2007-12-16 10:13:19 · 10 answers · asked by palin sucks! 3 in Education & Reference ➔ Higher Education (University +)
I don't think straight A's necessarily but definately a high GPA with a minimum of B's. Those people show the most promise for success in college...why would a place like Harvard take someone who didn't even take high school seriously? If you have a couple B's I wouldn't worry but if your record is spotty (assuming this question is related to yourself) get an excellent letter of recommendation and write an amazing essay. Good luck!
2007-12-16 10:17:42 · answer #1 · answered by Amanda S 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not absolutely, but very close. The fact is that these schools are so desirable that they take only a tiny percentage of their applicants, and obviously, they want the best ones. That means that they are turning down a lot of people with perfect records (straight As and 2400 SAT scores). To get in with anything less than that, you have to be very close, but have some compensating factors (very interesting extracurriculars, an extraordinary upbringing, a stellar reference by someone very well-respected, or a legacy, which is the child of a graduate. Contrary to popular belief, being wealthy won't cut it if you don't also have the other qualifications. It is just that you could be very qualified but not have the money to go, so there tend to be more wealthy students there than not. Also, looking at people like our President as an example is a little unfair, since he was a student more than 30 years ago, when college in general was FAR less competitive.
2007-12-16 10:24:30 · answer #2 · answered by neniaf 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Haha, that's laughable. I had a 3.5 unweighted average and go to Boston College. BC is not as "elite" as somewhere like Yale or Stanford, but still pretty good. I know of a private school kid who had a C- average, but now goes to Columbia because he went to a private school + he had connections.
Undergrad doesn't count for much now. Focus on getting into ANY college and work really hard to get into an elite grad school.
2007-12-16 10:18:03 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Apply for whatever schools you'd like to attend - it's rare for a student to attend any higher learning institution without receiving some form of financial aid. If you know what program you'd like to enter, you can also search for program specific scholarships, and most universities have alumni-funded scholarships with all sorts of strange criteria (I've heard of scholarships for people who are in a certain major and play a specific instrument, or who are in a certain club and major, etc.). The alumni-funded scholarships tend to have a name associated with them... like the Bob Roberts Scholarship Fund.
2016-04-09 07:44:29 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Agree with most everyone here. While is couldn't HURT you to have straight As, schools will accept people with less. It's important to take a rigorous course load or honors and AP courses, to score well at standardized testing, etc.
Of course, the extracurriculars, etc. go without saying.
2007-12-16 15:05:49 · answer #5 · answered by Shars 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. If you have a so-so GPA and are really amazing and talented at something--like writing, playing an instrument, etc--then you have a good shot at getting into one of the best colleges.
2007-12-16 11:28:05 · answer #6 · answered by xo379 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no, elite colleges sometimes look for other things, but im sure getting c's or something wont help you get in
2007-12-16 10:16:46 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Rich kids get in too.
No, but seriously, if you have a lot of extracurricular activities and are very involved in things such as community service, you can get into a top school with a B average.
2007-12-16 10:16:20 · answer #8 · answered by Balthier 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Definetly
2007-12-16 10:18:25 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
any kind of talent can get you into an elite college.
2007-12-16 10:17:56 · answer #10 · answered by i<3vintagethings 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋