What colleges should I apply to with an SAT score of 1970?

College Search & Lists
1

<p>I am currently a junior in high school. I’m a California resident in the valley, and my school is part of the ELC. So far, this is how my high school days have been going:</p>

<p>GPA AND SAT SCORES
Current Cumulative Weighted GPA (high school calculated, non-UC): 4.72
Current Cumulative Unweighted GPA: 3.9</p>

<p>SAT Score: 1970 (I’ve only taken it once)
Critical Reading - 580
Mathematics - 720
Writing - 670</p>

<p>Top 4% of my class (ranked #2 as of now)
Over 400 service hours</p>

<p>E/C’s
-Top of my Freshman class award with a weighted GPA of 4.619 average
-4 years Marching Band, Steel Drums, Jazz Band, and piano playing for School Masses. (*I’m very good at playing piano and drumset) I get lots of service hours for this.
-Honor Band percussionist
-4 years Member of a CLC group (Christian Learning Community)
-3 years President of Hip-Hop Club
-1 year President of my Junior Class
-Been playing piano since 2nd grade
-Not doing any sports (mainly because I have asthma that’s really bad)
-2 years Academic Decathlon team junior and senior year.
-2 years Link Crew member
-2 years CSF secretary junior and senior year.
-2 years Student Ambassador</p>

<p>(when I say 4 years, I mean I’m going to do that in total years for the rest of high school)</p>

<p>I’m mainly concentrating on the academics because I easily get asthma when doing sports. I’m really into music though, and I enjoy it.</p>

<p>Any other advice on what I can do to improve my resume? Also, since I’m ranked 2 in my class, would it be a good idea to try to become salututorian? The guy who’s number 3 is really close in GPA to me, so I don’t want to be disappointed if I end up losing to him.</p>

<p>I’m only starting to look at colleges now D: … So what colleges should I try going for with this resume?</p>

2

<p>Take the SAT again. Take the ACT.</p>

<p>what is your likely major/career goal?</p>

<p>Is money a concern for college costs? Have your parents told you how much they’ll spend each year on your college costs?</p>

<p>Are you considering Santa Clara?</p>

3

<p>Big school, small school?
Urban, rural, suburban?
California? West Coast? Midwest? South? Northeast?</p>

4

<p>You could qualify for many good schools with your credentials. Being 2nd in your class is very impressive. If you have a hard time raising your CR score (some kids just are not good SAT takers) consider a test-optional school. These include some very selective colleges.</p>

<p>[Optional</a> List | FairTest](<a href=“http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional]Optional”>ACT/SAT Optional List - Fairtest)</p>

<p>Think about lynxinsider’s questions and come back with some preferences.</p>

5

<p>Since you’re only a junior, my advice is to spend a few weeks before the next SAT exam date taking mulitple practice tests; since SAT is largely a test of your test-taking ability, practice makes perfect. </p>

<p>Take some time to think about what’s important to you in an school. Location? Size of student body? Overall vibe? Prestige? Quality of teaching? Research? Then start looking. THere are tons of college search engines out there, including u n i g o . c o m, and PR was good too. GOod luck!</p>

6

<p>Taking the SAT again has its risks. Not all schools superscore. All schools will see all your scores unless you ask College Board to restrict them, but that may pose problems if your scores vary, such as a lower math score but a higher critical reading score. Then what do you do?</p>

<p>Think about that. If your lower CR score is because of a language issue, such as being asian or hispanic, then many colleges will take that into consideration. </p>

<p>Otherwise, your CR score is not poor or marginal. Its very respectable, but just not top drawer like your math section. Some people are left brain or right brain oriented and that is okay. </p>

<p>Since your math score is so high, we can presume that you are a math/science type of person. So look for colleges with strong math programs, or engineering programs or science programs. </p>

<p>The most important thing when doing a college search is to pick schools not only that your family can afford, but schools that are a good fit for you personally. Nobody here on CC can decide that for you. Its a personality thing, a personal preference thing and a host of other factors that you determine. Sometimes its just a gut feel.</p>

<p>Start with about 25 schools from the big directories like Barron’s or Petersen’s. Start geographically, and expand outward to schools of interest in other states. Then slowly over a period of months, and perhaps some visits this spring and summer, whittle it down to 10-15 schools where you will apply. </p>

<p>Scholarships vary from school to school, and depend on their relative ranking. Lower tier schools will offer you the most money. Top tier and reach schools may not offer any money at all. </p>

<p>Pick 3 reach, at least 4 or 5 match, and 3 or 4 safety schools. </p>

<p>With your overall scores you will be fine and have many, many choices and opportunities. Don’t fall victim to the prestige hounds. Focus on YOUR needs, objectives and overall fit. Good luck.</p>

7

<p>thanks everyone!
oh & yea i should have thought about that. well, i would say somewhere in California maybe cuz that’s where I live, or maybe some schools in the East Coast. I think I would like to take up chemical engineering.</p>

<p>How do you guys think my chances are at UCLA? I did more research, and I think that would be my dream / match school of all colleges.</p>

8

<p>I don’t think I would want to go to Santa Clara… I think I can do a little better maybe. o.O</p>

9

<p>UCLA, Reed, Duke, Northwestern, Washington U., Boston C. or U., Tufts, Georgetown, UVA, U. Richmond, Clark, UC Santa Barbara, Oberlin, Sarah Lawrence, are a few thoughts that come to mind.</p>

10

<p>Take the SAT 2’s , math II would be a good choice, but you will need two so you can choose a UC if you want.</p>

<p>UCLA Profile of Admitted Freshmen
Fall 2009
<a href=“http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/adm_fr/Frosh_Prof09.htm[/url]”>http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/adm_fr/Frosh_Prof09.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

11

<p>Bucknell, Leihigh, U of Rochester, RPI.</p>