<p>So one of my closest friends, he is current Junior and will be applying to schools like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford and MIT (other top tiers as well).*</p>
<p>He is a straight A student 4.00UW, and his weighted GPA is like 4.6ish and is in the Top 2%.</p>
<p>EC's are AMAZING things like (NAACP, Native American Rights Fund, American Red Cross) There are many more but that's just a couple.</p>
<p>Community Service is AWESOME too, he works with kids that have Hodgkin's lymphoma and many other serious illnesses at Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando, Florida (Google it if you want more info).</p>
<p>Problem is that he just received his ACT score and received a 22.</p>
<p>He feels as if his shot at these colleges has gone out the window because of his 22, and cried all day today.</p>
<p>He is 1/2 Native American (Powhatan).</p>
<p>So does he still have a shot? How realistic is his shot of being accepted to Stanford?</p>
<p>It is below the average, but the admissions process is holistic. I would still have him apply, but I’d have him realize how much of a crapshoot admissions at these schools are. That way he won’t be crushed if he gets a negative result.</p>
<p>OP, one or both of the following is very likely true: (1) your friend attends a high school where getting a 4.0 doesn’t mean a whole lot; and (2) your friend has significant test anxiety and needs to address it before he tries again.</p>
<p>Also, just so you know: your friend’s ECs and service are good, but in the context of applicants to the top schools, not particularly “amazing” or “awesome”. So many people in these forums describe their ECs, essays, etc., in those terms, but lots and lots of applicants have similar things on their applications. Good luck to your friend.</p>
<p>Well my older S got into Stanford this year and my younger S (one year behind) wants to follow in older brother’s footsteps. S2 just got his ACT score from the April 9th administration and his score was a 32. He has comparable EC’s to his older brother and is ranked #2 in his class just like S1. However, S1 had a better score and I told S2 he had an “outside chance” of getting in with a 32 but he needed to pick it up 2-3 points to better his chances. It was his first try so hopefully he will improve his score.</p>
<p>Not trying to be negative but a 22 is very low for Ivy League schools. Your friend has very little hope with that score. The good news, if you want to call it that, is… there is still a lot of time for him to improve. I’ve seen kids increase their score by 8 points with disciplined study habits. Have your friend take lots of practice tests if they are serious about their desire to attend those schools. Go to the ACT forum and you will get invaluable information about which books you can purchase and tips on taking the test.</p>
<p>/\ That is absolutely no remedy. While scores aren’t a major part of your application (I got in with a 31, and Tripletime, anything higher than a 32 isn’t going to help your son anymore at all. None.) a 22 is way too low. Such an applicant would not be able to handle the academic pressure at Stanford. </p>
<p>As Zenkoan said, there is a discrepancy that needs to be addressed.</p>
<p>You must be awefully invested in this “friend’s” life knowing all his stats. Plus this is not the first thread you have posted about him.</p>
<p>Anyway, a 22 is a very low score and though, like many have said before me, scores aren’t everything, this is one situation where they will have a big impact. Assuming the rest of the application will be run of the mill (In the context of elite college applicants this means wonderful recommendations, well written essays and a positive interview) [and judging by the portion of his profile you have posted, I think it will be], a score like that will raise a red flag. </p>
<p>It is highly unlikely that he will get in, unless there is some remarkable portion of his profile that you have left out, IMO gold medal, published research in a repeated journal, olympic athlete(but that will fall below the required AI anyway) etc, I doubt he will get a favorable decision. </p>
<p>I advise you to still apply anyway and hope for the best. We are not admission officers so all this is just speculation. Who knows, they might see something special that we do not!?</p>
<p>@Jasonvdm… While I agree that test scores are not the main thing that Stanford looks at, I gotta say that - all things being equal - a 34,35 on your ACT looks better than a 32. I do applaud the fact that you were home schooled and did so well on your test. That is admirable given the fact that you were self taught in many areas… I read your thread on getting into Stanford. I’m glad that we agree on one thing though… a 22 is not going to get anyone into Stanford no matter the hook. Like I said though, he still has time to pick it up given the right focus and determination.</p>
<p>Even as a Native American, a 22 is too low. He’s still only a Junior, so he has another shot. Tell him to study more and work on his anxiety (if that’s his issue).</p>