<p>@anm2015 </p>
<p>You should be fine. And with your 29, you already qualify for half tuition, but you should retest because a 30 gives a lot more…also take the SAT.</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids I looked up testing centers for the SAT and the closest one is a little more than an hour away. How important is it that I take the SAT?</p>
<p>@anm2015, how important is it for you to try and get more scholarship money? Register for the test, study, and make the drive. Roll Tide.</p>
<p>Student Gender: female</p>
<p>Home State: North Carolina</p>
<p>Date Applied: July 15, 2014</p>
<p>Date Accepted: Hopefully soon!</p>
<p>Have you visited the campus?: Very, very briefly.</p>
<p>Major: Electrical Engineering</p>
<p>Applying to the Honors College?: Yes</p>
<p>Career goal(s): I want to be a part of a team to build the Arc Reactor. That is not a joke. First, though, probably going to shoot for working at Texas Instruments.</p>
<p>Any else you’d like to mention: 33 ACT, 3.9 UW, 4.8 W, 1/372. I think one of the main reasons I want to go so badly is because of the amazing merit scholarships I am qualified to get, since I’m on my own for paying for college.</p>
<p>Big question–finished the online app about 5 minutes ago, payed the fee, sent my scores, sending my transcript today… Is there an essay? Is the online app that I just filled out really all that I have to do?</p>
<p>Love a young person with a plan/goal in mind! You GO, Girl!
There is no essay for admittance, but there is a short paragraph essay for the Honors College application, and you’ll want a more thoughtful essay if you want to apply to a few special HC programs (University Fellows, Computer Based Honors Program, in particular).</p>
<p>You should apply to CBH, and include a mention in your essay for that your career plans. </p>
<p>@anm2015</p>
<p>are you sure that the closest one is an hour away? are you in the midwest? Can you pm your zip code to me and I’ll see if there is a closer test center.</p>
<p>Either way, you need to take the SAT as well to improve your chances. Since the test starts early, you and and a parent may need to spend the night before the exam at an inexpensive motel.</p>
<p>What was your ACT breakdown. </p>
<p>@mom2collegekids I live in a rural area of Alabama. I’m pretty familiar with the area where I would have to test so the drive wouldn’t be too much of an issue.
My ACT scores
English- 33
Reading- 33
Science- 28
Math- 22 </p>
<p>Wow @anm2015 did you run out of time on the math section? You totally can bump your ACT score up with some practice with the math section - practice tests; see what type of questions you are missing, and review earlier math. Your strong scores can pull up Math, but you need to maybe get Math to 25 and keep the other scores where they are. At UA the difference between half tuition scholarship and full tuition scholarship. Also note UAB’s scholarship profile if that school interests you - also a jump between ACT 29 and ACT 30.</p>
<p>Both my DDs have variability in their individual ACT scores at different sittings.</p>
<p>As @mom2ck said, also take the SAT to see if you can hit the score there (if you prepare for ACT, you can take the ACT in Sept; SAT in Oct with or w/o preparation). DD1 took ACT Sept and Oct of senior year, and got the score she needed on the Oct test date. My DD2 took ACT Sept, Oct and Dec of senior year, and SAT Oct of senior year - her SAT was improved from prior year test, but not at the ACT levels. She was able to achieve ACT 30 on Dec test. </p>
<p>If you had the PSAT, maybe that score can indicate if you should focus on SAT and also prepare - maybe then take an earlier SAT than Oct.</p>
<p><<<
My ACT scores
English- 33
Reading- 33
Science- 28
Math- 22
<<<<</p>
<p>Ok…what is going on with the math section. Did you run out of time? Do you know someone who has done well in that section and can tutor you? How far are you from UA? </p>
<p>Do you have the Real ACT practice book? </p>
<p>With that math score, I am hesitant now to have you take the SAT. The SAT math is more tricky, so it may not be fruitful for you. </p>
<p>For some reason my scores are always low-ish on the math section of any test I take. Which is weird, because I am a decent math student (taking AP calc next year). I have been working on the practice book since mid-June, and I feel like it is helping. Also, I didn’t study for the April ACT, so that might’ve been a factor in my low math score. @SOSConcern I took the PSAT my sophomore year (forgot to sign up for it last year) and I think my scores were okay. I’m not really sure though. </p>
<p>Oh and I’m about two and half hours from UA</p>
<p>Definitely take the time to study Math as AP Calc won’t prepare you any, since Calculus is not included on the ACT.</p>
<p>Thank you both! I was actually very wary of telling colleges that I want to build the Arc Reactor. It’s from a comic book/movies, just seems like it would come off as juvenile, but in all honesty I do think that the technology could be created and used as a renewable or alternative energy source. If I could do that with my life, I would be living the dream in my book. I will definitely look into the CBH program more closely. A question about that, though-does CBH replace the UA Honors College? Is it a part of it or a completely different thing?</p>
<p>UA Honors College is the overall umbrella for all honors-related activities and programs. CBH is but 1 program offered w/in HC. Have you had a thorough stalk through the HC webpages? Some info can be gained by delving into various sub-parts of the HC.</p>
<p>@empressamelea, you’re just the kind of student I want my son to rub shoulders with at UA! I wouldn’t worry about coming off as juvenile at all. It’s just my opinion, but I think you’re the kind of creative thinker they would love. Dr. Whittaker (Assoc. Dean of Engineering) talked about bringing Neil Gaiman to campus to interact with engineers when when heard him speak at a UA recruiting event last fall in our region. How many families at the event do you think even knew who Neil Gaiman was? (I bet you do!)</p>
<p>@aeromom I have been through much of the UA website, but I didn’t get very far into the HC other than the admissions and what you do if you get accepted, etc. I’m going to look further into it now that I’m aware of all the other components. Glad I found out now instead of a few months in the future, after the deadlines. </p>
<p>@LucieTheLakie If I go to Alabama (which I definitely hope to!) I would be glad to! Is he an engineering major?</p>
<p>I LOVE NEIL GAIMAN! The first book I read of his was “The Graveyard Book” in middle school. It was a great book and I continued to read his works. His comic book series is awesome as well. I would just about die if I got to meet him. The more I hear about UA the more I fall in love with it! </p>
<p>@empressamelea, my son is an incoming freshman engineer. He applied to UA early last fall to have an acceptance from an affordable safety early in the admissions process at my strong urging. It really didn’t become something he was giving serious consideration until very late in the process when he realized he wanted to give engineering a go. He was originally looking at SLACS with strong math and theater departments. That talk from Dr. Whittaker made a strong impression on my son, so we decided to visit the following spring. He felt Bama offered him the most flexibility at the best price. He never really checked out any of the elite programs in the honors college, but I would strongly encourage someone with your interests to do so!</p>
<p>@LucieTheLakie If I end up there we could cross paths, who knows? However, I spend a lot more time with my face in a book than I do socializing. I’m amazed I ever met the people I did. Has he decided what branch of engineering he wants to do?
Now that I know what I’m doing and what I am looking for (I say that in the loosest meaning of the words), I’m going to start researching and applying to all the other programs in the HC. I’m very excited. If I go, I’ll be the first person in my family to leave the state. That makes it even more exciting. </p>
<p>No, he has no idea. He’s not even positive he wants to be an engineer. Flexibility was really important to him, that and attending a school that would value him as an individual. Many people will tell you that what set Bama apart for them, as they were considering their options, was the willingness of people there to help students find and pursue their passions; that is, if you want to do something, they will help you make that happen. Good luck!</p>