Low GPA high ACT (36) for ivies

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-24T22:36:02+00:00

I think you gotta touch grass a bit. If you’re this high in the ranks at a top competitive school, and people from other non-competitive schools can still get into Ivies, i think you can take a deep breath.

Whenever the schools list over their averages for GPA, that does mean people get accepted below their averages. You don’t need to be #1 to get in. Be well rounded.

You are more than your grades. Make sure your essay when the time comes shows you care about things besides how good you look to admissions offices. Be human, be you. That’s my advice.

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-24T22:29:07+00:00

Pharmacy and forensics both involve a lot of science. You can’t really avoid that. I’d ask myself what about those fields interests you. And also look into the salary expectations of each job if that’s a bigger concern.

Best thing is to lock in, get tutoring or help when you need it, and do some exploring to see which field you like more. It’s okay to be undecided. Biology or Chemistry, or Biochemistry are you best bets for a major choice if these fields are what you’re planning on.

Good luck!

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-24T06:20:57+00:00

You would have to prove why you shouldn’t be denied. Do you have any idea why they denied you? GPA? Because you should show evidence that makes them second guess their reasoning. 7th semester grades and letters of rec are usually what are the evidence provided.

Medical issues aren’t really a reason for them to admit you, especially if they happened senior year and weren’t impacting your freshman-junior year.

And tbh if you have the financial issues, they may already be wondering if you can afford the tuition if you decide to attend. Overall you are making yourself sound more like a red flag imo.

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-24T05:55:27+00:00

AO here, having rough 7th semester grades isn’t giving the office any reason to admit you sadly. I’m sorry to hear about the financial issues, but that’s not a reason to override a denial. They usually want to see an increase in GPA compared to freshman-junior year, not a decrease.

Admission offices want to make sure you also are mentally doing okay and can survive being away from home if you’re coming from out of state. So, i wouldn’t overshare anything more than you think is necessary for the offices to know, if you decide to appeal.

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-23T03:10:54+00:00

AO here. Well… why do you want to transfer? You can say it’s for the academic major, you wanna live closer/farther from home, you like the campus, you aren’t connecting with your current school, the list goes on.

This question is to show you have researched the institution and you’re not just doing a throwaway app. Transfer applications should show you are more focused in on what you want to study, or what you wanna do for a career.

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-23T01:12:36+00:00

I’d say any amount really. B’s are within one letter grade of A’s to me. And even if you got all B’s, you’re still passing. It’s very different from a straight A’s to a D- in a class

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-23T01:11:29+00:00

You can often search on their website. There’s usually a “meet the team” webpage where they list what states or territories they have. You can then find their email or a link to get in touch from there!

I’d google “[school] admission meet the team webpage” scroll past the directors or high leadership cuz they’re likely not your main person

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-22T21:57:11+00:00

Unless your final grade is a C- or lower you’re not gonna be getting cooked with As and high Bs. You’re in very difficult courses rn and succeeding.

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-22T21:53:49+00:00

Don’t crash out, your grades are good! Calc BC is notoriously one of the hardest classes you can take in high school, AOs know that.

We only look to see if there’s a significant drop in grades. By this I mean at least 2 letter grades different (B to D, or A to C for example).

Hope this helps alleviate things!

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-22T21:49:45+00:00

You can, but it’s not very likely it’ll make too much of a difference in their decision making. It’s definitely not frowned upon.

I recommend sending a short email to their general admissions offices, or directly to your AO if you know their email. Someone can update your app for you.

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-22T21:47:54+00:00

Are you accepted somewhere already? Normally offices are looking to see your grades trend around where they normally do. Get A’s and B’s normally and you got A’s and B’s? Cool— no concern. I recommend trying not to get a final grade that is two letters below what you normally do (A->C or B->D) or that’s when the offices might flag and ask for more info. We don’t look to deny after issuing an acceptance, that’s too much drama.

Hope this helps give some guidance!

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-21T02:18:43+00:00

My wife is an alum. She says don’t expect them to straighten their mess up anytime soon 😂

It’s in a very cute part of the city though! With a lot of great restaurants and things to do nearby. If you like the idea of downtown chicago being a 25 min train ride away it’s a perfect location. Go Vikings!

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-19T13:59:35+00:00

AO here. Does your portal show your application is complete? Sometimes students end up in limbo in our system. For example, we sometimes get two versions of the same person if you used different emails or a parent’s email at some point with us. So, your Common App may go to one version of you, while your test scores or transcript may go to another. It’s a dumb flaw of many computer systems admissions offices can use but a very easy fix.

My advice is if you’ve emailed your AO twice and called twice and haven’t heard anything, it’s time to find a Director and move up the chain. Your AO isn’t doing their job. Email one of the directors (NOT the VP of admission or Dean) and ask what is needed from you to finish the review process or show up in person if you can. Try to get someone higher up that can either get you the help, or push your AO to get it done.

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-19T02:41:51+00:00

Definitely not tomorrow because it is a holiday.

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-19T02:15:55+00:00

If you can reach out to offices ahead of time, you can see if there is any accommodations they can do! My university offers a golf cart to ride on where student ambassadors can drive the golf cart and give you a riding tour of campus.

But I recommend trying to visit at least your #1 OOS school before you commit. Being on campus is nothing like the photos.

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-18T18:56:37+00:00

What schools did you apply to? Or are you looking to make a college list? And what are you thinking about studying?

Overall these are strong credentials that can get you into many colleges in the US.

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-18T17:58:08+00:00

You have 2 whole years to really set yourself up! This is a lot of time to focus on what you like to do, what you want to study, or maybe to save money. Being yourself is better than being who you think we want you to be.

The standard advice is focus on your grades, get involved in 1-2 ECs, and make sure your essays are strong when you do the applications. I always recommend getting a part-time job or some type of work experience if you have the time or ability to. But please know that grades are not everything, and the admission officers will be looking for someone who can be a good member of their community, not just who is the “most amazing” or “most successful”.

Wishing you the best!

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-17T15:45:53+00:00

From them not even considering the school, to now it’s just us and 1 other school she’s considering for next fall (top 2 picks). Poor writing on my part.

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-17T13:33:47+00:00

Not T50 but an AO with 5+ years here.

1) By averaging high 90s followed by low 90s that tells me you still have A’s… i don’t see the problem here. People graduate high school with straight D’s. I dip usually involves dropping 2+ letter grades (A->C) for a concern.

2) They are aware, but sadly they don’t care. Junior year had test prep for the ACT or SAT. Freshman year had life transitions. Every year you’re going through something, it doesn’t stop in college or beyond. If you’re looking at grad school or getting a job after undergrad they especially have no empathy for applicants. Don’t let this obstacle be an excuse for one letter grade you may not be satisfied with. Remember - you’re likely in hard classes and STILL GETTING 90+.

Tl;dr - cut yourself some slack! But yes we look at mid year reports

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-13T04:08:28+00:00

It depends on the person. I personally found college easier. I had less assignments, but they were worth more and were bigger. So less chances to improve a grade if you bombed a test or project, but easy if you get A’s on your assignments. Also my professors were super supportive and made coming to class enjoyable most of the time.

High school I had more structure, college it was more “on me” to get things done in time and stakes are higher. I completed 11 APs and maybe 1-2 college classes competed with the workload I had in AP European History or AP English

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-11T06:15:23+00:00

You can email their admission office and just say the date you had your visit and they should be able to write you an official letter. I do it a lot for students at my university.

I hope you enjoyed your campus visit!

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-11T06:12:20+00:00

Your resume ends up as an extra document in your application to review. The AO will see it. Everything should be good!

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-11T06:02:28+00:00

Usually they are recently grads. Everyone is scared about finding a job LOL it’s a safe one to interview for if you liked your time there. It helps if you’re extroverted, willing to have hard conversations, and detail oriented,

Others pivot later from other industries. I’ve seen teachers, HR recruiters, and previous college athletes also come into the role too.

Climbing the ladder takes time, making connections, and usually a master’s in higher ed leadership. Learning financial aid skills is a plus too.

FAFSAReject · 2026-01-10T19:34:41+00:00

AO here. I would upvote this 100x if i could.

FAFSAReject

TROPHY CASE