<p>Alright--you should be warned that my life story is a bit strange. Before I get to the strange part (and my actual question to the folks on this forum) let me get the simple stuff out of the way:
White/Male
Currently live in Massachusetts but originally from Central Illinois
I've been homschooled my entire life (since 1st grade). My parents had fairly little direct involvement in teaching me. Primarily my parents hired teachers (typically graduate students from local universities) to teach different subjects. I haven't taken any formal classes outside of the homeschool environment. I theoretically have a GPA of 3.85. But I know colleges usually don't take "homeschool" GPA's very seriously, and unfortunately, my parents never kept great records. So its hard to back up those numbers at this point. </p>
<p>Now for the more unusual part of my story: When I was 14 I started a real estate development company. Originally buying/selling foreclosed and short sale houses and moving into doing ground up development. Right now I have 5 active projects including a subdivision approved for 36 homesites. I have two employees and a 25 page plan explaining how I can continue to run my business while in college. I've worked this into my application in every possible way. Since its kind of been my main life focus though my "high school" years. </p>
<p>And now we come to the best part--my lovely test scores:
SAT II
Literature: 650
US History: 720
SAT:
Critical Reading: 650
Math: 490 (Sigh)
Writing: 580
Total: 1720</p>
<p>And FINALLY my actual question and reason for clogging up these forums with my posting :)
As you probably noticed by math score totally sucks. I actually haven't set my sights too high with respect to colleges (first choice places are UT Austin or Depauw), so I can live with my Writing and CR scores. I am taking the SAT again (so don't tell me to do that). But assuming worst case scenario and my second score is no better then my first--given everything else (my business, other test scores etc) how much does the math score matter? Obviously it matters some--but how much? Any thoughts are appreciated! </p>
<p>P.S. I am not fundamentally bad at Math--I'm just bad at taking math tests.</p>
<p>Is your business making enough money to pay for any college? Or will you need financial aid (note that student income is expected to be available to pay for college, so it will impact financial aid – check the net price calculators)?</p>
<p>I wasn’t going to tell you to retake the SAT. I was going to suggest that you do a practice ACT and see if you do any better. The math questions on the ACT are more straightforward - and you might have an easier time with them.</p>
<p>I agree with trying the ACT. To find out how much the math grade will hurt look at the Common Data Set for each school, section C7. It will tell you how much weight it carries in admission. However, I think scores are looked at more closely for home schooled students. BTW, how does a 14 year old have enough $ to buy a property? And there is little chance you’ll make it into UT since you’d be in their open applicant pool (not to mention the $50K/year to attend).</p>
<p>Yes, UT-Austin is a big reach for you at this point.</p>
<p>^I second (third) taking the ACT. You can still late register for the December test but hurry I think today or Monday are the last days. And of course, study (use number2.com, their computerized program that targets your mistakes will really help you).</p>
<p>You don’t bring up the issue of financial aid: should we assume you can pay whatever costs, or is it because you haven’t run the net price calculators yet?</p>
<p>Based on my experience with homeschooled kids, they usually prefer a smaller setting - 3,000 rather than 30,000 - because even 3,000 seems big when it’s been just you and a couple people for your entire life. Of course you may be the opposite and looking forward to being anonymous in the middle of thousands, walking to class and out of class at the same time, huge waves of young people everywhere. :)</p>
<p>UT Austin is impossible for you as an OOS applicant.
What do you like about it, so that we may help you find a few similar colleges?</p>
<p>Do you mean DePauw or DePaul (in Chicago)?
Because if your two top picks are UTAustin and DePauw, you really need to find a Fiske Guide or Insider’s Guide or Princeton Review’s best colleges and start reading. These colleges are really different!</p>
<p>I think your best bets might be applying to schools that will have time to read your application, ie., non numerical schools.
Do apply to your State Flagship and, why not, to Commonwealth Honors College.
Since you’re a boy, apply to Wheaton college (MA), they’re always happy to get male applications since they used to be a women’s college and are still struggling to get enough interesting male applicants.
Since you’re interested in business, look into Bentley, Babson.
You sound like a possible LEEP candidate at Clark (except the deadline is Dec 1, so check it out and hurry if you’re interested).</p>