<p>Okay, my scores aren’t extremely bad except compared to some of my friends who are crazy and get higher 700s/800
Reading: 750
Math: 710
Writing: 690</p>
<p>For ACT, the highest composite I’ve gotten is a 31 but on every individual subtest I have scored over a 30 (highest scores are EN:34 Math: 34 Rdg: 33 Sci: 30 ).</p>
<p>I have taken two subject tests, Bio and Math, but did really horribly (690 math II; 630 bio) because I was extremely sleepy. I just recently retaken them for October and I dunno what I’m going to get. I’m pretty sure I’ll get above a 700 for math but I am not sure about Bio.</p>
<p>My GPA…I’m not quite sure. It’s around a 4.7, weighted is about 4.3+ and it’ll probably go up because I’m doing fairly well on all my courses this year which are all AP/IB. I have 11 extracurricular activities which I am usually active in despite the large quantity because 6 of them only meet monthly or end after a short period. 6 of them I have some leadership position in. I’m pretty sure I am very strong especially in Math Club/Team and IB Magazine (a satirical school magazine made by IB students) at the least. So I guess I could say I have pretty solid extracurriculars…hopefully? </p>
<p>The reason I have so many extracurriculars is because I love the opportunities they give me (Nat. Art Honor Society lets me do art projects even though I don’t have room for an art course anymore, Medical club lets me see if the med field is what I may want to go into, etc.) since I am exploring what I want to do as a career…which is why my major is undecided at the moment. </p>
<p>None of my activities are sports related sadly. I tried tennis team freshman year but I realized I liked my other clubs a lot better </p>
<p>My history teacher who has had me for 2 years and my math teacher who is the sponsor of the math club I’m an officer in (I also help him tutor a lot and he knows me pretty well) are going to write my recommendations for me and I’ve already asked them and given them the necessary materials. </p>
<p>I…have a first draft of my essay which I am editing right now.</p>
<p>So, considering all the above (and any other info you may request), do you think I should apply to restrictive EA for Stanford? I really like the school (and California lol) but I’m afraid if I score badly on my Bio Subject Test. If I got about a high 600/very unlikely low 700, would that greatly increase my chances of being rejected? I don’t think I’m as academically strong as other applicants…
Should I wait for a retest in November and apply ED/EA for some other school?</p>
<p>Well, well, well
You’re an IB student like I am and I just took the Bio SAT II. </p>
<p>I’ll be honest with your chances though so bear with me.
As I am applying REA for Stanford, I heard that in the condition Early Action fails to work, Stanford will simply defer you and ask you to apply again for Regular Decision
(Unless of course your overall application is terrible but seeing this I doubt it.)</p>
<p>Your SAT score is actually quite low compared to other Stanford applicants I’ve heard about. People above 2300 panic as well so I’d be saying around the 2100 range is really pushing it.<br>
While Early Action does give you a higher chance than others, and this is a really fine line. it’s quite useless if your app is somewhat sub-par. I’m not saying your application is sub-par, on the contrary it’s quite strong. </p>
<p>Your achilles heel seems to be the testing. Stanford usually likes to see all round students so maybe doing a sport should’ve been an option but I guess the number of clubs makes up for it. If you really feel confident that your essay is going to pull the admissions office through, then by all means apply REA.</p>
<p>Personally, I’d retake the tests but that would also mean a far harder pool to compete with in Regular Decision. I’d honestly say that you have the same chances for Early Action and Regular Decision, given you get a higher SAT score.</p>
<p>If you’re satisfied with your SAT, then submit the score and pray.</p>
<p>By the way, if you haven’t gotten to the Extended Essay, I’d recommend getting that done. The Internal Assessment too. TOK also happens to be a fairly useless class in my view but that’s IB.</p>
<p>Ok, enough IB ranting, if you have any other questions, feel free to ask me. I have lots of friends who go to Stanford who I can ask the questions to.</p>
<p>Awesome, I love it when I meet fellow IB students :)</p>
<p>I heard from the admissions person while touring Stanford that they tend to try to either give a yes/no answer more often than a deferral. Or at least they give less deferrals than other schools. But I’ll just go hope my application isn’t completely horrible.</p>
<p>For the SATs, I feel bad whenever I see other people’s scores but I’m not very enthusiastic about retesting. Especially because my parents would jump on me to study a lot more and that usually runs into a lot of complications with my schoolwork/online course I’m taking/extracurriculars. And wow, people at 2300 panic? So hmm…yeah, there really is a fine line. </p>
<p>My extended essay was finished last year (so I got to laugh at other IB students in other schools while they angst over it in the summer/this year), I’m doing probably my 6th or 7th edit on it now for extra credit
And um, there’s a lot of IAs but I’m working on my History IA right now. I made it hard on myself by choosing a semi-obscure topic but it’s fun. Yay Orange Alternative in Poland haha. My Bio IA…I’ve already done 2 of them. In my school we do 3 and then choose our best one to submit or something like that I believe. I finished my IB Psych IA last year and scored a 6 on the IB which was nice.</p>
<p>Thanks for the offer, I really appreciate it :)</p>
<p>The reason 2300’s panic is because SAT is not the single deciding factor. Yes, a higher score will help you, but no, with your current scores you are not an instant rejection. Especially at Stanford, essays and the whole package matter.</p>
<p>I have a 31 ACT, and unless my SAT score goes above that, i’ll be submitting my app with that. I have very very strong EC’s and CS, as well as a very strong academic record. I just don’t test well. Stanford sees past the test scores, i promise you this. They’re excellent at looking holistically. I’d worry more about your essays.</p>