Is it possible to improve an academic profile with tests alone?

Answered

I would look into either finding an Online HS that will allow you to take AP courses or to transfer to another HS either public or private that will allow you to take AP courses. The third option is to stick it out and apply as a post-graduate student at a private boarding school after you graduate so you can take all AP courses and show your course rigor.

I have no problem recommending that it's perfectly fine and normal to either find another venue or to repeat some classes to get your course rigor up. There is no shame in going to a PG program after HS because it's like a do-over opportunity for students who know they are high achieving but haven't lived up to their potential yet.

https://www.thoughtco.com/the-postgraduate-year-2774650

https://www.thoughtco.com/gap-year-programs-4061647

I'm considering going to a PG program if I can't be on my college campus this fall. I would rather take a productive gap year than start Columbia U. from a laptop in my hometown. Some people will not understand this but that's okay.

My take on standardized tests is that since all colleges went test-optional this cycle, most likely they will be test-optional next cycle. 1/2 the Ivys already said they are going test-optional for Class of 2026. Therefore, high SAT/ACT scores can only help you if you have met the rigorous threshold for academic and EC expectations to the schools you are applying to. They alone will not be a surrogate replacement for a low GPA or lack of ECs or other important criteria.

So if you have a 3.7/3.8 UWGPA and applying to an IVY league college, you are going up against many applicants with 3.9-4.0 UWGPAS. If you have a 1500+ SAT or 34+ ACT, that will help you establish that you have shown evidence of knowing how to master the material and take tests. While that's no guaranty, there is a positive correlation between high test scores and getting good grades in college. (According to previous articles I've read from Harvard admissions).

If you get 1500+/34+ on your test scores and have a 2.7/3.0, that looks like you didn't apply yourself. This kind of high test score, low GPA is very typical with recruited athletes that go on to Stanford or Ivy League programs. It's more typical with Cis White Affluent males who spend a lot of time on the Lacrosse or Football field. They are high aptitude students but they are stretched with time so they let their grades fall behind, even though they take hard classes. I imagine you are not recruited athlete or in that category, so this kind of loophole may not apply to you.

Therefore, if you are trying to get into a top liberal arts college like Amherst or Williams or an Elite college like UVA, U Mich, or UCLA, then you need to get your grades up to at least a 3.6+ Unweighted, 4.1 Weighted to be a viable candidate. If you don't have the runway to do in your school with all the restrictions, you need to be radical and creative and make the rules for yourself and do something out of the box.

(I didn't mention dual enrollment because that can be political if your counselors do not agree that taking such courses merits giving you a weighted credit for them. For example. I took 24 dual enrollment credits while in HS and 6 college credits. All 30 credits were not counted as weighted classes for me, otherwise, I would have had like a 3.98 UNGPA and a 4.6 WGPA instead of a 4.38 WGPA but once you hit a near-perfect GPA, it really doesn't matter.)

Good luck.

Is it possible for you to take a Duel Enrollment class or maybe one over the summer? For the most part they're weighted the same as AP classes.