has a couple of Cs in language.
I'd guess that a lot hinges on the school profile and reputation -- and what accounts for the C's.
Strong essays will help make her case.
I think it largely hinges on:
- where kids from her school have historically gotten in with that gpa/sat?
-Where is her gpa placing her in the ranking at the school?
- were the Cs early on or more recent? Is a C in those classes the norm?
- what does the college counselor and your private school think?
People who are saying this kid can go anywhere don’t know what they are talking about. There are too many gaps in the info you presented so far to know anything remotely like this.
She is probably in the bottom half for gpa but top quartile for SAT. The C grades are in 10th and 11th. She has not yet had her counselor meeting. Her school is not known for its STEM focus but her math teacher will give her a very good recommendation.
Anonymous
01/20/2026 08:05
Subject: Low gpa strong SAT with strong math focus
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What kind of colleges should a student who has a gpa of 3.4 from a private school with 1550 SAT but strong math EC (multiple prestigious math camps and published research paper) and advanced math classes have a good shot at. She does not want to apply to LAC.
If they are ross, promys, canada/usa, sumac, it could hold a lot of weight. Get a recommendation from the collaborating professor since you have published work.
Small private school, extremely rare ECs, you are not going to find much of a clue from your school data. Focus on T20 other than the very top 5. Good luck!
Yes, it is one of these camps. Thank you.
Mine got into Cornell in RD from private with all Bs in language.
3.7uw from strong private. Similar scores.
Some schools don’t care about foreign language. I’d hire an hourly well known counselor to help you.
Anonymous
01/20/2026 08:01
Subject: Low gpa strong SAT with strong math focus
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What kind of colleges should a student who has a gpa of 3.4 from a private school with 1550 SAT but strong math EC (multiple prestigious math camps and published research paper) and advanced math classes have a good shot at. She does not want to apply to LAC.
Rigorous HS curriculum? Full pay?
Pretty much anywhere except the most highly selective schools.
Yes, its a rigorous private and full pay. But she has a couple of Cs in language.
It just really depends what she wants and is looking for -- and also, it depends on your private and its track record
I might start with schools like USC, BU, NYU (has the new Courant school!), Wake, UVA, Tufts
Are you DC local. OP? At the Big3, a 3.4-3.5 will not get you into UVA. They want sky high GPAs even from the Cathedral schools & Sidwell. The others could work if you did ED.
Anonymous
01/20/2026 07:45
Subject: Low gpa strong SAT with strong math focus
CMU is a good idea. It’s very math oriented and wants more girls.
Anonymous
01/20/2026 07:07
Subject: Low gpa strong SAT with strong math focus
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What kind of colleges should a student who has a gpa of 3.4 from a private school with 1550 SAT but strong math EC (multiple prestigious math camps and published research paper) and advanced math classes have a good shot at. She does not want to apply to LAC.
If they are ross, promys, canada/usa, sumac, it could hold a lot of weight. Get a recommendation from the collaborating professor since you have published work.
Small private school, extremely rare ECs, you are not going to find much of a clue from your school data. Focus on T20 other than the very top 5. Good luck!
Yes, it is one of these camps. Thank you.
Anonymous
01/20/2026 00:37
Subject: Low gpa strong SAT with strong math focus
Anonymous wrote:What kind of colleges should a student who has a gpa of 3.4 from a private school with 1550 SAT but strong math EC (multiple prestigious math camps and published research paper) and advanced math classes have a good shot at. She does not want to apply to LAC.
If they are ross, promys, canada/usa, sumac, it could hold a lot of weight. Get a recommendation from the collaborating professor since you have published work.
Small private school, extremely rare ECs, you are not going to find much of a clue from your school data. Focus on T20 other than the very top 5. Good luck!
Anonymous
01/19/2026 23:43
Subject: Low gpa strong SAT with strong math focus
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What kind of colleges should a student who has a gpa of 3.4 from a private school with 1550 SAT but strong math EC (multiple prestigious math camps and published research paper) and advanced math classes have a good shot at. She does not want to apply to LAC.
Rigorous HS curriculum? Full pay?
Pretty much anywhere except the most highly selective schools.
Yes, its a rigorous private and full pay. But she has a couple of Cs in language.
I'd guess that a lot hinges on the school profile and reputation -- and what accounts for the C's.
Strong essays will help make her case.
I think it largely hinges on:
- where kids from her school have historically gotten in with that gpa/sat?
-Where is her gpa placing her in the ranking at the school?
- were the Cs early on or more recent? Is a C in those classes the norm?
- what does the college counselor and your private school think?
People who are saying this kid can go anywhere don’t know what they are talking about. There are too many gaps in the info you presented so far to know anything remotely like this.
Anonymous
01/19/2026 22:50
Subject: Low gpa strong SAT with strong math focus
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Rice, JHU, CMU, Harvey Mudd.
Mudd and JHU are very GPA focused.
Rice is gpa sensitive (on top of high score). JHU is more holistic than one would think.