<p>Wow that is so cool. I wish my school did that! And thank you hopefully I still do well on the ACT regardless if I will be learning Pre-Calc my seniro year @irlandaise</p>
<p>Like I said, you really don’t need pre-cal to do well. Have you checked out the ACT math section breakdown? It tells you everything that could possibly be on there. Look at this for more information - <a href=“SparkNotes: Today's Most Popular Study Guides”>SparkNotes: Today's Most Popular Study Guides;
<p>What did you make on the SAT? If you really are intent on improving your score, you need to face the reality of your current score. Also, what was your score breakdown? Remember… this is just an anonymous college forum - no one is here to judge you on your SAT scores. You’ve already said they were low, but being specific allows us to realistically gauge your strengths/weaknesses and what your match schools currently are. It would be best to function in the worst-case scenario - that your score won’t improve (though that may not be true). If you truly want help as much as you say you do, realize that many, many people here are willing to help you, but you need to provide the whole picture.</p>
<p>Personally, and take this with a grain of salt, I’d recommend studying more for the ACT than the SAT, if you intend to take both in the fall. The ACT tests achievement, while the SAT tests aptitude - which is why (at least, from what I’ve seen) it is far easier to improve an ACT score than it is an SAT score.</p>
<p>Curious, though, why have you taken the SAT already and not the ACT? I assume it’s a regional thing - I know that I’ve only taken the ACT so far since it was mandated for juniors to take on a certain date by my state.</p>
<p>Hi all. I made an account just to respond to this thread. OP, I wish you would focus on test optional schools. I am sure that you will be able to improve your scores but by very little between now and application time. If you are looking to attend a “prestigious” school, test optional is your only route. You will not get into a top school with low scores, URM or not. Your GPA is not impressive for top schools either; however, if you are able to demonstrate true passion about your ECs (despite the randomness and shallowness of your EC list), then you may be able to get into a decently competitive school if you apply test optional. There are lists of test optional schools around the internet. As @collegebound752 said, some are very prestigious, such as Bowdoin. It would be helpful to most here if you posted your scores because as of now we don’t know what we’re working with. Good luck! :)</p>
<p>@tesfayeB -</p>
<p>While I appreciate you messaging me your scores, I think it would be beneficial for you to post them on here. “Low” is a vague term, and your actual scores provided MUCH MORE context than saying “low” could. Please consider posting on here. If it is out of fear that you will be told you can’t get into ANY college - please realize that will not happen, as you can surely get into many good colleges, and no one here has done anything but try to help you.</p>
<p>I’ll answer your original question, as one here with your exact scores. Can you get into an Ivy league school or comparatively prestigious one (ie - Vanderbilt, Emory, Stanford)? No.</p>
<p>Do post your scores publicly. This thread has been nothing but full of parents and teens trying to help you. You are doing a disservice to them and yourself by not providing a full picture. Until you do, this thread will go in circles, and you will never receive the help you claim to want. </p>
<p>Please reconsider what you are trying to accomplish. Do you want endless, context-less praise? Or do you want help with college admissions?</p>
<p>I have only taken the test once and without studying… I do not believe that I will just stop there. @irlandaise </p>
<p>Taking it “once and without studying” doesn’t mean that your score lacks context. Face it - most students considering prestigious schools would have made 1900-2000 even without studying and for the first time. Your score was low, and taking it multiple times will only increase your score - at the most, likely - a couple hundred points. That still won’t even come close to a good enough score for your desired colleges.</p>
<p>I’m sorry, I’ve tried to help you, I really have. I’ve tried to give you advice, steer you in the right direction. Your test scores are low. Your GPA is average. That’s it, that’s the hand you have right now, and if you’re too blind to see that a XXXX composite won’t make you a competitive applicant, then that’s on you. You’ve been given more help than you need, and you still refuse to see it. </p>
<p>I would love to help you - I really would. I was fortunate enough to get a good enough ACT score taking it “once and without studying”, that I don’t have to worry about college at this point. That’s why I want to help you. But until you realize where exactly you stand, there is nothing anyone could do to help. Please do message me again when you come to terms with your situation, and I would love to assist you - one rising senior to another.</p>
<p>Just say you’re score. C’mon. </p>
<p>@irlandaise well I appreciate your help</p>
<p>Intent ignoring because your score is so bad hahaha. Get over it. If you want us to help you gauge your options we need information. </p>
<p>Speaking from experience, please don’t expect your scores to rise dramatically from studying or changing tests… I thought that too, and I kept telling myself ‘you’re score will jump, you can do it!’ but it never did. I studied four hours a day with every resource available for five months, and my score raised 90 points overall-- not that ‘big jump’ I was looking for. Same goes for my friend; she had a solid SAT that wouldn’t move, and got the equivalent of that score on the ACT. There is no ‘magic cure’. </p>
<p>In regards to Questbridge, don’t forget that they will boot you in October if you’re scores/financial need/etc isn’t to their standards instead of letting you move on to become a semi-finalists.
I know this is a huge pill to swallow. I cried for months when I realized my scores weren’t competitive. But you know what? Find a school that wants YOU. Write awesome essays. Get scholarships. </p>
<p>I recently had the opportunity to tour a campus at my state school with a friend who was deciding and I was actually impressed. I won’t lie, I was pretty hard on local state schools but what I saw was actually pretty equivalent to ‘top’ schools I toured. If it makes you feel better, if you’re totally in love with a school SLIGHTLY out of your range, pick ONE and only ONE, and apply. Even though it’s probably a denial, doing that helped relieve a lot of anxiety for me.
College is what you make of it, so go make a school YOURS. </p>
<p>@ellacherie what kind of SAT score is questbridge looking for? What is considered too low?</p>
<p>@Marrissa I imagine (I decided not to do the program in the end after a lot of research) that you have to be a ‘competitive’ applicant, so whatever competitive is that year. If you’re still competitive with a lower SAT with good essays/SAT II’s/GPA , you’ll be fine. I wouldn’t stress too much unless you’re COMPLETELY off base, i.e. a score hundreds (250+) of points off of a schools data set. Plus, the worst that can happen is they tell you ‘no’ in October, so not much time loss if it comes down to it. </p>
<p>@Marrissa, I remember a URM with 1880 was not accepted to Questbridge, he was accepted to Stanford and now graduated. I believe his is now a mayor for Stockton? If I can dig up his screen name I’ll post the link.</p>
<p>EDIT to add, I thought his SAT was 1880, but from this post his ACT is 28
<a href=“First generation, URM male, First plan messed up needs your helP! - Parents Forum - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/425882-first-generation-urm-male-first-plan-messed-up-needs-your-help.html</a></p>
<p>Yes, that was Mr.Tubbs, however he had a VERY compelling story (dad in prison etc) and had won a major literrary award. The average QB applicant isn’t going to get into Stanford with a 28 ACT.</p>
<p>Mr.Tubbz is the correct spelling if you want to look it up.</p>
<p>Worth linking: <a href=“First generation, URM male, First plan messed up needs your helP! - Parents Forum - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/425882-first-generation-urm-male-first-plan-messed-up-needs-your-help-p1.html</a>
Note his achievements. Though he had some low scores in the ACT, the Reading was excellent (a sweet spot for a poli sci major) and the English was good. Great ECs. This is all what he had accumulated when he first posted as a hs senior. Clearly he had drives. He distinguished himself.</p>
<p>OP got a 1390 on the SATs. I believe she should focus on test optional schools.</p>
<p>She may or may not get the aid she needs from a test optional. She needs to match the test optional schools against the meet full needs list. Fulltime at George Mason (a 20 min drive) looks like $10k. GMU is test optional if you meet conditions. N Va cc is that drive or less, depending on the campus, and seems to be $162 per credit. And, repeating myself, from Nova, she has the GT program to transfer up, maybe even way up.</p>
<p>OP, you have a decent GPA with good course rigour…so why have you not take your standardized test prep serious? I am really perplexed by that…usually a student who takes AP classes takes their academics seriously…so why are you blowing off this one part of your app? </p>
<p>Mr Tubbz has a college admissions mentoring program called Phoenix Rising. His story is amazingly awesome!</p>