hello, sorry if this isn’t in the right spot, this is my first post. i just got my december ACT back which is my first/only test and i got a 30. (25 math, 28 english, 36 reading). im applying for sociology. i am still submitting applications for the following schools and want to know which ones i should submit the score to vs. test optional:
princeton
vassar
boston college
northwestern
yale
duke
NYU
tufts
pomona
loyola marymount
if it was not obvious, i have already applied to other not so hard reaches, targets, safeties, etc.
i know that a 30 is kinda well below the 25th percentile for most of these schools besides lmu which i believe 30 is the 50th. however, my school has an average of ~1000 SAT, and a 30 on the ACT is around a 1360-1380 (my school does not ‘offer’ the ACT). my application is not insanely competitive, but i have a 3.8 UW and my application has a clear theme. i come from rural virginia, however, i go to a private school.
i am aware a 30 is not amazing, but its so much better than my sat (1280) so i just want to be sure of what i should do before i submit or dont submit. thank you very much.
thank you! i dont think any require it. im thinking about sending just my AP scores to yale since my school doesnt have APs im hoping it means something. or ill send both the ap scores and the act score.
Some of those schools might be test-required, so you need to send scores to those. Otherwise, I would only send scores to LMU (of the schools on this list). Since you go to a private school, my guess is that you are not in a demographic that would benefit from submitting a higher-than-expected (for your high school) but lower-than-average (for the colleges) score.
For what it’s worth, I think you are way overshooting with your list - all but one are reach schools.
Having gone through the process this year, the only realistic school I see on your list with a 30 ACT is Loyola Marymount. Unless you have extraordinary grades and phenomenal extracurricular, or are a D1 athlete, your chances of getting accepted at top schools like Princeton, Boston College, Pomona, Vassar, are very slim. All the schools on your list except Loyola Marymount have acceptance rates well below 15%, mostly 6-12%. And, that’s for students with higher ACT scores (likely is half of that for stunners with a 30 in the ACT).
I would keep 2-4 of those schools as it seems you like them but replace the rest with schools that have significantly higher acceptance rates such as Tulane, Wake Forest, University of Maryland, Lafayette, William & Mary, Rutgers,…
Unless I’m misinterpreting the OP, they’re working through applications now. Most schools would be RD applications and for Tulane that acceptance rate is low single digits and unless there has been substantial demonstrated interest, I would call it close to 0%.
OP did say they had applied to other “less of a reach” schools but didn’t list them out.
Tulane has about a 70%!!! acceptance rate in early decision, which is where they fill most of their spots. This is one of the number of “games” they play to make their overall acceptance rate seem much more selective than it actually is so they can place higher in rankings such as the USNWR ranking.
OP stated they have applied to other colleges including safteys, targets, etc. (In the first post). Yes, there are an awful lot of high reaches, but I imagine those applications are submitted by now.
ive already applied to over 20 colleges and half of them are targets and safeties. i understand your concern, but im only asking about my act submission. i had been hearing many different opinions from those that i asked, so i wanted to figure it out.
however, i will be sending my score to tufts. they directly state in their testing requirements that “Generally, we encourage applicants with scores of 1300 or higher on the SAT, or 28 or higher on the ACT to include those scores with their applications for admission.”
That would be a hard no for me with a 30. A 28 might work for a first gen or questbridge type.
What Tufts likes is full pay. I don’t know if they are need blind or aware as they don’t say and I’ve read both third party. But my guess is, given how few they give need aid to, their most important # begins with a $ sign.
You didn’t note earlier - so you’re low income. Are you first generation too?
You mentioned private school so I’m guessing most assumed you were not low income….unless I missed that. That’s obviously a big change in how you may be seen.
You should find someone more familiar with QB - as their stats are different and a 30 might be acceptable. But with only 25% of the scores below a 33 (and they may all be low income kids), that’s where it gets scary because 30 isn’t close.
As you note, they say this - Generally, we encourage applicants with scores of 1300 or higher on the SAT, or 28 or higher on the ACT to include those scores with their applications for admission.
Easy to say but do they live by it - but perhaps for low income, they do.
As long as you are comfortable with the decision that you make, that’s the most important thing.
But then follow up question - if you are a QB / low income app, why are you applying to LMU?
And do your safeties (forget targets) - are any of them assured to hit your budget because if not, then they are not safe.
As an opinion based on the distribution of your section scores, I definitely would recommend submitting your ACT score to any school at which the reported 25th percentile score is 27 or lower. I wouldn’t specifically advise against submitting to schools with higher ranges, but such a decision should be considered with greater discretion. The Tufts information you posted is interesting, and might be considered, for example.
