Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, Columbia, Cornell, Penn, Emory, Case Western Reserve, Barnard College, Bucknell, Purdue, Pitt Main, Miami University, and UConn
1450+. 1500+ would be ideal.
@a20171 @worrymole007 the truth is that you should be targeting ABOVE the middle 50% range that those schools publish. You can find this out by either googling “name of school” freshman profile or “name of school” common data set. It will give you the middle 50% usually for SAT and ACT. You should be targeting above that range.
Google the Common Data Set for each school and look at section C. It will also tell you what weighting is used for other info in admissions besides test scores.
it’s more about the gpa though, good luck.
Speaking from experience, it doesn’t matter too much if you’re above or slightly below 50% at top schools. I was rejected to cornell above the 50% mark over a friend who was accepted below 50% because he had legacy pull and I didn’t. Once you’re in the range other things matter (like hooks or outstanding ECs) more than test score.
I disagree @a20171 about “it doesn’t matter too much if you’re above or slightly below the 50% range”. For your best shot - and OP is saying what should they target for a list of selective schools - I would target ABOVE the 50% range. Of course, other things come into play, “hooks” - URM, athlete, 1st generation, legacy. And these days, there are so many smart kids with 4.0 GPAs and perfect test scores (yes, I have 2 of those kids!), that it is the ECs, and Essays and recs that do matter. But as a matter of what to target, shoot high! Above the 50% is the best target. @reformedman disagree as well. And quite the contrary. Have you ever read admission blogs? A GPA is meaningless unless there is context. Every high school has a different way of computing GPA. Some don’t weight, some weight only AP classes. Some weight all AP and honors. Colleges look at - for most selective schools - your transcript in context to what is available at your school and have you taken the most rigorous classes that are available to you. A 4.0 GPA is not the same at one school versus another…and neither is the weighted. Most selective schools (after looking at your rigor) expect to see lots of As…more As than Bs. Read Dean J’s blog - admission officer from UVA. I have done alot of research on all of the above.
I have not had the best junior year due to mental health problems and problems at home. My gpa hasn’t dropped drastically or anything, but I don’t want colleges to think I just became lazy or anything. But, I have read that touching upon mental heath problems on a college app can be iffy. So, I do not know how I am going to address that. Also, my attendance has largely suffered, but I have good relationships with some of my teachers so I should not have a problem with getting good recommendations. If I was able to get strong grades first semester of my senior year, would that help with the drop in gpa?
just keeping doing the best you can. finish your junior year the best you can, and continue into Senior year. Good luck
I got into Georgetown and Cornell with a 1540. I also got 28k/yr merit from Case Western.
Friend of mine got into Hopkins with a 1540.
Ivys, Hopkins, Emory, Gerotgetown: aim for 1520
For others: Low/mid 1400 should get you in, but merit aid may flow your way if you score higher.
What about ACT score ranges?
the best thing to do is to google the colleges that you like and look for their common data set OR freshman profile. This will give you the middle 50% range. Aim for higher.
Your target is the highest scores you can earn. During the test, you will not have a sense of the scores you have already earned that lets you relax. You can find the range of scores you need at websites for each school. Again, your target is the best score you can earn.