Chances w/ not-so-hot SAT

<p>590 math, 770 reading, 690 writing, 8/12 essay (ran out of time!) Will retake, but still.
Junior, public high school, white, female
GPA 4.31 W, 3.9 UW
Class rank--unsure, but probably in the top 20 (out of about 300)
Several AP's, all other classes are accelerated. I will take at least 3 AP's next year and several college classes.
I will have great essays, writing is my thing (ignore the SAT score, please!)
EC's: Started a Literary Magazine at my school, selected as Alternate for Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts (Writing) and a shot at getting into that this year. National Forensics League member. Newspaper staff 9th grade, won a couple Pennsylvania School Press Keystone Awards for that. Band, orchestra, and marching band member, 9th and 10th. Selected for a Youth Symphony and an Honors Band, 9th and 10th. Science Olympiad state medalist. Envirothon. Volunteered for Goodwill and PA Cleanways tire cleanups. Political Interest Club, National History Day Club. English Festival and awards from that. Probably other things that I'm forgetting, but nothing really great..
Please tell me my chances at:
Kenyon
Sarah Lawrence
Wesleyan
Bard
Macalester
Carleton
Brown, Swarthmore, and Haverford. (I'm embarassed even writing those..)</p>

<p>Your reading score is outstanding and your writing score is excellent as well. Nice thing about the NEW SAT is that math is only one third of the total and I suspect that many colleges are going to end up focusing more heavily on the other two sections than they did in the past.</p>

<p>You have a nice list of schools and I do not think the math score would automatically rule you out at Kenyon, Sarah Lawrence, Bard, Macalester, and Wesleyan. It will be more problematic at Carleton, Swat, Brown and Haverford but even then you still have a chance with your other credentials.</p>

<p>Have you considered retaking the SAT and focusing solely on prepping for math? You already have solid verbal and writing scores, and math is the one part of the new test that you can study for.</p>

<p>I would suggest adding just a few good bet schools to your list. You seem to like LAC's, so how about checking out Beloit, Knox, Lewis & Clark, Wheaton (Mass) and Goucher. Most of these schools have good writing programs and are great schools. Best of luck to you!</p>

<p>The only experiecnce I can lend to this was my exerience with Carleton. I applied there with a less than stellar GPA, 3.2, but my SAT scores were good as were my extracurriculars. I believe you will still have a good shot at the many of the liberal arts schools because they seem to look more at all of your achievements and not just your SAT scores or your GPA.</p>

<p>I agree completely with Carolyn both in terms of advice on your schools and on other schools you could look at</p>

<p>It feels so uncomfortable trying to do chances with the new SAT when I'm so used to the old one.</p>

<p>So Ice Nine, you got in to Carleton with a 3.2 from PEA? What decile is that there? Did your counselor look at it as a match? Congrats BTW.</p>

<p>Well 3.2 is an estimate. My GPA is actually a 8.3 out of 11. We in fact dont do deciles but I do remeber something about quintiles. I was in the bottom of the 3rd quintile (or the middle 20 percent.) My counselor did classify Carleton as a reach but that is what they do with almost any of the top schools seeing as the admissions at them can sometimes be very mystifying. I notice you are at Andover. I almost went there but a sibling who went to exeter convinced me to come to Exeter. Andover is a great school though and I am sure you will have no trouble with the college process.</p>

<p>gloaming, I think if you can get your math up into the lower to mid 600's, you'd have a shot at any of these schools. I would even focus on doing better in writing as well, because it looks like you have the potential to do so. You seem like a hard worker, your grades are excellent and you're involved. Write a genuine, heartfelt "Why Swat" essay and you'll stand a chance there. Hey, I got in ED with a 580 Math IIC SAT II score - anything's possible.</p>