What was your SAT score/GPA and what college did you get into?

[octopus41092]

So I've taken the SAT's twice and I've gotten pretty bad so far. Most everyone I know has gotten 2000-2300. I've only gotten 1940. My GPA is also only a 3.2 unweighted and 3.5 weighted. I think I'm pretty screwed for college...

What were your scores? How many times did you take it? What was your GPA? What college did you go to?

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

First time: 1980
Second time: 2100 (combined best scores, but still better overall)
GPA: Not sure, I think around 3.5 weighted

I go to the University of Wisconsin - Madison from out of state. It's a damn good school, so I'm happy.

 

[DarrelSPowers]

Old Version SAT - 1370 (650M 720V), GPA 94/100

Got into - USC, RIT (+scholarship), Northeastern (+scholarship), Trinity College Dublin

Denied - Columbia, Cornell, MIT

All applications were to engineering schools.

 

[Modular]

Never took the SAT.

ACT: 31/36
GPA: 3.8/4.0
Loyola University Chicago

 

[PrinceofWands]

Took it once, scored 1510 (on the 1600 max test), GPA .012, went to three community colleges plus Old Dominion University, Washington State University, and Portland State University.

With my degrees, accomplishments, and grades now I could probably get into any but the most selective programs - at least in the fields I bother with.

Point of this story: neither test scores nor grades really matter a diddler's damn in the world...not even to get you into college. There's always a way if you want it.

 

[irishScott]

Old SAT: 1390
New SAT : Don't Remember
ACT: Don't remember. In the 30s.
GPA: 3.2

Got into:
Syracuse
Virginia Tech
NC State
George Mason
University of Delaware (currently attending)
Rochester Institute of Technology

Rejected by: UVA

That said, I wrote awesome essays and had about the best engineering resume you could ask for coming out of high school, so that's probably what got me in more than the above.

 

[octopus41092]

Originally posted by: irishScott
That said, I wrote awesome essays and had about the best engineering resume you could ask for coming out of high school, so that's probably what got me in more than the above.

What sort of things did you have on your resume?

I'm looking to get into maybe UCI, UCSB, UCSD, Cal Poly SLO. Also maybe UCLA, USC, UC Berkely but obviously I don't think those are in my reach. Hell, even UCI says they had an average GPA of 3.91 weighted and SAT score of 1900ish.

What do you guys think I should do to pad my college application? Do SAT II scores help out? I'm thinking of taking it for Math 2C and Physics. Should I take those first and then see what I get then take the SAT I again or should I just go and take the SAT I as many times as I can? Should I give the ACT's a shot?

 

[nageov3t]

GPA was like 89% (we didn't grade on a 4.0 scale, but that would work out to what, like a 3.5-7?), 1200ish on my SAT's, shitloads of extracurriculars w/ leadership positions and community involvement.

got into Penn State, Amherst, and some other random state schools in the NE/mid-Atlantic area.

rejection letter from Chapel Hill and another college whose name I can't think off off the top of my head... Bard maybe? thought it was another southern school, though.

 

[LS8]

I took the SAT in 2003, my senior year in high school. IIRC I scored in the low 1400s. I never went to college, I was working full time before I graduated. I did zero prep for the SAT, the school admins wanted me to do two weeks of prep and take it again, I never did though.

I have no idea what my final GPA was. Back then I didn't take classes that seriously but then again I went to school in a state with the some of the poorest schools in the nation. Basically I would just fool around and the night before tests I would quickly learn the material and ace the test. My teachers hated me but since none of them were actually teaching anything I hadn't already learned in elementary school I didn't see the point of taking them seriously.

 

[Riverhound777]

Old SAT was 1250, GPA 3.95. Got denied by Cal Poly SLO, went to State school CSU Stanislaus.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
Took it once, scored 1510 (on the 1600 max test), GPA .012, went to three community colleges plus Old Dominion University, Washington State University, and Portland State University.

With my degrees, accomplishments, and grades now I could probably get into any but the most selective programs - at least in the fields I bother with.

Point of this story: neither test scores nor grades really matter a diddler's damn in the world...not even to get you into college. There's always a way if you want it.

X2

Old SAT: 1420
ACT: 32

Both first try.

GPA from HS was 2.3, with a highest GPA of 3.9 and lowest of a .384.

Oh and the University of Akron for college.

I'll add to his point he made, because college GPA doesn't matter once you a real job (in most fields at least). Does a higher GPA help? Sure, but look at the old Radioshack exec who faked his resume and was employed with them for 12 years. It's about the skills, knowledge, business ideas, and charisma more then what it says on the resume. If you prove yourself, nobody will care if you got a 3.8 gpa in college or a 2.8...

 

[Mo0o]

1520. 3.9. Duke. Denied by a lot of other schools.

I think your numbers really aren't that bad. Worst case scenario you go to a community college and try to transfer up to a legit 4 year school. I've known kids with similar numbers get into UW, which is the main public school in Washington.

 

[octopus41092]

Well, the problem is that my school is really high up there. I mean the top 10-15% at my school are all probably 4.0 unweighted and like 4.3+ weighted. I'd say with my GPA I'd probably be for sure bottom 50%. Then with my SAT score I'd say around the 60-70 percentile? Compared to the US I have basically 85 percentile for SAT's though. But with recent budget cuts there's going to be less people accepted too...

 

[Anubis]

GPA: 3.8 ish
ACT never took
SAT 1390 put of 1600
SAT2s got a 730 in math and a 700 in whatever english one i took
Went to Dickinson College

funny thing is Dickinson did not even require SAT scores on the app. you didnt have to submit them

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: octopus41092
Well, the problem is that my school is really high up there. I mean the top 10-15% at my school are all probably 4.0 unweighted and like 4.3+ weighted. I'd say with my GPA I'd probably be for sure bottom 50%. Then with my SAT score I'd say around the 60-70 percentile? Compared to the US I have basically 85 percentile for SAT's though. But with recent budget cuts there's going to be less people accepted too...

Well the top students at most schools are going to be impressive. But that doesnt mean you cant squeak through, perhaps with your application accidentally glued to the bottom of those of those top10-15% kids.

 

[ViviTheMage]

never took SAT, I did the ACT though... three times.

 

[imported_Computer MAn]

ACT: 30
SAT 1810
GPA: 3.61
Schools: Cal Poly SLO, San Jose state (didn't apply anywhere else)

Originally posted by: octopus41092
Should I give the ACT's a shot?

I would, I found the test to be easier overall so you might score better.

 

[octopus41092]

Any advice on what I should do to pad my college apps?

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: octopus41092
Any advice on what I should do to pad my college apps?

join clubs, play sports, do work in the community, and write an amazing essay.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Crap, this thread makes me feel old. The new SAT scoring didn't go into effect until I was already in college. So I got this:

Old SAT: 1310/1600
Old ACT: 31/36
GPA: 3.51/4.0

I went to the University of Minnesota and I was automatically accepted. I could have done significantly worse and still been automatically accepted. But that's public universities for you.

 

[AmberClad]

Old SAT: 1590 out of 1600
GPA: ~3.5-3.6 out of 4.0 (Considered pretty mediocre/below average for UVA acceptance)

Got into:
UVA
Virginia Tech
Virginia Commonwealth
George Washington
CMU

Rejected:
Brown (too much of a slacker to have done well, so it was probably for the best )



Edit: Almost forgot -- I also applied to and was accepted at UMD and some random school in NY whose name escapes me atm. But those were more afterthoughts. My general impression is that you have a better shot at getting accepted to state universities if you live in the state in question -- not sure if the numbers bear that out though...

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: octopus41092
Any advice on what I should do to pad my college apps?

Volunteer ALOT. It takes no real skills so any can do it. All it takes is effort

 

[mugs]

You know, what college you go to really doesn't matter nearly as much as you think it does. I could have gotten into a top tier college, but I chose to go to a tiny college in a podunk town in Indiana. I've been out of 6 years and have never regretted going there.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

Originally posted by: loki8481

Originally posted by: octopus41092
Any advice on what I should do to pad my college apps?

join clubs, play sports, do work in the community, and write an amazing essay.

QFT. Don't be a one-dimensional student. Make up for your "low" scores and GPA with activities and interests that can't be measured by a silly number. And get good recommendation letters from teacher's you not only did well under, but had good relationships with.

 

[thepd7]

Old SAT: 1500 (700 Verbal, 800 Math)
GPA: 4.1/5

Accepted to:

Rochester Institute of Technology
Texas A&M
UT
UT Dallas
Baylor
GWU
Georgia Tech

I went to UTD since they paid me to go to school.