Originally Posted by Matt 26z

School admissions has to determine how serious the student is. Are they going to stick with the program? Can they handle the work load? A high GPA and good testing scores prove that the student applied themselves in a broad range of subjects, which is important at the university level since they are dealing with fickle 17-18yo kids.

If someone has a 2.5 GPA and scored low on SAT/ACT, but they have a special talent, then a trade school centered around that talent may be a better option.