Any guesses on admission or suggestions?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I am pretty set on applying to these colleges:</p>

<p>Stanford - Have not visited but I hear there is no way to not like the campus, and I have been in the area and loved it more than any other setting I have ever been in.
Columbia
UCLA
Cal Berkeley
Boston College
U of Maryland - From Maryland and my parents are making me apply. Brother had similar test scores and grades and got offered a full ride.
U of Pittsburgh - Family in the area, have had a long love for the city despite most people finding it hideous.=). LOVE LOVE LOVE the Steelers!</p>

<p>The following I am looking into and do not know much about yet:
U of Southern Cal.
NYU
U Penn
Wash U
UIllinois
Notre Dame
UVA
Michigan
Duke
Villanova</p>

<p>As for what I'd be interested in studying, it could be almost one of three or four things, none of which I'm even sure about. Psychology, Political Science, Nutrition, Law. I know nutrition seems kind of out there but I like the subject and things relating to the body in how it uses energy. So exercise and nutrition together. But I cannot deal with insides hahaha. Biology is out of the question</p>

<p>Now, for my credentials (I am going into my senior year)</p>

<p>GPA - 3.87
WGPA - 4.55</p>

<p>ACT - 35 (I got an 8 on the writing though. I'm not sure how that would affect me. Any comments on that are appreciated.)</p>

<p>SAT subject tests
Math 2 - 800
Physics - Taking in October but on practices I get near 800.
U.S. History - Same as physics.</p>

<p>APs - US Government - 4, World History - 4, Psychology - 5</p>

<p>EC -
Varsity wrestling (Captain) for first three years
JV Lacrosse freshman year
Varsity Lacrosse sophomore year
Should have 260 community service hours by the time I apply(Gets an award from the county)
Junior Officer of the National Honor Society junior year, will be President for senior year
Worked as a lifeguard over the 2007 and 2008 summers
During the 2008 summer I was/am the captain of a community service project that assembles 3000 backpacks for underprivileged students.</p>

<p>Course load for senior year:</p>

<p>AP Calculus AB
AP Environmental Science
AP Computer Programming 3 (AP Computer Science AB) - I took AP Computer Programming 2 last year which is essentially just for the A but then 3 is for AB. My school system made us take it slowly =\
AP Comparative Government & Politics
AP Studio Art 2-D Design (Photography)
Honors English 12
Advanced Weight Lifting(Need one gym credit to graduate and still haven't taken gym)</p>

<p>Any guesses as to what shot I have at these colleges would be great, as well as any recommendations at where else to look? Any are appreciated, thank you!</p>

2

<p>I'm in an extremely similar situation with the ACT. I also got a 35 but I got a 9 on writing, which still isn't as high as I'd have wished. I'm not sure if you'd want to retake the ACT or not, but you can do it and no one besides you has to know.
From what I can tell, most places don't really care about the writing section at all; you're writing them an essay from which they can judge your writing ability.
I also understand that no school really compares writing scores; look at the English/Essay Combined score's percentile. With a 35, you can't have gotten lower than a 30 on English... the combined shouldn't be MUCH lower. </p>

<p>In summary, you should be fine. Retake if you want to; there's no shame in doing so, even though your friends will almost certainly call you crazy. :)</p>

3

<p>Oh there's no way I'm retaking hahaha. I got 33 my first time with a 9 on the essay, and a 35 the second time with an 8 on it. I actually wrote an incredible essay for the 9 and a very very poor one for the 8 as I was drugged up because of a bad tooth infection. I didn't feel much like writing after a certain point.</p>

<p>My above statement about my essays makes me not think about taking it again more than anything else because when I write well, I get a 4 and a 5. When I write poorly, I get a 4 and a 4. Where's the logic in that?</p>

<p>My only dilema is, for schools that only take the top score such as Stanford, and the Cals... should I bother submitting both? Because I know they don't look at more than the top score, but perhaps the admissions officer will spot the 9 out of the corner of their eye? eh i dunno, not too important honestly. i'll be happy wherever I end up.</p>

4

<p>sorry to revitalize an almost dead post, all.</p>

<p>I don't know that I'd submit both. An email to the college shouldn't hurt, though. I may well be in a similar situation though, so let me know how it goes by PMing me, if you don't mind.</p>

<p>Best of luck!</p>

5

<p>I haven't been on here in a while so I would never have thought you posting would be bringing back a dead thread hahaha. Seems too recent and all. I wouldn't want to take up space that people could talk about their 6 month old children's SAT scores! Anyone have any college recommendations of which to look at and such? Or if I should reconsider any on my list?</p>

6

<p>Just send the 35. Don't worry about the 8. They have essays to confirm that you are a good writer.</p>

<p>As for colleges, we have similar taste xD. Hopefully we will both be in Stanford's class of 2013. Sry that's all I have to say. I'm not much help with the college selection. Best of luck.</p>

7

<p>Ha thanks I'm glad you said that! I hope to see you there but I have doubts about myself... I don't have a single award hahaha. Some people bust out double digit awards on this site, it's intimidating. The thing is, at my school, if you want to receive an award, you need to seek it out. I just don't have the time. Plus I only ever hear of people who have godly things getting them. Worst of all, most awards, like 90% are given out at the awards assembly... at the end of your senior year. Great opportunity for apps....</p>