It isn’t that you can’t hide the ACT score, OP. You can, But the problem is, it suggests, frankly, inadequate math ability to handle the required courses at the schools she is currently considering, which are unlikely to offer her the same degree of accomodations she currently receives. So you may win the battle by getting her into college, only to lose the war by having her struggle terribly in the required math/science courses, which she may not pass.
^ not necessarily an admit issue, for a gal with accommodations, good grades, and not headed into stem. She can take a hard look into the “what else” each college likes, shore that up. She may even have a good math LoR.
And for any requirements, once there, OP can look into this, the variety of courses that meet any math requirement, whether some are designed to be simpler than others.
@roycroftmom, but I do agree with you for stem, where math competitiveness is a basis for the major.
Don’t beat yourself up about moments of panic, we all have them. As for building the list, consider expanding the safety/match category to include schools like Lawrence, Beloit, Kalamazoo (open curriculum, no math or science required!!!), and Knox – all of which are test optional and award merit without test scores(may be a factor for full pay families). Dickinson awards its bottom tier merit, $10k, for test optional students, but reserves its higher awards for kids who submit scores. Denison gives merit without test scores. Both Dickinson and Denison require quantitative and science/lab courses. Consider whether to pull Vassar and Haverford from the list of visits – a B+/A- students with below a 30 composite is going to have a hard time getting accepted, and it may not be worth the heartache. Hang in there!
I am PM’ing you.
When you say her core class grades are 88 to 92 - is 88 a B+?
What was the science score on the ACT?
Don’t beat yourself up over the panic. It is one of the most anxiety producing endeavors, this whole application process! There was just a good essay on this in the Huffington Post written by a mom who is also an admission counselor, or somehow involved professionally and she still found it anxiety producing.
The reason to consider ED is it increases the odds of admission. Since you said you are full pay, financial aid doesn’t play a role.
But if you go regular decision, I still predict your daughter will have options of several good choices come this time next year. It is all nerve wracking but then it is done!
wisteria 100, I showed her GPA in numbers because I know each school has a different system. In Naviance her GPA is 4.24 unweighted and 4.34 weighted but our school uses A+ for 95+ and doesn’t use A-. That GPA I believe includes things like electives. So for her this year it’s A/A+ in Math; B+/A in Honors Physics, B+ in AP History and English and A in language and A+ in everything else. I would say a similar pattern each year but mostly A/A+s if not AP classes.
Overall ACT was 24
Science was 23
ELA 28
Writing 10
Reading 31
Math 19
This was no tutoring, no prep, accomodations (extra time testing over several days) but only 1/2 year of Algebra II
Has she considered taking the SAT? Some kids just do better on that test. I know,you said she has accommodations for,the ACT…but SAT provides them also…with appropriate documentation.
Are any of the schools she is considering test optional. Check out fairtest.com for a list of test optional,schools. This could be a benefit for her.
It would be helpful to talk to her counselor at high school. There seems to be a massive disconnect between her grades and her scores in math and science. Has this been the case on other standardized tests over the years? Either there’s huge grade inflation or she has some severe testing issue. It would be good to know either way so you can find a good fit for college.
What’s her class rank or an estimate if the school doesn’t rank?
The student is scoring below the 25th percentile at all the schools considered. Realistically, absent a major hook, she is not likely to be admitted to any of them. Time for a new list.
"(Math is not honors because she has fine motor skill issues and can barely write.) " - I’m glad you’ve gotten help with that. There could be other issues. It’s been a long time since I took SATs, but it seems like much of it can be done “in your head”. Since she is doing OK in Algebra 2. it sounds like she has decent math skills. She just may need some test skills coaching.
Now wait a second, #29, I don’t recall seeing an overall ACT score. She took it once, before she had more math, AND she is considering some test optional schools. I think it’s a little premature to play global admissions counselor here and outright reject her from everything. She has an A-/B+ average and good ECs My A-/B+ kids went to or are attending Vanderbilt and Skidmore. They did have decent but not crazy-good test scores.
@roycroftmom
Many of the schools on the list are test optional, so they will never see the scores, and the gpa looks excellent. I agree that her rank will be important, because calculating an A+ at 95 does inflate that gpa.
I think Haverford requires scores to be sent, so that school is very unlikely to happen, and I would say the same for Vasaar, except that she is a legacy so may as well apply.
@Dancer41 - when she took the ACT, did she order the results where she gets the test booklet back? If so, I would have her math teacher or a tutor carefully look over the math section to ascertain where she fell short. Even with only a half year of Algebra 2, the 19 seems very low for a student who is getting such good grades in school.
The overall ACT score of 24 was provided on post 25. And while the grades look impressive, high schools vary wildly in grading practice. At our local public school, a 4.0 wouldn’t put you in the top half of the class. And since that school’s standardized test scores are very mediocre, it isn’t that all thousand kids there are geniuses. Grade inflation is real.
There are 3000 colleges or more in this country. More than several hundred of them are test optional. This student will have some college options. It’s not all doom and gloom.
She needs to cast a broad net. In addition, she also needs to consider what accommodations will be available for her in college…and how the disability offices work at the colleges to which she applies.
As a parent, you should talk to the 504 case manager and find out what colleges will require in terms of current assessment data to support accommodation requests. Make sure those are done.
Both of my kids had lopsided scores. One was very high in CR, and lower in math. The other was high in math and lower in CR. Both got accepted to a wide array of colleges…and none were test optional!
Kids have strengths and weaknesses.
Thank you for your explanation @roycroftmom. Having been through this twice, I remain less pessimistic. We don’t know what the grading practices are at this school. My younger son’s class was incredibly strong. He and his brother had similar grades but were in different parts of the bell curve because of the strength of the particular class. (Public school) Nonetheless, the students in the younger son’s class ended up doing very well in terms of admission. I agree the ACT score is on the low side – for now – but there is room for improvement AND some of the schools are test-optional.
If she likes Haverford, she should seriously consider Bryn Mawr and the Bi-College connection w/Haverford. It isn’t easy to get into but easier than Haverford and is test optional. I’d look into other women’s colleges as well.
@roycroftmom did you catch that this young woman has issues which make math testing a particular challenge? Check back at OP’s posts on this thread. OP already told us there is an issue. I wouldn’t predict all will reject based on this discrepancy. They may reject, life’s like that, but for the usual unknown combo of factors.
For various reasons, she needs safeties.
You might want to have a look at the thread for Parents of Class of 2017 3.0 - 3.4 students. Plenty of kids there who have been admitted to many great schools. You might find the results lists reassuring!