Low SAT, High ACT, decent GPA?

Colleges & Universities A-Z Princeton University
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<p>It's a little bit discerning at this stage of my college application process, but how will this affect my chances of admission? How will admission colleges most likely evaluate this?</p>

<p>I received a very low SAT score. Not just low, but dismal. I've only taken it two times and have had a 110 point increase on my second try: 700CR, 530M, 630W. Yes, I am mathematically illiterate. </p>

<p>I am, however, planning to offset this complete SAT annihilation by taking my ACTs in December. I am busting my butt preparing for this thing, so my expected score range is 32-34.</p>

<p>I have a decent 3.8 weighted gpa. (I do have an upward grade trend, however) I'm aware that it's a bit on the low side, but I am an Asian female, a first generation college student living in a single parent household, and tri-lingual. (English, Spanish, Chinese) </p>

<p>As for activities:
-4 years of music
- chamber choir, mixed choir, honor choir, women's choir
- self-taught guitarist/pianist, have composed several of my own songs
- art: painting, sketching
- writing: poetry, fiction--have submitted some of my work to poetry/creative writing contests
- have been involved in community service for 4 years (specifically, i am mostly involved with an organization dedicated to serving the elderly). I have taken on several leading positions in the organization such as vice-president and membership chairwoman. I also recently participated in a fundraising event called Relay For Life.
- work experience: paid barista at Starbucks
- 3 years of high school sports: tennis/ track & field, including a year of varsity tennis
- have won three music related awards, a scholar athlete award, as well as a california dragonboat association award. Also enrolled as a CSF member
- 4 year involvement with GATE program</p>

<p>If a really kickass essay is also taken into consideration, how much of a chance do I stand?</p>

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<p>girl, with your sat scores, i really don't think that ur going to get into any ivy league schools...</p>

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<p>And that's precisely why I am aiming for a 32-34 ACT score. Besides, other factors come into play.</p>

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<p>very very low chances...</p>

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<p>sorry, but try looking into some awesome (but less competitive) schools.
ur college list should esp. be "middle/match" heavy. </p>

<p>good luck :)</p>

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<p>yea same with everyone else......its your math score that really got to me..... some skuls replace SAT with ACT.....so I read.... I dunno yea</p>

<p>good luck</p>

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<p>how do you know for sure you can score that on ACT?</p>

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<p>What's your unweighted GPA?</p>

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<p>I don't agree -- Princeton says they look at your highest scores, so they would look at only her ACT. Now given she gets a 32-34 and has decent ECs etc. etc. etc., why wouldn't they consider her if she got those SAT scores(since they wouldn't see them anyway)?</p>

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<p>Because a 3.8 weighted GPA is not so impressive?</p>

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<p>Yeah, but my comment was aimed towards the SAT score. I agree, a bit low w. the gpa</p>

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<p>yea I was thinking in the same line as matty....but yea 3.8 weighted gpa...hmm</p>

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<p>matty, they would see her SAT I scores, becuz they require the 3 subject tests. they are all on the same score report</p>

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<p>see them, yes, but not consider them. are we sure that admissions officers see all the scores? or are there secretaries that put only the best scores on a stat sheet that is sent to committee members? </p>

<p>They SAY they only see the best scores... but who knows??</p>

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<p>Add: </p>

<p>It just seems to be the same situation as if you got a 520 Math II first time taken, and a 790 second time (or something not as drastic lol, but you get the point). They'd consider the second score only.</p>

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<p>lol. The physical score report itself gets placed in the app folder.</p>

<p>besides, readers are human --meaning, they can't help but consider all the information available to them.</p>

<p>think logically, who would you rather admit? a student with a 32 ACT score and a 1800 composite SAT score, or a student with a 32 ACT score and a 2300 SAT score?</p>

<p>i bet that any reader would wince at a 530 SAT MATH score.</p>

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<p>and they might also question why she didnt simply retake the SAT I reasoning test again, and why she had to switch to ACT.</p>

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<p>yeah thats true, which kind of makes me worry.
I took the SAT as a sophomore to "try it" -- 1840
Then I took the ACT as a junior and got a 32 (pretty much the same ex. that is being used lol).
I just didnt retake the SAT because I thought the ACT was on par for the schools I'm applying to (in the middle 50% range)
SAT IIs: 760, 700, 690</p>

<p>Is this bad? lol</p>

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<p>I've taken the SAT I two times already and have had no success with it. That is why I have decided to try my luck with the ACT instead. I am also perfectly aware of the fact that both my SAT test scores and gpa are embarrassingly low , but as I've mentioned before, other factors come into play. I plan to discuss them in my essay, which I hope will justify the low digits reported on my transcript.</p>

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<p>My unweighted is a 3.7. I think this is mostly due to extra classes. I have both a 0 period and a 7th period that makes my gpa a little bit lopsided.</p>