<p>I'm a rising senior and looking to apply early action to MIT, Cal Tech, HPYS, and some non-Ivies. I delayed my SAT-taking until January of this year, so I'm behind with only one chance to retake before EA applications are due. It was my first time and I got a 2060, with 680 CR, 700 Math, and 680 Writing (I made some bad choices to stay up late the night before and didn't study at all :/). I only have one more time to retake before EA applications are due, so I figure I'll take it again after studying a lot more (I've been averaging 2320ish on the practice tests I've been taking). However, since many of the schools require Math II and a Science for subject tests, I'm not sure what to do. My current subject tests scores are: Math II 800, Spanish 710, US History 750, Bio M 720, and Chem 700. I feel like I should be scoring higher on my science subject tests to be competitive, but I made the mistake of taking them after regular classes in my freshman and sophomore years, not AP/honors. I did Honors Physics this year as a junior, so would it be smart to take the Physics subject test in October instead of the SAT? I feel like I should just do the SAT I in October and the SAT IIs in November because the 2060 isn't high enough to be competitive. Is this the best/right thing to do in this situation? If it helps, my GPA is 4.0 (UW) and 4.83 (W). I've played piano for 13 years and clarinet for 8 years. I've made 10th in state band (last year), 3rd in state band (this year), 1st in state orchestra (this year), and 1st in county and district bands (this year and last year). I play in two EC bands and 1 EC orchestra (1st chair in all of them, if anyone understands that). I've also won some local music competitions; my life is pretty much music and academics, and it takes up the majority of my time. I plan to apply for some of the high level music/academic programs at Harvard/New England Conservatory and Columbia/Juilliard. I am of half-Japanese (impossible to tell from my last name and how I look) and half-Caucasian descent (Polish, Italian, Romanian, and Hungarian). I haven't gotten AP scores yet, but I'm anticipating 5 on Calc AB (self-study), 4/5 on US History, 5 on Music Theory (self-study), and 3/4/5 on Spanish Lang. Additionally, I'm taking Chinese at a community college if that makes any difference, and will be taking higher-level math classes there this fall. In short, should I waste money applying EA to these schools or am I better off waiting until I have all the scores I need/want and just applying RD, and should I take the SAT I in October and SAT IIs in November, or vice versa?</p>
<p>Actually, your life is not pretty much music and academics. It’s entirely music and academics. You’re doing pretty well.</p>