Chance into LMU

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hello,
I was wondering if I could get an honest response if I have a chance to get into LMU.

I am a senior this fall.
Major Choice: Mechanical Engineering and Astrophysics.

ACT with writing - 26
English (26), Math (31), Reading (24), Science (22)
SAT - 1740
Math (660), Critical Reading (510), Writing (570)
(I’m planning to take the tests above another time, I will most likely improve by at least 1 point on the ACT, and 100 on the SAT)

GPA - Unweighted (3.98), Weighted (4.19)

EC:
I am multi-lingual.

100 + Volunteering Hours (Various Organizations, Library, Tutoring, etc…)

Played the piano for 8 years
Played the guitar for 4 years
Won certificates in both instruments
Performed in front of audiences ( Recitals, Ensembles, etc…)
Took ABRSM exam for Music Theory Grade 3 - passed
Took ABRSM exam for Guitar Practical Grade 3 - passed with Merit
Took 3 Guild Repertoire Piano Music Exams and passed all. (1 of them I earned a plaque) (3 of them with certification)

I played on the JV team for Basketball and Soccer in freshman year of high school.
I played tennis for about 4 - 5 years. I reached the sectionals tournament of USTA Norcal in the state of California with my team, Almaden Valley Athletic Club (AVAC).

I also achieved recognition in the field of art, as I do all types of mediums: Oil Pastel, Pencil Shading, Pen & Ink, Watercolor Paintings, Acrylic Paintings, Oil Paintings, as well as Graphic Design (Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator).
I won several medals and certificates in art contests.

I am also proficient with all of Microsoft Office and HTML.

Great letters of recommendation.

I flew to the country of Turkey and interned there at Gediz University with a professor in the area of Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering . As I shadowed him and aided him in his research, I learned the basics and the foundations of aerodynamics, college level.

2

I believe that your chance of LMU is pretty decent. Your GPA is very good and I am pleased that you have a good amount of sports and have achieved good recognition on your artistic, music, and computer abilities. However, unless you can improve your standardized test scores, ACT to a ~28-29 and all section of the SAT to a ~650, I would recommend having some other schools. I recommend that everyone should shoot for test scores a bit about the average and more closer to the 75th Percentile scores as a precaution.

3

I believe that your chance of LMU is pretty decent. Your GPA is very good and I am pleased that you have a good amount of sports and have achieved good recognition on your artistic, music, and computer abilities. However, unless you can improve your standardized test scores, ACT to a ~28-29 and all section of the SAT to a ~650, I would recommend having some other schools. I recommend that everyone should shoot for test scores a bit about the average and more closer to the 75th Percentile scores as a precaution.

4

Thank you Join20 for you honest response!
I will try my best to improve my test scores!

5

Your GPA and ECs are good, but try to get the SAT score up a couple points and you should be fine

6

Thank you @kobe24mamba
I will try my best!

7

Ditto to everyone who commented above me.
Critical Reading is a bit low (that’s my trouble area too), but it’s quite easy to improve a few points on Reading, especially with some prep. ACT Science should be your biggest concern, as the ACT 25th percentile for LMU is around 24, and I’m guessing you want to have some sort of an advantage (especially if you want to major in Engineering).
Your ECs look like you’re passionate about the arts, so maybe you should write your college essay on how much art has shaped you as a person, made you more self-aware, etc.
All in all, I think you have a very good chance of getting in. I would put you at a Match, if not High Match.

8

@hyjmc8
Thank you.
Wouldn’t making my ECs look like art, make my application weaker to engineering?
Again, wouldn’t a college essay make me seem more enthusiastic in arts rather than engineering?

Can you please be a bit harsh on your judgement on whether my chances are good?

And what other colleges am I looking at in my match range.

9

bump

10

You are a solid candidate for the school - It isn’t a lock but, I think your above average GPA will outshine your test scores. There;s no harm in taking the test again. Your ECs look fine… do the stuff that you care about.

As to your essay, tell them who you are. Be authentic, your passion will come through.

Apply broadly and have a viable plan B

Good luck.

11

@NCalRent - Thank you. Do you think my test scores are REALLY low for LMU?

12

http://www.lmunet.edu/academics/Inst_Res/datareports.shtml

I was going to post a direct link to this but, the PDF looks kinda hokey - Honestly, their averages were less than my recollection of them. According to their 2014 Common Data Set, section C9 - you are around their 75% for ACT and well above that for your SAT. You are academically well qualified but, with all schools that include qualitative considerations - you never know. Be sure to apply broadly and have a plan B.

13

@NCalRent - I meant Loyola Marymount University. Not Lincoln Memorial University. lol

14

http://academics.lmu.edu/media/lmuacademics/strategicplanningacademiceffectiveness/officeofinstitutionalresearch/documents/CDS_2013-2014_20140516.pdf

I knew something didn’t look right… that’s what i get for doing this at work… thanks for calling me on it.

Section C9 of the doc above shows you are pretty close to 25th percentile for both SAT and ACT.

So, yeah, back to my original conclusion. I think you’ll get in but, better test scores would give you a margin of safety.

15

@NCalRent - Thank you for taking your time to do this for me! I will try my best to improve my sat and act scores!

16

bump

17

bump

18

bump

19

Act and sat are kind of low, but I think you have a good shot! That internship seems like a good way to prove what you want to do. I’m not too familiar with LMU but from what I’ve seen, I think you should be good

20

@rt3016
Thank you. What about if my ACT score increases to a 30?