<p>My daughter is a Questbridge finalist and ranked Pomona. The more we have researched it the more in love with it she becomes. Problem is she is a TERRIBLE standardized test taker ACT of 27 (awaiting retake results) Do they ever look past test scores? </p>
<p>No she is not a minority FWIW.</p>
<p>Most liberal arts colleges say (truthfully) that test scores are not everything. Most put test scores third or fourth on the list of most important things they look for (after rigorous course selection, grades, and activities usually). HOWEVER, test scores are absolutely the best way of comparing applicants. Whereas GPA and courses and activities are very much dependent on someone’s high school and community, test scores really are standardized. I’m not an admissions reader, but I would assume test scores are used to cut the pool, ie, weed out the applicants who definitely don’t belong. Good luck to your daughter though.</p>
<p>For Questbridge, they are significantly more merciful with test scores (I am a Questbridge finalist).</p>
<p>first, 27 is absolutely not a TERRIBLE score. i hope you don’t let your daughter know that you feel that way. college applications are stressful enough as it is without inventing problems.</p>
<p>the answer to your question is the same for pomona as every top school. if you have nothing to show on your applications except grades/test scores, then they have to be really good. if you’re interesting beyond that - if you are, say, a questbridge finalist - then they’re not going to spend much time thinking about your score.</p>
<p>Annafc- that’s not really true. test scores are standardized in that everyone is taking roughly the same test and it’s graded the same way, but some students were given many more opportunities than other students. the SAT/ACT doesn’t really measure the ability of a student… which is why colleges don’t care that much about them.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses!</p>
<p>Glad to hear someone doesn’t think a 27 is awful. If you read the threads on various boards it can be quite depressing. We both lament over her ACT score as it is completely off balance with the rest of her strengths. </p>
<p>I agree with it really not being a “standardized” test to some extent. If you can afford all the prep classes etc is also a factor and how well the school actually teaches. Many of the kids in the top 5% have scored in the same range in her school. In fact their scores were low enough to have them now include test prep in their junior year curriculum.</p>
<p>In our family getting thru the day to day stuff is a struggle. I always thought if my kids work hard, have good grades and activities, the rest would fall into place never thinking that she would be challenged by a standardized test. Now I pray that she is viewed more then a test score and isn’t just eliminated base on ACT results.</p>
<p>Thanks for the vent. If you care to “chance” her I’ll post her stats. She always wanted to apply to Stanford and in the process of trying to figure out how I was going to pay for this and other applications I found out about Questbridge on this site at the end of August and it has been quite the learning experience. Pomona wasn’t even on her radar until she researched it thru the Questbridge site.</p>
<p>l</p>
<p>ACT Scores: 28 "super-score*
English 29
Math25
Science 25
reading 31
Writing 10/12</p>
<p>As you can tell math and science not her strong point but we are working on it!</p>
<p>GPA 4.04 weighted(3.89 unweighted)
In top 4%</p>
<p>All honors classes, 6years math, 5 yrs science.
AP us gov 5, comp. gov 4, Stats 3,
AP bio & lit this year</p>
<p>EC.
Class VP 1 year
Class Pres 2yrs
Student Council pres. 1year
JSA pres 2yrs. and founder of schools JSA chapter(Junior Statesman of America)
Selected for Bager State Girls on elected Governor!
Spanish NHS
Forensics 3 years
NHS
Questbridge finalist
School Nominee for Presidential Scholar</p>
<p>Intern Russ Feingold campaign, Volunteered for Scott Walker Recall, Alberta Darling recall, Intern Sandy Patch for Senate and Barrett for Governor.
Fellowship Obama re-election campaign
I am hoping that being an intern at the age of 15 and all here state politics involvement is a “hook”.</p>
<p>Personal challenge: My husband died her freshman year and she has been a “parent” to my younger children so I have been able to work. It has been a motivation for her to excel and become involved. It has also made us fall below the Federal poverty level.</p>
<p>As you can tell her politics are on the left side so please don’t hold it against her .</p>
<p>ANY feedback appreciated! I am alone doing this and our schools aren’t very supportive to anyone who is applying out of state. We never even heard of an SAT subject test until she started looking at school requirements.</p>
<p>Pomona superscores. She should do fine. Hopefully she explained the challenges over the last few years within her essay. I am stunned she was able to do so well in school (top 4%) with such a traumatic experience. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Update: My daughter was also selected as a delegate for the United States Senate Youth Program and Rotary Student of the Month!!</p>
<p>Congratulations!</p>
<p>Thank you! I’m so proud of her! I hope it helps her chances!</p>
<p>Disorbust, except for my D (currently a freshman at Pomona) being a minority, I would say her stats were somewhat similar to your D’s (great class rank, great and unique EC’s, great recommendations, a very positive interview w/ an alum - and good but not amazing - test scores - basically not far out of the range of your daughter’s). From what I can tell, Pomona (and other schools D applied to - mainly small LAC’s) are looking at the total picture of what an applicant will bring to the class they are working towards building. If they were just looking at standardized test scores, my D would not be there! Your D has some amazing EC’s and has managed to shine despite personal adversity… I would say if she loves Pomona, she should go for it!</p>
<p>Lark123 - How does your DD like Pomona?</p>
<p>Thank you Lark!</p>
<p>She did apply EDII. We had never heard of Pomona until Questbridge and now she is completely head over heals for it. But, after reading the results for EDI I am trying to remain positive but it’s hard especially if you look at the stats for “Aspiringsquirel”. We made a very fatal mistake in falling in love with a school that is a high reach.</p>
<p>But I still have hope…her interview was great. I personally loved her essays. Her third LOR was from one of her campaign managers that basically said she chose her over other college age students to intern because of her dedication and expects to see her at the national level in the future.</p>
<p>Now its the hard part waiting for the decision.</p>
<p>Your daughter sounds a lot like me when I applied many moons ago - US Senate Youth Program, good not exceptional test scores, high gpa, SC president, unique ECs. I loved my four years at Pomona College and wish my sons will apply (they’re more Harvey Mudd than Pomona). If she gets in, I say go for it.</p>
<p>Well the question has been answered.</p>
<p>Denied.</p>