Nervous about Scores?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Although I know SAT/ACT scores don't mean everything in a college application, but I'm nervous that they will be a reason why I won't get accepted to some of my reach schools. I know that they're not drastically low, but they are lower than the average.</p>

<p>I live in Florida and I attend a medium-large public school. I am White and Hispanic.</p>

<p>I am a prospective physics major and I plan on applying to the following schools:</p>

<p>MIT (Dream School :D)
Princeton
Yale
Stanford
Cornell
Carnegie Mellon
UC Berkeley
Harvey Mudd
University of Florida
University of Miami
Rensselaer Polytechnic
Case Western</p>

<p>I hope to get accepted to at least five of the schools on that list.</p>

<p>TEST SCORES:</p>

<p>SAT: Composite 2030 (CR 660, M 740, W 630)
ACT: Composite 32
Math II: 660 (Only took once for practice, predicting to get around 720)
Biology: 700
Chemistry: 700</p>

<p>ACADEMICS:</p>

<p>Class Rank: 1/603
UW GPA: 4.0
W GPA: 5.4</p>

<p>By the time I graduate I will have taken 20 AP Classes (Human Geography, Biology, World History, Comparative Government, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Statistics, Language and Composition, Literature, US History, Environmental Science, Physics B, Physics C, Chemistry, US Government and Politics, Computer Science A, Macreoeconomics, Microeconomics, Psychology, Spanish Language and Culture) and 12.5 honors courses.</p>

<p>My school offers the basic 7 class schedule, but I took 8 through on online high school over the summer or during the regular school year.</p>

<p>I am also enrolled in an environmental science magnet program offered at my school, which gives me basic research experience.</p>

<p>EXTRA CURRICULARS:</p>

<p>I have participated in my school's theatre program for all four years. My school is known regionally (and was recognized nationally a couple years before I enrolled) to have an extremely successful theatre program. I was involved in lighting design and set construction my freshman year, and was a stage manager for every show thereafter. On average, I participate in the drama program for school 30 hours a week. </p>

<p>Drama Club Treasurer 2013-2015.</p>

<p>A subdivision of the theatre program is the Cappies program. This gives me the opportunity to visit and watch other participating schools' shows and write a review. The best reviews from each show are 'published' in local newspapers. I have been 'published' 11 times so far after participating for two years (going on the third).</p>

<p>The theatre program also hosts a summer camp, which I have been a counselor and assistant camp director for for two years.</p>

<p>Participated in Moody's Mega Math Challenge.</p>

<p>Was on a bowling league from 5th grade until the end of my freshman year.</p>

<p>ACHEIVEMENTS</p>

<p>Besides basic awards from the school, I received the MIT Book Award, Best Sophomore Critic (Cappies program), and was nominated as a Sunshine State STEM Scholar.</p>

<p>I have bonded with several teachers over the course of my high school career, so I'm confident that my recs will be great.</p>

<p>I know that over half of the schools on my list are a reach, but I want to know whether I have a decent chance. I plan on taking every SAT/ACT test until February. Also, does anyone recommend any other good school for a physics undergrad?</p>

2

<p>You look like a phenomenal candidate – but your biggest weakness is definitely your scores. For MIT especially, and really all of those prestigious schools, a 660 on Math2 is a little low. I don’t know what the exact policy is for every school, but some have you send in every score, regardless of how many you have taken. Even a 720 on math is a little low for MIT… Your curriculum rigor is impressive. I would focus on improving your scores but PLEASE do not take every test until february. Focus on one administration and study hard. It looks strange to take the SAT more than three times IMO. I would take the basic SAT and the SAT subject tests once more each, either the same subject tests (def take the math 2 again) or new ones to show breadth… Also for a physics major you may want to take the physics sat 2.</p>

<p>Otherwise you look like a very strong candidate… as you know it is a roll of the dice for everyone at some point. Harvey Mudd is definitely an excellent choice; I have a friend going there and he seems very similar to you.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

3

<p>I’d be inclined to cut at least one of the extreme reaches (ie. MIT, Yale, Princeton, and Stanford), if not 2-3, and replace with some lesser Ivies or other colleges that are likelier matches: Tulane, Case Western, Purdue, Pitt, Lehigh, Penn, et al.You have a fabulous resume, but they are all brutally competitive. </p>

4

<p>Duly noted: thanks for your input!</p>

<p>Haha, I should probably stop freaking out about scores as much as I am now. I think I’ll only take it once more like you suggested :slight_smile: </p>

<p>But thanks again, I really appreciate it! </p>

5

<p>bump</p>

6

<p>This is a tough chance considering that you did take 20 AP classes and are a valedictorian yet half the schools on your list are very competitive.
MIT: reach
Princeton: reach
Yale: reach
Stanford: reach
Cornell: low reach
Carnegie Mellon: low reach
UC Berkeley: low reach
Harvey Mudd: low reach
University of Florida: match
University of Miami: match
Rensselaer Polytechnic: match
Case Western: match
Good luck!</p>

7

<p>Yeah most of the schools that are on your list are extremely competitive. I don’t feel that your SAT/ACT scores alone truly reflect your potential as a student at these schools. Try to get the best score you possibly can. I think that Harvey Mudd might be a good school for you.</p>

8

<p>The reason that I have so many reach schools on my list is purely the fact that, the more places I apply to, the better chance that I have on getting into a top school. Now I know the laws of probability don’t work like this, especially with such subjective admission selections, but stories of people getting denied from places like Cornell, Stanford, MIT, and Duke, but getting accepted to a school like Princeton really scares me. I’m pretty sure I can get into UF and RPI, so why should I add more safety/match schools to the list if I don’t intend on going to them? </p>

<p>With my intended major in physics, going to a good school is extremely important to me (not that it isn’t to anyone else, obviously, haha). I desire work in academia and research, so I very much fear of not having my best chances of going top schools that can give me these career options.</p>

9

<p>I totally understand the impetus to throw as many top schools on your list as possible – especially with the common app (although the supplement thing sucks, I have to say). I am definitely prone to adding more and more Ivies onto my list as I go, thinking “what if brown rejects me but Dartmouth lets me in?” That said, I also think that there are TONS of schools that will offer you a great education in every major that are not Ivies/MIT/Stanford/etc. your undergrad diploma, while important, is not a make-it-or-break-it type thing, especially going into academia where you will most likely have advanced degrees. I do not think your career choices will be limited much, if at all, if you are not accepted into a super reach school. Therefore (sorry this is long), maybe focus on finding schools that are a good fit for you rather than tossing an application to every school with an under 15 percent acceptance rate. I’m not an engineering or physics person by any means, so I’m afraid I can’t really help you make a list, but I’m positive there are schools out there that would be glad to have you and that are not crazy, roll the dice, win the lottery kind of places when it comes to admissions.</p>

<p>So aim high, but make sure you have some places you would love to go that are reasonable. Good luck, as always.</p>