I am currently a senior in high school, and I just wanted to know where I lie in regards to college admissions. These stats reflect upon 2 SAT Tests, current gpa, majors in mind, and colleges in mind
SAT (December 2017): 550 Math; 550 Reading/Writing; 1100 Composite Score
SAT w/Essay (August 2018): 510 Math; 550 Reading/Writing; 1060 Composite Score
Essay: 7 Reading; 5 Analysis; 7 Writing
Current GPA: 4.4 W GPA; 3.8 UW GPA (Mostly all honors/AP classes; never got a grade lower than a B)
Majors in Mind (From most to least interested): Biochemistry, Psychology, Math, English
Colleges in Mind:
- UIUC
- Indiana Bloomington
- Purdue
- UIC
- Depaul
- Michigan State
- Iowa State
From all these stats, I just want to know where I stand in the college admission process. Any advice or steps I should take next before Nov.1 deadline would be great!
Thanks!
With SAT scores that don’t validate your GPA, admissions staff are going to take a serious look at the school you’re coming from, to determine whether it has a weak program (hence the low SAT scores), or if you are just a poor test taker. Your best options are going to be schools that are test optional, so you don’t have to submit your scores.
Have you taken any SAT-II subject tests? What were your scores on your AP exams?
No SAT-II subject tests; however I do have 2 AP test scores
AP US History: 3
AP Language and Composition: 3
DePaul is test-optional, so you’re good to go there.
Add Kansas State you are close to merit there. Students and teachers very nice. Pretty campus, good education. My son loves it there!
Why do you think your SAT scores are so low? Can you take the ACT and see if you get higher scores? There’s an ACT test coming up on Oct. 28, with late registration due by the 10th. Otherwise, I agree that test optional schools might be a great option.
You should apply to test-optional schools. I’m not sure why you are interested mainly in publics, but there are several test-optional schools that offer excellent programs in Biochemistry, Psychology, Math, English. They would also probably give you merit plus need-based aid.
Are you female? If so try –
Mt. Holyoke
Smith
Bryn Mawr
Simmons
Agnes Scott
If not female, try –
Colby
Union in Schenectedy NY
Trinity in CT
Allegheny
Bard
Muhlenberg
And many others. Here is the complete list of test-optional schools –
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/04/12/the-complete-list-of-test-optional-colleges-and-universities-as-of-now/?utm_term=.12523b23db09
Iowa State Will be a guaranteed acceptance Just crunch the numbers on their Regents calculator…same calculations wil! get.you into University of Iowa.
UIUC and Purdue for STEM majors are going to be reaches with your test scores, but UIUC could be possible for English if you’re a resident. Michigan State is a high reach, especially if you’re OOS, plus you should run the EFC calculations. DePaul is a good option, and maybe Indiana.
You will get into Iowa State for sure. (I’m just not familiar with the other schools) I hear great things about that school - beautiful campus and happy, kind students. You will also get into a lot of other schools with your GPA. Don’t worry. It is better to have a high GPA and low SAT than the other way around. Just choose a variety of schools to apply to that have what you want to study and are the size, location and cost that are right for you. One way to narrow down schools is to look for those that have a 60% acceptance rate or better. Some of admissions has to do with your intended major too. Certain majors are more competitive than others. You will be surprised - you will get some merit money too for your GPA.
The best part is that you know how to study. That is what you will need to succeed in college. You’ll be fine.
This is the perfect case against schools going test optional.
I disagree @Muad_dib – It’s the perfect example of a student for whom the tests are fairly meaningless. The tests are just tests. If you find that they speak to you and tell you that this is the measure of intelligence that you value above all others, that’s terrific! However they are not the only measures nor should they be for everyone.
You’re free to send your children (or attend) schools that use tests as their primary measures. There are plenty out there. You know – go for it.
There are schools that recognize the limitations of testing and should not be forced to be harnessed to those tests in deciding whom to admit to their school.
Tests do not measure–
- Visual-spacial intelligence
- Practical intelligence
- Emotional intelligence
- Creativity and problem solving except in a very limited sense – and other issues.
People strong in the above skills may also score well on those SAT tests, but not necessarily – and they are denied appropriate educations because of those tests as a result if there are no test-optinal schools. It’s good that schools are beginning to recognize the tests are limited and only tell part of the story of an applicant.
The OP can find a home at a place that is test optional and will thrive, I’m sure.
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@Dustyfeathers : I see what you’re saying but at the same time, I can turn your argument around and say that, with rampant grade inflation, GPAs have become meaningless. I don’t think standardized tests should be discounted, they are just one tool (among many) to measure a student’s aptitude for college work.
While those skills are very nice, dustyfeathers, schools don’t measure them as part of grade point averages. Many skills you mentioned, as well as physical beauty, correlate with overall success, but aren’t part of the GPA or test scores. If colleges are trying to predict future academic success in college courses, the widespread grade inflation makes that almost impossible to do without some common measure of academic level.
At our local public school, a 4.0 GPA means you attended class and are at least minimally literate. Nothing more indicated.
Standardized tests which measure achievement (e.g. SAT subject tests, AP tests, IB tests) tend to be more predictive of college performance than the SAT or ACT, which have the incumbency advantage in terms of retaining market share.
With respect to the OP, would taking the ACT be something to try? Some students do better on one test versus the other.
“This is the perfect case against schools going test optional.”
The same might be said for the thread about the student who took 7 APs, receiving “A” grades but a 2 on all AP tests. Given grade inflation and the huge differences in not just curriculum but grading standards, it is very difficult to know how meaningful a given GPA is. This is especially true for the low income, high potential first gen students that have previously not applied anywhere but their closest regional college but that selective colleges state that they’re trying to find, because many of them will be attending high schools that have little to no record of sending students to selective colleges.
An AP test or the SAT certainly isn’t a perfect indicator of skill or potential, but it is a piece of the puzzle that holistic admissions purports to piece together. It is doing students a disservice to ignore test scores. There may be valid reasons for low test scores - and those should be considered. But the idea that tests mean nothing and shouldn’t be considered in the process seems optimistic at best.
Receiving 3’s on two AP tests would put your 4.4 WGPA in question as to the rigor of your high school.
Test optional colleges don’t only look at grades and apply blind faith. There’s still an intense review for strengths beyond one hs’s gpa.
I think we should be careful before this CC urge to so often suggest some more competitive colleges (just because they’re test optional) without knowing if a kid is qualified, just gpa and that he/she took “mostly honors and AP,” with no other details. Certainly, adcoms will look at more.
And remember once at some college, keeping up is more than your one high school’s gpa.
At many of these elite, test-optional schools, being full-pay, playing a sport and legacy status count more than GPA.
^ any source for that?
(This contradicts my experience but I haven’t read any study)