<p>Assuming I have a solid app in regards to my rank (2), courses (full IB Diploms-straight A's w/ lots of A+s), teacher recs, EC's w/ passion-journalism and writing w/ some local/state awards, TONS of community service (mission trip in 3rd world country, nursing home, NHS), essays, and more, is a 28 ACT too low for me to even bother applying to any of the following schools (and btw I'm from WI which people say may always help) I'm not saying I am for sure applying to all of these but I would really like to know if I should even bother with the top ones or if I def have a shot at any:</p>
<p>Harvard
Yale
Princeton
Stanford
Northwestern
Columbia
Notre Dame
Georgetown
Boston College
Washington U in St. Louis
Cornell
Vanderbilt
Duke</p>
<p>CoffeeAddict9716…go to Collegeboard.com and put all of your stats into the Academic Tracker. There is a place to plug in all of the courses that you have taken, your GPA, and your SAT/ACT scores. You then start pulling over schools one at a time and click on the box “How do I stack up”. This will move your stats over into a graph for each school to show you where you sit in the averages of their admitted students. Hope this helps. It has been a life saver for my s and his friends…a real eye opener for some :)</p>
<p>For most of them except for like Cornell, Columbia, and Boston College, I’m in the lower 25%. I know that, so I’m just wondering if I’m wating my time looking at these colleges and applying to them…</p>
<p>All I can say is that the competition is TOUGH!!! Unfortunately, the applying class of 2009 will be the largest and possibly most competetive in history.</p>
<p>You can apply anywhere…you just want to make sure that you have done all that you can to be competetive.</p>
<p>Yes i have used it…basically I’m in the bottm 25% for test scores. My act is a 28 and my SAT was a 630 CR 630 Math and 780 Writing…so am I delusional for considering these schools?</p>
<p>You could apply to the ones listed but also apply to some that are “safeties”. I have told my son not to apply to too many because it means that many more essays and applications to do, and more expense for each one that you do.</p>
<p>There is always grad school for those colleges if you are not accepted.</p>
<p>There is also still time to retake those ACT/SAT tests and be sure and do some of the sub-tests. Some colleges require them.</p>
<p>I’d like too do some major/minor/double major of English and/or journalism and/or polysci…and I’m signed up for 3 subject tests…and am hoping to take the act/sat again…i took the act in sept in IL and am waiting for that score too…</p>
<p>^ I don’t know where you got that idea-the bottom 25% is just “reserved” for those accepted applicants who were not in the top 75% of the accepted class… I think it’s safe to say that hooked applicants aren’t the only ones who are towards the lower-end of the accepted pool.</p>
<p>Anyway, OP, I don’t think it would hurt to apply to these schools, but you have to be realistic about your chances-you have “poor” test scores, but you have some redeeming qualities as well. It may be tough for you to be admitted to those top schools considering how difficult this admissions year will be, but you’ll never know unless you apply. Good luck, and make sure you apply to some good safety/match schools.</p>
<p>WI won’t help. You need to fall in love with some other schools. Without a hook… </p>
<p>Harvard – no chance
Yale – no chance
Princeton – no chance
Stanford – no chance
Northwestern – long shot
Columbia – no chance
Notre Dame – reach
Georgetown – reach
Boston College – reach
Washington U in St. Louis – reach
Cornell – reach
Vanderbilt – reach
Duke – long shot</p>