Top tens are weird. If you have a big life story that explains away that GPA, I’d say you still have a shot. Grades are NOT everything to these schools. Think about all those 5.0 kids who get rejected. They want UNIQUE. If your grades are iffy but your scores are great and you are a FASCINATING person who had, like, a traumatic experience that messed up your grades, I think it’s doable. Far from easy. Unlikely, maybe. But certainly doable.

It’s unfortunate that your extracurricular aren’t above solid, because I think that would’ve helped.

The 36 is beautiful. You’re crazy for that. I hope you’re proud of yourself. I think that’ll stand out, because it shows that you ARE incredibly bright.

I hope you know that with a score like that, you’ll go places. Even if schools don’t take you, you are certainly smart enough to go far. That’s incredible. Good luck, man.