<p>Yeah, so its the end of october and applications are due in a couple months. I plan on retaking the SATs in November and am currently hardcore studying for them. My GPA is decent (3.73) and I am keeping up my senior grades. My only work experience is this internship I spent 10hrs/week at for senior year only. My volunteer experience comes from participation in minor services hear and there. My main extracurriculurs are NHS officer, FBLA officer, and math team right now. Also, I have not started writing my essays yet but I plan on doing so soon. Is there anything I can do to improve my stats/application appearance for colleges such as Cornell, Duke, Northwestern, JHU, etc? My high school years weren't spent as productively as they could have been spent, so is it possible that I could somewhat makeup for that a little? Thanks</p>
<p>I can't think of anything else you could do at this point that you haven't already mentioned -- good senior grades/improved SAT score/killer essays is about it. Unless you can think of some competition or award you can manage to win by January :)</p>
<p>You might take a practice ACT and see if you do better on it than the SAT. If so, this could give you a boost.</p>
<p>well from what I've been getting on my practice tests it looks like my scores will end up being 790 Math, 680-740 CR (projected), 760 Writing. Is there any point taking the ACT with these scores?</p>
<p>Probably not, unless you take a practice ACT test and score even higher. Difficult, I admit, since your projected SAT is so high.</p>
<p>Have you taken any SAT subject matter tests?</p>
<p>Yes, I have. Math 2c 800 Physics 780</p>
<p>Whats the equivalent ACT score for my SAT scores. I know that a perfect scoer for ACT is 36. So if my scores are around 35 I don't see a reason for me to take the test. However, if I'm around 33 then I could definately improve.</p>
<p>any makeup attempt now will be so painfully obvious to college admissions... just be yourself.. colleges want YOU not this weirdass image people tend to attempt to project of themselves</p>
<p>According to the CB concordance chart, your range from the practice tests would translate to a 33 to 34. <a href="http://www.collegeboard.com/sat/cbsenior/html/stat00f.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.collegeboard.com/sat/cbsenior/html/stat00f.html</a></p>
<p>This chart doesn't work writing in; I'm not sure how and if colleges have worked that into their conversions. I haven't seen a chart based on 2400 yet (not to say one doesn't exist, just that I haven't seen one).</p>
<p>On some threads on CC, people have said that it seems that colleges, or at least some of them, superscore the ACT, that is, give it a credence above what the concordance table would indicate. But this may be an artifact of the relative infrequency of ACT submissions at some schools. My daughter made in into Brown with a 30 two years ago, for what that's worth.</p>
<p>I was going to suggest some SAT IIs if you hadn't taken them, but you have and did very, very well. </p>
<p>Is that GPA of yours unweighted or weighted? How many AP classes have you taken? You may actually be a stronger candidate than you give yourself credit for. Not that I don't view you as a good candidate right now ... the vast bulk of colleges out there would be glad to have you.</p>
<p>You might consider volunteering for short events like a walkathon or food drive, or working on a political campaign - they use a lot of volunteers the week before elections. Don't wait; you may have to ask at a dozen places to find one project.</p>
<p>isnt the sudden start a few months before applying going to throw off some major warning signals? seriously, they know its for the app....</p>
<p>Volunteer if it is something you want to do, but I agree with Antarius that it is unlikely to affect any college decisions. I think volunteering has to be rather more substantial to have much of an impact. Least that's what CC folks have told me. It does stand to reason though -- if it is something anyone can easily do, it isn't something that will make an impression.</p>