<p>Hey, I'm a junior in high school and I was just wondering what chances I have of getting into Ivy League schools and other top universities with a 4.0 gpa unweighted, 1/350 class rank, IB program, countless extracurriculars, but only a 28 on the ACT (first and only time I've taken it). Will this ACT score kill any chance I have getting into a top ranked school, regardless of the rest of my resume? I plan on applying to Northwestern, WashU, Johns Hopkins, U of C, Dartmouth, Yale, Cornell.</p>
<p>You have a lot of opportunities to retake. But there is no ACT that can "kill you." Your academic record is extremely important. If you're getting As in IB courses at a competitive high school and participating in a lot of EC's, that says much more about you than your ACT.</p>
<p>^^^ while this is definetely true, a low act score (for the schools you want to apply to (28 isn't low, btw, but it could be better)) sheds some light on the rigor of your academic classes and you as a student. Someone who has a 4.0 in an IB school is obviously intelligent, and an ACT score should reflect this. I was also in the IB program but left for a more academically rigorous highschool, so I know how you feel.</p>
<p>You should retake your ACT.</p>
<p>My advice is take the SAT. I did incredibly well on the ACT but did only okay on ACT practice tests. I dumped the ACT, took the SAT, and got into most of my dream schools. I've seen certain people do well on one or the other, it seems like you might be an SAT kind of person.</p>
<p>By IB are you referring to the International Baccalaureate? Because I will be taking that from next year, and never really knew it was acknowledged greatly by universities...</p>
<p>Yes, IB=International Baccalaureate, my older brother graduated from the same IB program I am currently in, he didn't have a 4.0 and was 25/350 class rank but his ACT of 31 with the IB classes helped him get into basically every university he applied to, from Johns Hopkins to Cornell.</p>
<p>Wow! The IB really does seem to help! Out of curiosity, what did he get in his IB (out of the 45 points)?</p>
<p>And if I do well in my IB, have a high GPA and class rank, but don't do so well in my SATs, then how do US universities look at that?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>It will be very tough without a competitive ACT/ SAT score.</p>
<p>i suggest the OP either retake the ACT or take the SAT (but no, a 28 won't "kill" your chances-it definitely will not help, though).</p>
<p>Does anyone know what the standard of the SAT subject tests are in comparison to the higher IB tiers (I'm particularly interested in Physics, chemistry and maths)?</p>
<p>agree with arachnophobia12</p>