Anonymous
01/10/2026 10:39
Subject: Low-ish GPA/High-ish SAT success stories for male in RD?
Anonymous wrote:My kid with exact stats and same major got into 6of the 7 colleges he applied to RD. Acceptances included Northeastern, Tulane, Bucknell, VA Tech and Colgate. Chose a state school and did very well. Now in a top 5 Law school program (received a large merit scholarship thanks to grades and scores) and will graduate debt free. Best decision we ever made.
So they applied in 2020 or earlier?
Anonymous
01/10/2026 10:12
Subject: Low-ish GPA/High-ish SAT success stories for male in RD?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I know moms hate non-DMV information.
At our non-DMV, the gpa lower limit for each T20 is different. Chicago will take 3.5 kids. JHU will take 3.7 kids. Rice 3.6. Ivies take 3.8+ kids. Surprisingly WashU and Vandy only take 3.8+ kids. For JHU and Rice you need very high test score if low gpa.
DMV "Big3" GPA minimums for the unhooked.. These are mostly for ED. RD is just a total crap shoot.
JHU 3.9
Chicago 3.4-3.6 depending on the year
Rice 3.8
Ivies (except for Cornell) generally 3.92+ except an occasional unhooked 3.85 slips through
Cornell 3.8
WashU 3.85
Which school?
A 3.5 GPA ( in high school) will flunk in Uchicago Unlike some Ivies ..
PP said a 3.5 from a big3. This is a strong student. I know readers here without kids in one of these schools don’t believe it, but it is true. There isn’t grade inflation. Some teachers might give out one A each year.
My kids go to top private schools and 3.5 is average or below average. I kmow kids from private who went to Chicago around that GPA (my dc's friend) and he struggled. 3.5 gpa kids are not strong academically.
Yes our DCs go to an academically strong Bay area private (you need to apply with middle school grades and recommendations just to get in), and the median gpa is roughly 3.6. So 3.5 would probably put you in the bottom half of a very smart class.
Anonymous
01/10/2026 08:46
Subject: Low-ish GPA/High-ish SAT success stories for male in RD?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I know moms hate non-DMV information.
At our non-DMV, the gpa lower limit for each T20 is different. Chicago will take 3.5 kids. JHU will take 3.7 kids. Rice 3.6. Ivies take 3.8+ kids. Surprisingly WashU and Vandy only take 3.8+ kids. For JHU and Rice you need very high test score if low gpa.
DMV "Big3" GPA minimums for the unhooked.. These are mostly for ED. RD is just a total crap shoot.
JHU 3.9
Chicago 3.4-3.6 depending on the year
Rice 3.8
Ivies (except for Cornell) generally 3.92+ except an occasional unhooked 3.85 slips through
Cornell 3.8
WashU 3.85
Which school?
A 3.5 GPA ( in high school) will flunk in Uchicago Unlike some Ivies ..
PP said a 3.5 from a big3. This is a strong student. I know readers here without kids in one of these schools don’t believe it, but it is true. There isn’t grade inflation. Some teachers might give out one A each year.
My kids go to top private schools and 3.5 is average or below average. I kmow kids from private who went to Chicago around that GPA (my dc's friend) and he struggled. 3.5 gpa kids are not strong academically.
Anonymous
01/10/2026 01:21
Subject: Low-ish GPA/High-ish SAT success stories for male in RD?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I know moms hate non-DMV information.
At our non-DMV, the gpa lower limit for each T20 is different. Chicago will take 3.5 kids. JHU will take 3.7 kids. Rice 3.6. Ivies take 3.8+ kids. Surprisingly WashU and Vandy only take 3.8+ kids. For JHU and Rice you need very high test score if low gpa.
DMV "Big3" GPA minimums for the unhooked.. These are mostly for ED. RD is just a total crap shoot.
JHU 3.9
Chicago 3.4-3.6 depending on the year
Rice 3.8
Ivies (except for Cornell) generally 3.92+ except an occasional unhooked 3.85 slips through
Cornell 3.8
WashU 3.85
Which school?
A 3.5 GPA ( in high school) will flunk in Uchicago Unlike some Ivies ..
PP said a 3.5 from a big3. This is a strong student. I know readers here without kids in one of these schools don’t believe it, but it is true. There isn’t grade inflation. Some teachers might give out one A each year.
Anonymous
01/09/2026 20:36
Subject: Low-ish GPA/High-ish SAT success stories for male in RD?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I know moms hate non-DMV information.
At our non-DMV, the gpa lower limit for each T20 is different. Chicago will take 3.5 kids. JHU will take 3.7 kids. Rice 3.6. Ivies take 3.8+ kids. Surprisingly WashU and Vandy only take 3.8+ kids. For JHU and Rice you need very high test score if low gpa.
DMV "Big3" GPA minimums for the unhooked.. These are mostly for ED. RD is just a total crap shoot.
JHU 3.9
Chicago 3.4-3.6 depending on the year
Rice 3.8
Ivies (except for Cornell) generally 3.92+ except an occasional unhooked 3.85 slips through
Cornell 3.8
WashU 3.85
Which school?
A 3.5 GPA ( in high school) will flunk in Uchicago Unlike some Ivies ..
Chicago has Business Economics for this reason. Its an easy major for kids with low HS gpa.
That's not why UChicago has this major. It was an attempt to market the university to students who wanted undergrad business.
Anonymous
01/09/2026 20:00
Subject: Low-ish GPA/High-ish SAT success stories for male in RD?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:3.7 uw is “lowish”? What is a 3.8 uw considered?
OP said low-ish not low. Probably he's been reading all the hyperbole on this thread about bright lines in the sand for higher gpa. It's all nonsense.
Is it unique to DMV? or to a particular DMV school?
You need great grades for sure. Test score, rigor, recommendation, ECs, essays, everything has to be strong.
To draw bright lines in the sand, that's hallucination. Clearly have no understanding on college admissions.
Anonymous
01/09/2026 16:29
Subject: Low-ish GPA/High-ish SAT success stories for male in RD?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My kid with exact stats and same major got into 6of the 7 colleges he applied to RD. Acceptances included Northeastern, Tulane, Bucknell, VA Tech and Colgate. Chose a state school and did very well. Now in a top 5 Law school program (received a large merit scholarship thanks to grades and scores) and will graduate debt free. Best decision we ever made.
What is his RD rejection? Was it a reach?
UVA - it was def a reach
You mean ED at UVA right?
Anonymous
01/09/2026 13:21
Subject: Low-ish GPA/High-ish SAT success stories for male in RD?
I'd be more worried about Chicago test optional kids. Test scores are better predictors of college performance. If one can't get over 700 on math, even "Business Economics" would be too difficult to handle. Maybe art history?
Anonymous
01/09/2026 12:57
Subject: Low-ish GPA/High-ish SAT success stories for male in RD?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I know moms hate non-DMV information.
At our non-DMV, the gpa lower limit for each T20 is different. Chicago will take 3.5 kids. JHU will take 3.7 kids. Rice 3.6. Ivies take 3.8+ kids. Surprisingly WashU and Vandy only take 3.8+ kids. For JHU and Rice you need very high test score if low gpa.
DMV "Big3" GPA minimums for the unhooked.. These are mostly for ED. RD is just a total crap shoot.
JHU 3.9
Chicago 3.4-3.6 depending on the year
Rice 3.8
Ivies (except for Cornell) generally 3.92+ except an occasional unhooked 3.85 slips through
Cornell 3.8
WashU 3.85
Which school?
A 3.5 GPA ( in high school) will flunk in Uchicago Unlike some Ivies ..
Chicago has Business Economics for this reason. Its an easy major for kids with low HS gpa.
Anonymous
01/09/2026 12:22
Subject: Low-ish GPA/High-ish SAT success stories for male in RD?
Anonymous wrote:My kid with exact stats and same major got into 6of the 7 colleges he applied to RD. Acceptances included Northeastern, Tulane, Bucknell, VA Tech and Colgate. Chose a state school and did very well. Now in a top 5 Law school program (received a large merit scholarship thanks to grades and scores) and will graduate debt free. Best decision we ever made.
This is truly amazing results! Tulane RD acceptance rate is single digit, close to 3%. Northeastern RD close to 5%.
Acceptance to these schools RD proves how competitive this applicant is.
I don't know who advised you on the college list, whoever she is should be fired on the spot. It doesn't make any sense.
Anonymous
01/09/2026 12:09
Subject: Low-ish GPA/High-ish SAT success stories for male in RD?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My kid with exact stats and same major got into 6of the 7 colleges he applied to RD. Acceptances included Northeastern, Tulane, Bucknell, VA Tech and Colgate. Chose a state school and did very well. Now in a top 5 Law school program (received a large merit scholarship thanks to grades and scores) and will graduate debt free. Best decision we ever made.
What is his RD rejection? Was it a reach?
UVA - it was def a reach
Anonymous
01/09/2026 09:40
Subject: Low-ish GPA/High-ish SAT success stories for male in RD?
Anonymous wrote:My kid with exact stats and same major got into 6of the 7 colleges he applied to RD. Acceptances included Northeastern, Tulane, Bucknell, VA Tech and Colgate. Chose a state school and did very well. Now in a top 5 Law school program (received a large merit scholarship thanks to grades and scores) and will graduate debt free. Best decision we ever made.
What is his RD rejection? Was it a reach?
Anonymous
01/09/2026 06:20
Subject: Low-ish GPA/High-ish SAT success stories for male in RD?
My kid with exact stats and same major got into 6of the 7 colleges he applied to RD. Acceptances included Northeastern, Tulane, Bucknell, VA Tech and Colgate. Chose a state school and did very well. Now in a top 5 Law school program (received a large merit scholarship thanks to grades and scores) and will graduate debt free. Best decision we ever made.
Anonymous
01/08/2026 21:50
Subject: Low-ish GPA/High-ish SAT success stories for male in RD?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:3.7 uw is “lowish”? What is a 3.8 uw considered?
OP said low-ish not low. Probably he's been reading all the hyperbole on this thread about bright lines in the sand for higher gpa. It's all nonsense.
Is it unique to DMV? or to a particular DMV school?