<p>Okay I'm really lost with the admission process. Maybe because this might help a bit but I am first time college student in my family and my parents came from Mexico so the education system in America to them makes no sense. I live in Florida and my desire has always been to go out of state and study Architecture. Okay, so what am I so confused about? Well I really don't like to brag about what I do but I still don't understand how this is possible. Well I have taken every possible advance course offered at my school from AICE ( Advance Certificate of Education) set by the University of Cambridge located in England, Dual Enrollment, online courses, and AP. I'm certified as a Microsoft Expert (MOS) and I am part of 8 clubs with a leadership position in all of them. I won the science and mathematical portion of the science fair in 8th grade and I have a unweighted gpa of 3.6 and weighted 4.9. I also play a sport. My SAT score was 1490 and I know for all I do its not the best but I'm not the best standardized test taker hence why I do a whole lot better on the Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) I might just be completely used to the British lingo and ways. My ACT scores were a 21. Well what schools did I apply to?
1. Columbia University
2. Cornell University
3. Stanford University
4. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
5. UCLA
6. University of Southern California
7. Woodbury University
8. Northeastern University
9. University of Southern Florida
10. University of Central Florida
yes, I might have gone a bit over load on the applying but I am a first time college student and I wanted to make sure I had all the backups possible so plan A to Z.
I have been denied by
1. Columbia
2. University of Central Florida
3. Rensselaer
I have been really stressed out after the first denial by Columbia (my first choice) and I can't stop stressing out because this is a huge step for me. I really have been worried after being denied by my state school who isn't even accredited for architecture so that was truly my backup backup plan if all else failed. I know its a bit early to worry or not but I really want to go to college in the fall and not to my community college. I still have 7 to hear from and I have eaten at my finger nails until I can cry in pain. I called Rensselaer to find out why I had not been accepted because I don't take sorry responses so I had to get more details. They wouldn't provide me with more information besides that their average SAT score between 1300-1400 I got higher than that my ACT scores where lower than their average of 32 but still I don't understand any of this. I really hate small responses and if anyone can help me to figure out this process that would be great! Please someone explain this to me!</p>
<p>I am not going to speak to all of the colleges on your list as I am unfamiliar with many of them, but your test scores are very low for many of them. When RPI refers to SAT scores they are talking about critical reading & math only. So that is 1300-1400 out of 1600.</p>
<p>^ It is out of 1600 for CR+M, not 1400. ACT 21 is only national average. You should remove at least half of the schools from the list like Stanford, USC, UCLA, etc.</p>
<p>The issue you may have with most of the colleges you list is SAT/ACT score. You mention that Rensselear told you its average SAT score is between 1300-1400 but you apparently misunderstood what it was telling you. Renssalear does not use the writing section of the SAT for admission and thus that score average it gave you was for the combined math and critical reading score of the SAT test, and did not include the writing score. Schools publish the range of SAT (and ACT) scores for the middle 50% of their entry class. For all colleges you list other than possibly South and Central Florida and Woodbury, your test score is significantly below their middle 50% range, e.g., for Columbia it is in the 2080-2350 range, and even for South and Central Florida you are below the middle 50% on both SAT and ACT score.</p>
<p>alinemar, there are people here who can help you. (I’m relatively new but have seen how they help others.) You really need to apply to a couple more colleges with better fit. I would suggest you follow MYOS’s lead. A couple of questions that might help give more direction to the search:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>DId you fill out the FAFSA and do you know what your EFC (Estimated Family Contribution) is? If you are not comfortable sharing numbers online, at least mention whether you need financial aid or not.</p></li>
<li><p>Are you the first generation in your family to go to college anywhere?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Wow that’s so sad. Plainly put, you had horrible scores below the national US average so you were denied to like all. You should totes look into schools that have rolling admissions or just take the CC route.</p>
<p>It is too bad you didn’t seek advice before application season. Doesn’t anyone at your school work with student on this, the guidance counselor?</p>
<p>Research the advice given on this forum. Get a few more applications in so you have options. If all doesn’t go well, then you might consider taking a gap year and reapply for next year. If you don’t take any college classes during the year, you will still be considered for freshman admissions and it won’t hurt you. You can use the year to work, or travel or do special programs. During that period you can take steps to strengthen your application. Namely your standardized test scores. Perhaps your essay needs work too, judging from your writing in your post. You can also include some test optional colleges on your list, there are some good ones. 10 colleges is a reasonable amount, especially if some of them are very highly selective, such as many on your list.</p>
<p>Colleges do not usually reveal why you did not get admitted. Something this is a very subjective thing. But you were given a big indication that one important component of your application was far to low compared to the range of accepted students. Perhaps they couldn’t overlook it.</p>
<p>Thank you to all. I know I applied to some highly selective schools. I do want to point a few things out first is I won’t write correctly on this site as I feel like it isnt some site I need to do so. Lastly, I still feel like something else is wrong especially Florida schools because some of my friends with all the same qualifications scored in the same range as I did on SAT/ACT some even far below me. I’m still very unhappy by this but I will take the advice and apply to the suggested schools. Thank-You. Excuse any grammar errors im writing from my phone and working. </p>
<p>Don’t be so defensive. It is easy to tell the difference between casual forum writing and basic English problems/awkwardness. </p>
<p>I think you have some very fine qualifications but you seem to have underestimated how difficult it would be to get admission with scores far below what they may have even ever admitted.</p>
<p>I don’t know the Florida public school process–you might try asking in the UCF forum to see if someone has any insights. If essays and letters of recommendation are important part, then perhaps there is something wrong with your application. Did you discuss this yet with your guidance counselor? Is there an appeal process?</p>
<p>Architecture programs are usually professional in nature and often deliberately have limited numbers of admits. Your test scores may be average for admission to the entire university but not so for Architecture. If you want to go for admission to a university still, take the list of schools listed by @MYOS1634 and apply there. However, you should definitely consider the CC route. If you stay for 2 years and perform up to your standard in courses, your ACT and SAT scores will be irrelevant when you apply for transfer.</p>
<p>My H is a CC professor (science) and advisor to Phi Theta Kappa (CC honor society). The CC route esp if there is a honors program and honor society may be your best route. He has placed some CC graduates at very prestigious universities (Brown, Cornell, Bryn Mawr)</p>
<p>Try studying for the test and retaking it next year. Right now, I think the only school you’ll probably get into is Woodbury, and I don’t know much about the school.</p>
<p>If you bring up your ACT to a 23, which shouldn’t be too hard, you’ll be the 50% for Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers. It’s a nice enough school and your GPA/ECs will definitely be about average for a student there.
You could also apply to Stetson. It’s a private university in Florida with rolling admissions.</p>
<p>Hell man, I know the feeling of being denied at safeties, it’s terrible. Don’t lose hope though! If you speak Spanish, maybe look at some schools in Spanish speaking countries - and Singapore and New Zealand both are great and still have schools with open apps. One advantage of going international is that you should be able to send your CIE’s instead of SAT’s and ACT’s (I hope), which really seems like your only weakness. 1.3 difference between unweighted and weighted - that’s impressive.
Good luck!</p>