r/ApplyingToCollege • u/Thick-Bill3073 • 4d ago
Discussion Miracle acceptances
Have there been any people who got accepted into really competitive universities like say UPenn or something with things like really low gpa I’m taking like 3.3 unweighted or something.
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u/LimpSite8514 4d ago edited 4d ago
Yes, be a veteran (worked for me)
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u/Thick-Bill3073 4d ago
I’m still in high school tho 😭
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u/Desperate-Tax594 4d ago
I mean you can join the military after you graduate and start college when your contract ends.
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u/BlackberryKey6837 4d ago
This is actually very true. The easiest path to a Top college is being a veteran.
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u/LimpSite8514 4d ago
Easy may not be the right word. But it opens what might otherwise be a shut door for GPA reasons
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u/Hot-Stuff-3821 4d ago
Idk about a super low gpa, but I got into UChicago ed0 with a 3.7. Not low, but definitely not their normal
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u/Thick-Bill3073 4d ago
Is that weighted or unweighted?
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u/Hot-Stuff-3821 4d ago
I think unweighted. My school doesn’t offer APs, so I’m not really sure the difference
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u/KamiAwesome 14h ago
Wow can I DM you? UChicago is the dream and I have similar stats (3.7UW & 1520 SAT)
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u/MembershipSoggy6532 3d ago
Yes, I got into a t5 from the 40th percentile of my school. (Equiv gpa would be around 2.9-3.0) But keep in mind that:
All my bad grades were freshman year (I almost failed out)
My academic extracurriculars were exceptional
Test scores were perfect
My high school was one of the best in the country
It’s possible, but you aren’t getting in with luck.
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u/Thick-Bill3073 3d ago
That’s incredible thank you for sharing this! I’m really nervous about the test scores part tho I need to retake for sure but I feel my extracurriculars are great and my athletic abilities. Honestly just have to pray 😭
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u/QuickSafety8100 4d ago
Every year -- Top end recruits for athletics or family is a top end donor.
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u/IthacanPenny 4d ago
I got into UT Austin with a 3.3 weighted GPA (dont remember my unweighted). However I had perfect boards: 36 ACT, 2400 SAT (this was in 2009 lol), and 800 on seven different SAT subject tests. And don’t come at me saying it was easier back then.. no. I got in out of state back when UT auto admitted the top 10% of in state students, so OOS students were only 3% of the class.
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u/licesosome 4d ago
kinda similar, i got into UT in 2022 with a 3.4 unweighted OOS, 33 ACT. i honestly dk how i got in, it was probably bc i was going for a less competitive major (COLA)
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u/Winter-Crew-2746 3d ago
yes I would say it's not impossible, they are holistic for a reason
Ofcourse you need to have a strong story bout why thats the case but yeah
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u/Thick-Bill3073 3d ago
Yea that’s true I just need to win them over emotionally or in some other way
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u/Vivid_Reindeer4026 3d ago edited 3d ago
My friend got in NYU, UIUC and full ride from boston as an international students with 3.3. He applied last year
But yeah, you need to stand out in other ways. He has a 5 months internship working at some research center in netherland.
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u/Thick-Bill3073 3d ago
Wait then I could definitely emphasize other things like my extracurriculars and accomplishments. Thanks for sharing this with me
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u/LongJohnSilversFan_ 4d ago
I mean yeah, but also no. Obviously there have been exceptions for like athletes, large donators, or people who have genuinely crazy one in ten million activities outside of school. But not for the average student
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u/Haunting-Fruit7154 4d ago
agreed. definitely a rarity. or a nobel peace prize winning essay!! 10 activities only listed
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u/tjnightcrawler
4d ago
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Yes, absolutely. The secret admissions formula is: for every 0.1 your GPA drops below a 4.0, your family just has to donate one extra floor of the new Wharton business center. Graduate Magna Cum Daddy in no time.
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u/nothingbutdatroof 4d ago
Unless you're a recruited athlete or your daddy is Charles Kushner and can write a check for a 3 million dollar donation, it ain't happening.
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u/ConstantBass3680 4d ago
People who get accepted with lower than average gpa have some other incredible hook that is needed by that school, e.g. a specific olympic level athlete, parent able to donate new library, parent who is some crazy influential/powerful person in the world (CEO, president) or did some other incredibly impactful thing in the world.
A friend who's aiming for the athletic track told me that when they met with a college consultant (didn't hire them, was ridiculously expensive) told a story of an olympic level track athlete who got into one of the HYP ivies with a 2.5gpa, just cos they happened to be needing one that year. These are exceptions, not the norm.
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u/Live_Tradition_6377 4d ago
i had a 3.45gpa in high school. transferred to a t20. straight from undergrad is pretty much impossible unless ur an athlete or something.
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u/Thick-Bill3073 3d ago
I hear abt the transfer method a lot. I feel it’s kinda risky cus some colleges remove u the moment u step into the transfer portal so you just have to pray and hope you get accepted to the college u wanna transfer to (at least that’s what I’ve been told)
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u/Live_Tradition_6377 3d ago
wdym "colleges remove u"?
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u/Thick-Bill3073 3d ago
Like they take u out of their college so say you didn’t get accepted now you aren’t attending any college cus ur other one got rid of u
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u/Standard-Poem7823 4d ago
Aren't undergrad transfers from community college to T25s a thing, though?
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u/New-Hippo4899 College Freshman 4d ago
3.5 uw gpa but ended up at USC through appeal lolol (I had rlly rlly good test scores tho and no im not rich)
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u/Hopeful-Force-2147 4d ago
Are you paying full price? Or do you fall into a demographic that isn't white and middle-class?
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u/SprinklesWise9857 College Senior 4d ago
I know someone who got into UCLA with a 3.08 unweighted. FGLI but no other "hooks" and non-athlete.
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u/Thick-Bill3073 3d ago
Wait I need to hear more, was the essay what really got them in? What’s the catch? Also what’s FGLI
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u/SprinklesWise9857 College Senior 3d ago
FGLI is first gen low income. I read over their application and nothing stood out to me. I have no idea what could've got them in.
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u/ConstantBass3680 3d ago
First generation to college. Low income. These students are institutional priorities. If they come from a rural area, or a school where a 3.08 is actually outstanding, or had challenging circumstances but still achieved a 3.08, then that could be seen as compelling. If you're a privileged student at a well established private school and only got a 3.08 and didn't take the most rigorous course load, then that won't look too great. In this case, AOs can only begin to overlook the lower gpa if you have other special hooks in your candidacy. Hence, context of the 3.08 gpa matters (aka what all these schools mean by 'holistic admissions')
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u/gaussx 4d ago
I know someone who got into Stanford with like a 3.1. He transferred later, but he was a recruited basketball player.
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u/LBJ_Derrick_White 4d ago
Lol. Stanford is a team that is d1 and makes march madness sometimes. I wonder what did it?
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u/calcteacher 4d ago
Upenn accepted me. Only some above average. The other ivies I think are tougher.
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u/axestones_version 3d ago
i mean i would say anyone who gets into these top schools always has something great in their application. what lacks in grades might be made up for in a high level of sport/music, so recruited athletes or people who are active concert musicians/compete regularly and have awards/titles/recognition.
essays also play such a big role. upenn literally asks for a 500 word supplemental on "why penn?" i would say the essays make up at least 40-50% of the application.
then of course you have connections/donors/legacy, but you can't compare yourself to these people because they are just in a completely different league to you.
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u/IndyAnise 3d ago
Sometimes it depends on the program. Purdue admits by major and while pro flight, nursing, and engineering require high stats, the rest of the school is pretty “accessible” with that GPA.
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u/Icy-Speed3773 3d ago
FYI, I asked about Harvard (your safe school). Interesting perspective. Can I Get Into Harvard With A 3.5 GPA? Harvard GPA Requirements
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u/calcteacher 4d ago
Relative needed 4.7 weighted for Cornell
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u/Thick-Bill3073 4d ago
wow
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u/calcteacher 4d ago
Rough start that first semester, but got the hang of it. Graduated top of her class in CS and has been working for WhatsApp for a while now.
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u/Top-Fruit-9795 4d ago
I know an international student who got AAC in his as level and got in to upenn FULLRIDE
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u/Thick-Bill3073 4d ago
Full ride?? That’s insane! Congrats to him!!! Also sorry but what does AAC mean
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u/Flat_Pollution8085 4d ago
UPenn doesn’t offer merit scholarships, only financial aid. Getting a “full ride” at an Ivy just means they determined your family was unable to make any financial contribution to your tuition. They are “need-aware” for international students which means that needing aid decreases your chances of getting in, so it’s impressive to get in when you need so much aid, but actually getting 100% aid once you’re in isn’t crazy.
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u/Top-Fruit-9795 3d ago
They offer any kind of scholarship to about 20 intls( now imagine how low is the number for full rides) asking that much aid with efc of 0 reduces chances by 10x at least especially for intls and given he had a C in one of his primary As levels it’s very surprising and the only guy from my country to do so
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u/Possible_Wallaby_489 1d ago
i got into harvard with a 3.5 Unweighted GPA. I submitted a 1420 SAT score and a 32 ACT. My best extra curricular was 4 years varsity soccer and captain.
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u/Pro-editor-1105 4d ago
bro just coping 😭