In-state students typically need great grades to gain admission into top public universities.
At 10 of the top 20 public national universities ranked by U.S. News, at least 85 percent of first-year students in fall 2015 had a 3.75 or higher GPA.
But it’s not impossible for average in-state applicants to land a spot at these institutions.
[Discover how to research colleges as an average student.]
Indianapolis native Geralyn Denger didn’t think she’d get into her dream school, Purdue University–West Lafayette, where the average GPA among incoming freshmen for fall 2015 was 3.7, according to U.S. News data. Denger graduated high school with about a 3.4 GPA.
But she earned a spot at Purdue, tied for No. 20 among the top public national universities, and is now a 21-year-old rising senior majoring in selling and sales management with minors in law and communication.
In-state applicants with average grades can use the following tips to help gain admission to the nation’s best public universities.
1. Don’t exclusively focus on GPA: While GPA and test scores are certainly factored into admissions decisions at the University of California–Davis, school officials look well beyond these elements, says Ebony Lewis, executive director of undergraduate admissions at the school, tied for No. 10 among top public national universities.
The average GPA for incoming freshmen at UC–Davis was a 4.0 in 2015, according to U.S. News data. But students with average grades should still apply if they think the school is the place for them, Lewis says.
Residents need at least a 3.0 GPA to gain admission to University of California schools as freshmen; nonresidents need at least a 3.4. Don’t be shy about sharing awards, accomplishments, challenges and more on applications, Lewis says. Officials at UC–Davis don’t see this as bragging. Be thorough and take plenty of time to complete applications, she says.
[Learn how to get accepted into college with a low GPA.]
Trying to make up for average grades with high SAT or ACT scores may not be the best approach. That could indicate to admissions officers a student can do well in school, but is lazy or bored in class, though they try to give the benefit of the doubt to students, says Clark Brigger, executive director for undergraduate admissions at Pennsylvania State University–University Park, tied for No. 14 among public national universities.
Applicants with high grades and lower test scores are more common and can often offer a better explanation for their marks, he says. Penn State doesn’t use a GPA cutoff when vetting applicants, Brigger says. In 2015, 34 percent of freshmen at Penn State had a GPA below 3.5, based off U.S. News data.
2. Show interest: Even though school officials may say they don’t consider demonstrated interest when vetting applicants, Anna Ren, founder of Elite Advantage Prep, a college admissions consulting firm in New Jersey, says in her experience the students who do get in.
But applicants should use specific examples when conveying interest to school officials, she says — don’t use fluff.
3. Consider in-state advantages: State residents applying to public universities may face stiff competition from nonresidents. Some institutions admit more out-of-state students, who generally pay higher tuition, to make up for budget shortfalls.
But residents may have an edge at some public universities.
While Penn State officials don’t give preference to residents, they are more familiar with Pennsylvania high schools, Brigger says, which could offer a slight advantage to in-state applicants.
Schools in the University of North Carolina and University of California systems cap the number of out-of-state students who can enroll.
4. Challenge yourself appropriately in high school: If students have a rigorous high school curriculum available to them, such as Advanced Placement, they should challenge themselves to the point where they can do well, Brigger says.
“Let’s say you are weak in math and you take AP Calculus AB and you get a C in it — well you really didn’t help yourself,” Brigger says. That student would have been better off receiving a B-plus, A or similar in regular calculus.
5. Apply to less competitive majors: Some public universities, like Purdue, admit students by academic program.
And some majors, like engineering and nursing, are competitive, so more typical students may want to consider applying to less selective majors, says Mitch Warren, director of admissions at Purdue.
“The caution I would make is students shouldn’t consider one of those majors if they are not truly interested,” he says. There’s no guarantee students can change their major once on campus, though it’s possible and students do it quite commonly at Purdue, Warren says.
6. Consider transferring: California native Carmel Gutherz, now 22, became a University of California–Berkeley student by transferring from community college.
Now a rising senior studying sociology, Gutherz, the first in her family to go to college, didn’t envision herself going to college in the same way her peers did. Her high school GPA was less than 3.5. But after some thought, she decided to attend community college.
There, she discovered a newfound love for school, excelled academically and was very involved.
[See the top schools for B students.]
Berkeley accepted more than 4,000 California community college students for fall 2017, according to data from the UC system.
Some great public universities, including many UC schools, participate in programs that guarantee admission to community college participants who meet minimum requirements.
Searching for a college? Get our complete rankings of Best Colleges.
More from U.S. News
Students Share Tips on Applying to Top National Universities
10 A-Plus National Universities for B Students
Avoid These Big College Application Mistakes
6 Tips for Average In-State Students to Get Into Top Public Universities originally appeared on usnews.com
