<p>Brown university is my dream school. I have attended numerous summer workshops there. I am valedictorian of my class and take many ap courses. My problem is I freak out when I take standardized tests and only got a 25 on my act. Does anyone have any advice or anything? Can I still get into the school of my dreams?</p>
<p>Try the SAT? Sorry, but you will not get into Brown with a 25, even with a hook IMO.</p>
<p>^ Not true. I know people who have gotten in with a 25 on the ACT. Not just athletes/legacies either. </p>
<p>I had the SAME problem in high school. My biggest recommendation is to get a tutor. I started with ~23 on the ACT and was able to bring it up to a 31 in a matter of months. Though I didn’t get a stellar score for Brown’s standards, practice makes perfect and all you can do is try and figure out the best way to approach each section.</p>
<p>Swim2daend: thank you very much for positive advice. My only question is do u think that the prep books and practice tests would have the same effect as a tutor or would the tutor be better all around?</p>
<p>Well the tutor will teach you how to approach the sections and will tell you what youre doing right/wrong. Go for the testbooks first, unless youre going into your senior year. The tutor just makes it easier to learn (just like it’s easier to pass APs that you took in school than self-studied generally).</p>
<p>If you’re motivated, you don’t necessarily need a tutor: I increased my PSAT to SAT scores some 200 points just by taking free online practice tests, and going over why I missed things. If you’re currently scoring at a 25 and want to score a 30+, you’ll need to learn the logic behind the questions, rather than just what “should” be the right answer. Especially if you’re a mathy, rules-based person (I know I am), knowing what they’re trying to test lets you see the logic behind the question, and quickly eliminate wrong answers.</p>
<p>Try the SAT’s. I did significantly better on the SAT’s than the ACT’s. [Without studying] Worth a shot in my opinion.</p>