Taken:
Calculus BC (5) [AB Subscore: 5]
Statistics (5)
Chinese (5)
US History (5)
English Lang (4)
Seminar (4)
Computer Science A (4)
Computer Science Principles (4)
Physics 1 (3)
Planned:
Physics C E & M
English Lit
Research
Music Theory
Microeconomics
Major Awards:
AP National Scholar (National)
President’s Award for Education (National)
All-State Musician Choir
2017 Gene Harris Jazz Festival Outstanding Soloist (Regional)
Extracurriculars:
Choir: Section Leader in Chamber Choir, Made All-State, Soloist Award
Cross Country: Team Senior, Varsity Letter
Track and Field: Varsity Letter
Computer Science Club: Vice-President and founder
Boise Modern Chinese School: Studied Chinese Language and Culture to prepare for the AP Chinese exam
AP Capstone Program: Currently working on research in the field of Computer Science
For GT, UIUC and Michigan your Act scores seem to be on the lower side. Also your subsets with math and science on the lower side also. You are compared to your school and region. If you use Naivance where does it put you for acceptance?
You’ll get into Utah, almost certainly the Honors College too. However, I’m not sure how much merit you’ll get, I expect WUE will be an option and/or some first year merit if you go for residency, but your ACT score is probably slightly too low for one of the bigger OOS merit scholarships.
Do you have any other test scores? PSAT?SAT?SAT2s? Is that just one ACT? That test score just does not line up with the rest of your package. Are you able to be full pay at these non WUE OOSs? That will be in your favor (not GT I suspect) but maybe the others.
Have you considered URochester? It’s a top-notch STEM school and a great place for musicians… and it’s test-flexible, which means you can submit those AP 5’s in lieu of your weaker math/science ACT. Also great Asian studies. 1/5 RD deadline - could be worth considering. Merit aid is possible, especially given that you’re a high-level musician from an under-represented state. (Also they’re DIII and might be interested in you for track/xc as well.)
But as noted above, you should certainly have a good option in UofU. Minnesota seems like a likely admit as well but would cost more than Utah. The others could go either way, since they’re tougher admits for OOS than in-state and I’m not sure being from an under-represented state holds as much sway as at private U’s. For UDub a not-unlikely outcome is that you get into the university but without direct-admit to the engineering school, which would make it a much less desirable choice.
I should have retaken that ACT. It really makes no sense, I was scoring 2 composite points higher on the practice tests leading up. My parents told me not to and my schedule was tight to take another.
I do have a 1380 PSAT (99th percentile score but off National Merit by 60 points), but colleges won’t look at that
Will any of your schools look at a test score if you try to retake one ASAP? Even if it is just for scholarships? I think your test score is going to deny you merit of consequence almost anywhere. With the U of Utah check whether WUE (150%) makes sense if you consider the instate at 12 months option (last 3 yrs at instate rate). I would suspect your ACT scored low in the math because your accelerated math puts ACT math in elementary /middle school, and science is strategy. Consider squeezing in an ACT/SAT in case you decide to transfer/gap year (so the ACT/SAT is still taken in HS).
I don’t think it’s possible to take a Standardized test as all my applications are due within Early January and February. I really have to make a case to those higher tier colleges. For Utah I’m still not sure. It’s my lowest tier safety
Utah gives the score-based merit out when they announce the early admission decisions (Jan 15). After that there are some small incremental scholarships (not just based on scores) and the full rides (which your scores are almost certainly too low to win). So I don’t think taking another test now would help.
Would Iowa or Iowa state appeal to you? I think they’re very good engrg. schools and your stats would be okay there. Also, Univ of Kansas and Kansas State . I’ve been to Kansas State - a very pretty and friendly campus. And ASU and Uof A.
If your family is of Chinese heritage, the AP Chinese score will not be viewed as highly. However, if you’re Asian, not of Chinese heritage, it could be a good accomplishment to point out, as it is a difficult language for people who have not been exposed to it at home growing up.