This discussion was created from comments split from: PSU Class of 2021 Applicant.
I have a 87.37 out of a 100 gpa and I recently improved my SAT scores up to a 860. Do I have any possible chance of getting into summer session or will I have to do the 2 + 2 at Brandywine for the first two years
I think you will need to do the 2+2. I think the lowest SAT score acceptable for main campus is around 1100 (and that only for certain majors). 860 is low even for Brandywine, but you may get in there due to your good grades.
:o3 :o3 I seriously cannot believe it.
You said you had 1240 SAT before and now you “improved to” an 860? Are those numbers correct?
Was the 1240 for the old SAT (3-part)?
@pagirl1999 said she had a 1240 SAT @bodangles I had improved my score from a 780 to a 860 this month on the SAT.
The SAT I took this month had the essay section of the test,but when i took it in May it did not. So would my individual writing scores make an impact or not.
Oh I see. This is why we generally ask to make separate threads for different people.
You need to retake the SAT in November (get the scores sent to them) and in the meanwhile spend one hour each day working on concepts through Khan Academy. Try to hit 1,000.
I would recommend applying test optional to a few good colleges that can afford to be holistic: Hobart and William Smith, St Lawrence, Marist, Hiram, Kalamazoo, Albion, Muhlenberg, Beloit, Drake, Earlham, Denison, Illinois Wesleyan, Gustavus Adolphus. You simply don’t submit your test scores and pay close attention to your essays since they become essential in evaluating your application. I’d you had tasks at home, such as caring for an elderly relative or a sibling, make sure to mention it in additional information as well as list it as #1ec (the list includes such a situation). Same thing if you work a job.
Most of these are “free to apply” and all are on Commonapp. Run the NPC and apply to ALL that are affordable.
Penn state receives too many applications to pay close attention to details in circumstances. Smaller, test optional colleges pay attention. They want you to succeed and pay close attention to each student. Since your grades are good but your SAT is low, it’d make a lot of sense to focus primarily on excellent colleges that will have time to devote to the whole profile you represent versus just a GPA x test scores+essay/ECs combination.
I’m confused…860 out of what? I thought the SAT was out of 1600. Did they change it again? Are you saying you got an 860 on two parts then (reading and math). Less than 1% of admitted students to UP had under a 400 or under on either section…reading or math. And only 12% had under a 500 on Reading, 6% under a 500 on Math. Your scores would fall in that range if only counting two sections, but not great odds. https://budget.psu.edu/CDSRedesign/cds.aspx?reportindicator=FreshAdmn&Location=UP&AY=20162017
I would prepare for a commonwealth campus as that is most likely with a 3.3 gpa (converted 87) and an 860 on the SAT.
@jlhpsu This month on the SAT, I got a 860 out of 1600, 510 in math and 350 in reading. I also took the optional essay and got 4 on writing,3 on analysis,and 3 on reading.
That 350 is very concerning because it means you’re not ready to read and write at the college level.
You’ll need to take English 015 Studio Enhanced- as the name indicates, it’s the required Freshman English class, with a studio lab and personal tutoring added for students who need extra support. There’s also a class called English 004+005 where you work on basics so that you reach the skills a student with a 550-600 would have.
“The underlying premise of ENGL 04 is that students required to take it are inexperienced writers who need practice. The assumption is not that there is anything “wrong” with the students, not that they are incapable of college work. Basic writers do have the ability to conceptualize and organize ideas, to perform complex thinking, but they are unfamiliar with the world of formal writing.”
http://pwr.la.psu.edu/courses/english-04
http://pwr.la.psu.edu/courses/english-05
http://pwr.la.psu.edu/courses/english-15-hybrid-studio
I really don’t advise you try and get into University Park, because you’ll get lost in the crowd and unable to complete your assignements, which will require reading and processing vast quantities of information and at a level MUCH harder than what’s on the SAT. Getting into the Summer Session would certainly help, as you’d be able to take English 04-05 in a smaller setting, along with another class, but once the summer session would be over, you’d have to deal with huge lecture halls and you’d have to fend for yourself.
Have you registered for the November SAT? If so, make sure to send your scores to PSU. If not, do so now and start working. Send your SAT to PSU as well as to some PASSHE schools (you have a good shot at Mansfield, Slippery Rock, Millersville - and Millersville is on CommonApp) and perhaps Pitt Johnstown?
Borrow Erica Melzer’s SAT Reading book from your library and work systematically from it, every day after school. Focus on this for the time being, because you really need to get that rEBR score up.
Your math score is fine though. Are you currently in Algebra2 or Precalculus or Statistics?
Also, force yourself to read every day - long form (novels, true crime, nonfiction…) as well as short form (articles from any magazine you like). The more you read, the faster you’ll read, and the better you’ll be able to handle college where having to read 40 pages of complex material every day is pretty typical.
Can you list what classes you’ve taken in each of these core subjects:
English:
Math:
World Language:
Science:
Social Science:
Have you run the NPC on these colleges?
Hobart and William Smith, St Lawrence, Marist, Hiram, Kalamazoo, Albion, Muhlenberg, Beloit, Drake, Earlham, Denison, Illinois Wesleyan, Gustavus Adolphus.
All are much better than Brandywine, take the CommonApplication, and are test-optional - they’re close knit communities where there’s a lot of attention paid to students, so they will look at your essays and what you bring to the college, rather than your test score. You can PM your essay to adults here (please, copy/paste in the PM, no googledrive links etc.)
@Andrew2018 34% of students with a 500-599 in Math were admitted last year (and my guess is it skews less the closer you get to 500) and only .81% were admitted with your SAT scores in reading. Coupled with your GPA, you are very most likely looking at a commonwealth campus. I would look at Harrisburg, Altoona or Behrend as the commonwealth’s that are most like a typical college experience and have good reputations on their own.
^to reinforce: that’s 0.81% (and you can bet that was an international athlete).
The most important part is reading every day so that you can catch up and grow into a reader who can handle college.
Just do it… get a newspaper app (USAToday is easy to read, the Washington Post is more difficult) and read on the bus or in line, find a book series you like and read it every day (Cherub has a lot of success!)
It’s just a matter of practice, unless you have a LD in which case you should ask for help from your LD specialist at school.
@MYOS1634 First off,in English, I have taken English 9,10,11,and now 12. In math,I have taken Algebra Readiness,Academic Algebra 1A( first half),Academic Algebra 1B (second half),Geometry and Algebra,I am currently taking College Algebra,and will get credit at my local community college if I pass the placement test in January. In world languages,I have taken Beginning Spanish and Academic Spanish 1,taking Academic Spanish 2 next semester. In science, I have taken General science,Biology,Chemistry and will be taking Anatomy & Physiology next semester. Social studies,I have taken Global Studies,Government & Law, United States History,and I will be taking Psychology next semester. Second,@jlhpsu Brandywine is the closest and most convenient campus because of where I live. I understand why you are recommending to go to the other campuses,however they are too distant,and I will be doing 2 + 2
Ok, then I really think you ought to start at Brandywine if it’s the closest campus. But you must read every day, no excuse. You’ll also need to take two or three semesters of a language in college (probably Spanish but you can pick anything) and two semesters of math (I strongly recommend Math for Citizenship plus Math of money or Elementary stats).