There is no right answer and further, because no poster knows the entirety of any student’s app they can’t make a definitive recommendation as to whether or not to submit scores. Students should ask their school counselors and AOs to help them with this decision.
This is exactly what is going to happen to the schools that are now requiring test scores. So, they somehow got over this issue.
For the schools that remain TO, submitting a lower school does not mean that a student submitting a 32 would be denied because of that 32 at a school with 33-35 mid 50% range (which is what I think @juno16 was saying). Some schools directly say they have a policy where test scores won’t harm an app, others may not have that policy but do read apps that way.
The discussion/factors/decision to submit test scores or not has changed repeatedly/progressed since the start of the pandemic, at least among counselors. I don’t know any counselor who gives blanket advice to not submit if one’s score is below the 50% mark, or below the 25% mark for example.
Another vote for Beloit College as a target/safety. I graduated many years ago, but it provided me with a fantastic education and has strong Museum Studies and Anthro/Archeology programs. The campus features Native American Indian burial mounds right in the central quad, and they have both anthropology and fine art museums. Strong study abroad programs, too. It’s a school that flies under the radar but people who are in academia absolutely know about it and hold it in high regard.
While I see the worksheet mentioned for art history, it doesn’t show as a major on the website. And the thought was museum studies could house it but it’s just a minor and not necessarily an art history curriculum.
No issue with adding Beloit but OP if you look further, you might reach out to the school to ensure they still have a program in history (they do in visual art) - many schools are cutting programs - and since it’s not on their major or minor list, a quick call or email can save you from potentially wasting time.
You are a really strong student. I think that ACT is more than respectable. I don’t get the TO recommendations. As far as 25 in Math - you are an ART HISTORY/HISTORY major not a stem major. I would not hesitate to submit that.
Your list looks pretty rationale -besides the lack of a safety or two. You’ll want to add to that. But otherwise, I think you’d have a good chance of of at least getting into some of your targets. The reaches and ultra-reaches --write strong essays, do your best and see what happens. Those are pretty much reaches for everyone and sometimes I think it can be a bit of a dice roll.
I don’t see this as being over-reachy unless you EXPECT to get into the reaches and ultra-reaches. But you’ve labeled them appropriately.
Plus you don’t have financial need which should give you a leg up at some of those (for instance you don’t need the Johnson scholarship to attend Washington and Lee).
I’d suggest you apply ED to Wellesley - you have really good stats and ECs. It’s worth the attempt!
I think posters should look at the common data on Wellesley before you you say TO is crazy or wrong advice. According to the CDS the ACT math score for the 25th percentile of admitted students is 29. I think since the rest of the application is strong and fits well within their admission parameters and op is unhooked TO might be the way to go. The ACT Math of 25 is not only 4 points below 25th percentile it means 75% of admitted students scored higher than you. Science score is in between 25th and 50th percentile. I do not want to be discouraging at all just want OP to think about it before submitting. If cost is not a factor think of hiring a college consultant that could help you navigate this decision.
I hear what others are saying about the 25 in Math ACT.
But those two 36s in Reading and Writing are pretty great, especially since you will focus (no surprise!) on the humanities in college. To be recognized, with an award, as the top English student in your class is also excellent.
A strong split among your scores could well make you more attractive than a set of 32s across the board. Colleges are looking for remarkable students.
And I am confident that many excellent liberal-arts colleges really want to make sure the humanities continue to thrive, given that student interest in recent years in those subjects has waned somewhat.
This is not speculation. I have heard the director of admission at a college relevant to the current conversation utter those very words.
Departments like Art History and English are fully staffed with tenured faculty, many of whom won’t be going anywhere for 20 years. They need students to teach. A pronounced tilt in ACT scores toward humanities strength will help you more, admissions-wise, than a tilt toward STEM.
The primary purpose of standardized test scores is to help colleges get to know prospective students. They aren’t just about outward-facing advertisement to the world, like “look how high our 25th percentile is and how prestigious that makes us.”
So yeah, see if taking the ACT again, with attention on the math portion, is possible. But again: being great in one area (especially humanities) might be better than just pretty good in a lot of areas.