<p>The college admission process has changed a lot since I went to college (Stanford '77), so looking for a "sanity check" here.</p>
<p>Our son is finishing his junior year at a very academically sound HS here in Ohio. He has a weighted GPA of 3.9 (4.15 since the beginning of sophomore year), National Honor Society, Boys State Delegate, Eagle Scout, community service. Is a member of the marching band and the top concert band in the state. Historically, has had difficulty with standardized tests, particularly in math, but did fairly well on the ACT (32 English, 32 Reading, 26 Science, 25 Math) We don't have the writing result yet, but it will be a 10 or 11, in all likelihood. This puts him in the 93rd or 94th Percentile nationally. He took the AP US History exam as a sophomore, and will be taking the AP Government and AP English Lit exams next year.</p>
<p>He is unsure of which direction his career is going to go -- part of him is leaning toward a science career (astrophysics or similar), and part of him wants to be a history professor or analyst. He doesn't want a large school, but wants to continue with his music/band participation. He wants to stay generally in the midwest. We are going to visit Wash U. in St. Louis, Northwestern, Case Western, Carnegie Mellon and Johns Hopkins. Are any of these out of line? Any others people can suggest? </p>
<p>Have you looked at any of the really great Ohio liberal arts colleges like Denison (my son goes there and loves it), Kenyon, Wooster? Denison and Wooster give out very nice scholarships that are not based on financial need. They all have strong music programs, but no marching bands.</p>
<p>The current list you have there looks like reaches (which are fine if he only applies to a couple, but he needs more matches and safeties for sure), except maybe Case.</p>
<p>He should probably be thinking about some other factors too: size of school, rural/suburban/urban, presence or absence of graduate school, size of classes. </p>
<p>You should probably be talking to him now about how expensive of a school you can swing, and whether or not he will have to qualify for scholarship $$$ to attend a particular school. If he needs scholarship money then you need to "position" him accordingly. For instance, he can't be in the middle range for GPA and test scores of applicants - he needs to be very near the top of applicants. Fill out the FAFSA calculator on line to see if you might qualify for financial aid, as that can impact a list too.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input everybody. I agree that Northwestern, Wash U and maybe JH are somewhat reaches, but based upon my research and friends who have kids recently accepted there, Case is likely a safety school, although we will surely come up with others. </p>
<p>I don't think the test scores reflect his ability in Math or Science. He does extremely well in these at school, but I believe he overthinks the problems in a multiple choice test. In any event, college is where he will sort that out, not high school. </p>
<p>Our problem is finding the balance in size and offerings. He doesn't want to attend a 40,000 + university where you can't graduate in 4 years, like Ohio State, but wants enough size to offer solid departments in both the physical sciences and humanities. Add in the music, and finding the right fit is problematic.</p>
<p>I have a hunch that as we go through the visit process and he does more research, some colleges will stand out and strike him as fits. In the meantime, keep the ideas coming!</p>
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In any event, college is where he will sort that out, not high school.
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<p>He should retake the ACT. He may be able to "sort that out in college" but first, he has to get into the college of his choice. I don't think that CMU or JHU would be eager to accept an applicant with those math/science scores who declares he wants to study astrophysics. Unfortunately, there's a chance that the adcom will discount his class grades because of his performance on standardized tests.</p>
<p>I would disagree with your assessment on why he is not strong on the Math portion of SAT/ACT, simply because the problems are these tests are specificially made to use simple skills that require no critical thinking or reason where there is no overthinking required. Applications of basic pythagorean theorem, probability, algebra are needed, and the only thought is which of these simple tasks is required and then crunching a few numbers. Practice practice practice these problems until he is dreaming 3/4/5 Triangles and 30-60-90 rules and he should be fine.</p>
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<p>Our problem is finding the balance in size and offerings. He doesn't want to attend a 40,000 + university where you can't graduate in 4 years, like Ohio State, but wants enough size to offer solid departments in both the physical sciences and humanities. Add in the music, and finding the right fit is problematic.</p>
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<p>Sounds like Oberlin would be a perfect fit!</p>
<p>I think you are just making my point for me. The point is that he tends to apply critical thinking when he doesn't need to. Thanks for the input.</p>
<p>Kings Point is a US Service Academy, but it is unique in that when you graduate you have the OPTION of serving on active duty in any of the services, or working in anywhere in the US Maritime industry for 8 years while maintaining a USNR commission.</p>
<p>It is relatively small, 1000 Midshipmen and a quarter of them are at sea at any given time. Mids spend a year at sea on various merchant vessels. They also have a great band, "George M. Cohan's Own" that travels the world.</p>
<p>The Regiment is rigorous, but Midshipmen are great young men and women. </p>
<p>It sounds like it might be a fit.</p>
<p>Just something a little different you might not have thought of.</p>
<p>My son is a Midshipman there. PM me if you want more info.</p>
<p>If you haven't really looked at Ohio University, drive over to Athens and take a tour. The size is right (big enough for lots of opportunities, but small enough not to get lost), it would be inexpensive (relatively) for an Ohio resident, and everyone who graduates from there LOVES it. Of course it does have that party school recommendation..... But visit, talk to some people there, and see what you think.</p>
<p>In the Humanities and Social Science Dept at CMU, for 2004, there were 2501 applicants, of which 1337 were admitted (53%). The ACT scores from the OP are equivalent to a V+M SAT score of approx 1300. For H&SS at CMU, the average SAT was 1325.</p>
<p>I second Lawrence University in Appleton, Wi. Students can play in the symphonic orchestra through auditions and not be conservatory students or jazz orchestra etc. Science program is very respected. Don't need SATs if you don't want to send them in or take them for that matter. Small, friendly, diverse campus.</p>
<p>Oberlin is in no way a safety. Also, for a non-music major, participation in ensembles is likely to be limited because of the presence of the conservatory.</p>
<p>Ohio Univ Athens is a very good recommendation also.</p>
<p>St. Olaf has very strong music programs, although I'm not sure about marching band. It is a little larger than some other LACs that have been mentioned, and is strong in science.</p>
<p>I don't know very much about Ohio University (it may be a little large), but an interesting couple I know are graduates - she is a prof musician and he has a degree in the technical aspects of TV and video. Both loved their school, and it has a lot of offerings.</p>