Like the title says, I bombed my subject tests. I don’t want to say the scores, but they’re unsubmittable for sure. Should I even bother applying to Princeton anymore without submitting Subject Tests? I mean man, I really dropped the ball on them, and I’m extremely disappointed in myself. It’s like I might as well have just shoveled my money into a furnace.
Do you really expect a helpful answer with such little context?
whats are your stats, ECs, colleges list, financial status, background?
Subject test scores will not break your application.
What’s done is done. Focus on completing your app and essays. Good luck!!
I had posted this in my prior posts, but here’s a little run-down:
ACT: 34 C (33 R, 32 M, 35 E, 36 S)
GPA: 3.91 UW/4.57W (UC Scale) but 4.29 my school scale
Rank: Top 3% of graduating class (17/ roughly 600)
Major (for Princeton): Economics
AP Tests:
AP Human: 5
AP World: 4
AP Calc AB: 4
AP Calc BC: 3
AP Psychology: 4
AP Chem: 3
AP Lang: 5
AP US History: 4
Senior Schedule: AP Lit, AP Statistics, AP Gov, AP Physics 1, and AP Macroeconomics
Extracurriculars (basic):
- President and Founder of Political Discourse Club (12th)
- DECA member and state competitor (9th-12th)
- BETA member (11th and 12th)
- NHS member (12th)
- Interned at a business (don’t want to disclose name) for two summers between my 9th and 10th and 10th and 11th grade summers. I worked for about 120 hours total and worked mainly on electrical installation and wiring and general metal work.
- Tutoring and Mentorship (10th-12th) for two kids I know. Mainly helped them with Algebra, Geometry, and Pre-Calc but also science like Biology and Chemistry. I’ve sunk at least 150 hours in with them over the past 2 1/2 years, and I didn’t get paid as they are neighbors/family friends.
- Youth Group Leader for VBS at my church (9th and 10th)
- Mock Trial Competitor (12th)
- Track and Field (10th and 12th due to injury 11th-grade year). Varsity letter.
- Work at Publix about 20-25 hours a week (12th).
College List (Early Action): University of Georgia and Georgia Tech (In-State) then Princeton
Colleges List (Regular Decision): UChicago, Columbia (I know, different from Princeton but I’ve done my research), Cornell, University of Michigan, Northwestern, Duke, and Clemson. So essentially the rest of my reaches. UGA is my safety, but on the slim chance they don’t accept me (In-State AND Legacy. Dad and Sister both graduated there.), I would apply to like University of North Georgia.
Financial Status: 150k per year
Background: Middle-class white dude so definitely no URM.
It just sucks because I was really anticipating good scores. I got 700 on Math 2 and 680 on Lit, so they’re out of the question of sending. I don’t know why I did so poorly as I usually do well on tests like that.
Just one point that I want to say:
Your high school GPA is probably the best indicator of how you are likely to do in college. Your very solid high school GPA is therefore quite a good sign of how you are likely to do going forward.
Georgia Tech is a really good school. UGA is quite good also. Your list has a lot of reaches. However, if you don’t get into any of your reaches, then I think that you will do very well in-state. From many years of experience I can assure you that you don’t need to go to Princeton or equivalent to be a big success in life. Senior year of high school and waiting for the admissions results from many schools is stressful. However, I think that you are going to do well.
Q - do they ask for subject tests (know that UPenn asks for math & MIT asks for one math and one science). Also, are you taking AP Economics?
Hope you are applying for UChicago!
- They "recommend" them but technically, they don't require them
- Yes, I'm taking AP Macroeconomics this year (98% on quarterly school report)
- Yes, I definitely am - they have an incredible Economics program.
Yes, I know my list is reach-heavy. I have one safety, two maybe three matches in GT, UMich (OOS so idk if it’s match worthy), and Clemson, then the rest are reaches. I don’t see the point in applying to schools that I would match for but wouldn’t ever want to go to. I’d rather go to UGA than to a “better” match school, which is why I’m reach heavy. I’m only applying to schools I really want to go to, and there are no other safety or match schools I like. I can fall back and have a great school in UGA and wouldn’t be disappointed.
I don’t think that you bombed your subject tests. If you look at you ACT subscores and AP tests, they look reasonable.
They’re still not worth submitting, though. Even if I didn’t “bomb them” per say, I can’t submit them.
So should I still apply or not? Does the lack of subject test scores make my chances not worth the shot? It’s not like I was some hooked genius before, so I already had slim chances. Should I even bother now?
OP, can you update us on what your reach schools are and the intended application strategy (ED/SCEA/REA/EA/RD)
If Princeton SCEA is still the focus, based on the subject test results, you might consider applying to Princeton RD instead. Then, you could retake the subject tests for RD, whereas if you apply SCEA you take the risk of being denied, and then a subject test re-take becomes moot.
Would applying Princeton RD open up the ability to apply ED/REA/SCEA elsewhere, where subject tests are relatively less important? I encourage you to look at the whole picture and perhaps Princeton SCEA will still be the choice you want to make, maybe not. Good luck
I’ve never needed a tutor before for any tests like that. I will say that I should have bought the books to use to study instead of finding sketchy practice tests online. I think getting the actual practice books would help me more than a tutor, but I’m not completely opposed to the idea. Tutors are a lot more expensive, though.
SCEA Princeton and EA to UGA/GT. EA the rest. If I did RD to Princeton, I would consider EDing to Columbia as it’s my 2nd choice, and they don’t consider subject tests nearly as much. I know those two have very different environments and all, you don’t have to tell me. The only problem with that is I’d have to go back and ask my recommenders and counselor to submit my stuff to Columbia when they’ve already done it to Princeton. I don’t think it’d be a major deal, but I’d have to ask them on Monday (don’t usually respond on the weekend).
To be honest I dont see you getting in anyway. Excellent student but nothing really compelling.
I don’t know how to quote nicely.
"The only problem with that is I’d have to go back and ask my recommenders and counselor to submit my stuff to Columbia when they’ve already done it to Princeton. I don’t think it’d be a major deal, but I’d have to ask them on Monday (don’t usually respond on the weekend). "
Teachers’ LoRs are not school specific. As long as your recommenders have already submitted their letters, you can add another school and assign the LoRs on the Common App. Good luck with your applications.
I think OP is talking about asking the teachers or school (GC) to send the LOR to a different school by a different date, not changing the recommendation.
I think going to RD may be help if you can take the subject tests again, you’re right in that you can’t submit these. You don’t really need a tutor, just old subject tests to practice.
Yeah, theloniusmonk, that was what I was saying. Also, I’ve self-studied for my ACT and SAT and done well there, so I don’t think I really need a tutor. I just dropped the ball with these subject tests. Nothing I can do now about the scores I guess, so I just gotta do better next time. However, I don’t want to sacrifice an early decision. Would it be beneficial to apply to a school that doesn’t weigh subject tests as heavily like Columbia? It’s my #2 school, and I wouldn’t regret it if I got in ED (still very very slim chance I know).