Are my chances too slim?Answered
Although not necesarilly, ive always wanted to get into a good undergrad school for pre-med. Long story short, I ended my freshman year of high school with a 3.52 gpa uw, and I now have a b+ in biology in sophmore year which is one of the classes im supposed to be good at for pre-med. I hope to get into a school like UCLA, UCSD, uMich, WashU, Northeastern, etc. for undergrad but my lagging gpa keeps me feeling tied down and my goal unattainable. Given that I get good ecs like state level awards in stem, hospital voulenteer hours and shadowing, and a very high sat (1490-1600) could I get into one of these schools?
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4 answers
Yes, you can still get into a good school. Your GPA is high, but it isn't the only thing colleges consider. Your ecs can get you into a good college, especially if you have experience related to your major. Most colleges do not require the SAT, so if you get a bad score, then apply test-optional.
I think that you have a great chance to make it through for your senior year and your college applications when it comes time for them to happen.
While yes, this is a lower GPA for what is common for most T20 applicants, it is important to remember that colleges don’t only look at your numbers. Extracurriculars, versatility, well-roundedness, etc. are all things that universities take into consideration when deciding their acceptances and their rejections.
You should continue to strive for the GPA boost, absolutely, but don’t feel defeated or tied down because of it! Where you might lack in one area, just excel in another. If you don’t feel that you can get your GPA to what you would like, spend the time working on an extracurricular that you are passionate about. Universities will see that even if your GPA might not be perfect, you apply yourself in other places as well! Good luck!
Keep in mind that you're still a sophomore. Things would be different if you were in a later year. I think if your extracurriculars come through as planned and your SAT turns out similarly high, you can make it through.
However, I would definitely keep pushing for that higher GPA. Definitely try some AP/Honors/other weighted courses if possible to help weight it. I only say this because pre-med majors and/or programs tend to look for that higher, more competitive GPA in applicants. That major/those programs are super competitive, just for your consideration.
But overall, I think admissions officers would look more favorably at you taking the opportunities you have and pursuing meaningful extracurriculars than a higher GPA. A 3.5 by itself isn't weak, just less competitive for most T20 schools.
You still have a real chance, strong SAT, solid ECs, and improvement matters more than one B+. Keep pushing; admissions look at the full picture.
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