<p>I am a junior in a competitive suburban school district:</p>
<p>GPA: 3.92
top 10% rank
ACT scores were poor: 22
AP tests: Biology 4, & still waiting on two others
Senior Schedule: AP Chemistry, AP Government, Economics, Intro to Calculus, AP Music Theory, College Spanish, Psychology</p>
<p>for the most part, a straight A student. I have shown mastery in tough AP classes and College Classes. "A" in AP Biology & 4 on exam, "A" in AP Physics and either a 4 or 5 on the exam, and a "B+" in AP United States history with most likely a 5 on the exam. I also got an "A" in college forensics. </p>
<p>Volunteer/ Extracurriclar: Baseball both for my HS, and an elite club team on Long Island. I have both playing experience and coaching experience. I volunteered at a Veterinary Hospital, getting hands on experience in the labratory. Science is my strong field. I serve roughly 3- hours per week. My other passion is piano. I take lessons every week, and I write, play, and sing my own music. I recorded several of my pieces at a Pro. Studio. I have 2 jobs: I run fitness classes at a gym, and I also work at a Pro. Baseball Facility. I train at camps as well. </p>
<p>Accomplishments: A piece I wrote was selected and played on WUSB radio station. I recieved an honorable mention for a Business Olympics competition for making a radio commercial. I was accepted to the NSHS (National Spanish Honor Society) as well as the NHS (National Honor Society) for overall achievement. I completed 2 courses at Boston University: Criminal Justice and Intro to Business. I also completed a summer course at Brown University: Genetics and Human Behavior.</p>
<p>I dont want to sound pessimistic, but I think you are going to have a hard time with that ACT score. Did you take the SAT? If you have not, you should try that and see if you may test better. If you have taken the SAT and do not score competitively on that either, you might want to consider colleges where standardized test scores are not important.
That score is low for even those who are recruited athletes whom a coach really wants, or for under represented minorities where a school may be looking to increase the number of students in that group.
Unfortunately there are top students across the country who find that because of their standardized test scores they are not competitive candidates at the ivy league and other top tier schools.
With over 20,000 students applying to most top schools across the country, and students coming from high schools that grade differently, ie. some on a 4.0 scale, some on a 5.0 scale, some on a 100 point scale, and some high schools weighting grades, and others not, it is often difficult for admission officers to compare candiddates. As a result standardized test scores have become very important</p>
<p>A 22 on the ACT is about a 1550 on the SAT, which is barely above average--56th percentile to be exact. Considering Columbia's average SAT score is the 98th percentile and considering how many people with SAT scores well into the 99th percentile that are routinely rejected from Columbia, you will most likely (99.99999999% chance) be rejected unless you increase your ACT/SAT scores dramatically.</p>
<p>There is a big difference between your ACT and your accomplishments. Either you are the world's biggest overachiever, or you have a problem with the test. I recommend that you get a practice book and take a bunch of practice tests to get used to the process. Many people "choke" when they go to take the test, and they can improve a great deal by taking practice tests just to get over the nervousness. I bet you can get the SAT up to 2000 without taking an expensive review course.</p>