<p>I really want to go to Vanderbilt, but I'm not sure my SAT/ACT score is good enough. I mean I have perfect grades so far and a 4.4 weighted, 4.0 unweighted. Unfortunately my school only offers two AP classes, both of which can only be taken senior year, which is this coming year for me. I'm afraid I messed up my freshman and sophomore years though because I took no honors classes. It wasn't my fault because my middle school counselor did not tell me about the honors courses and I did not even know about them until the second semester of my freshman year. As a result, I was not allowed to take honors my sophomore year because I was not in honors my freshman year. Then I moved after the end of my sophomore year and I took all honors/ dual credit classes last year.
Here's a quick run down.</p>
<p>Freshman:
PE (2semesters required)
World History
English 9
Geometry (took algebra 1 in 8th grade)
French I
Biology
Video Tech</p>
<p>Sophomore:
Chemistry
English 10
PE and Health
French III
Algebra II
Art I
Animation</p>
<p>Junior:
A&P (honors)
Pre-AP English
German IV
College algebra (dual credit)
Trig (dual credit)
Calc I (dual credit)
Statistics (dual credit)
American History (dual credit)
Chemistry II (honors)</p>
<p>Unfortunately my current school has many dual credit courses but only two APs. Next year I will take
French IV
AP English
AP Bio
Calc II (dual credit)
Psychology
Geography (freshman course not offered in summer school but I have to take it to graduate)
Physics
then a free period where I will be lad aid in the A&P honors class.</p>
<p>I have a great GPA so far and it's only going to go up. I'm in the top 4% of my class, I'm projected to finish around #2 or 3, probably not #1 though. But anyway, I have great ECs and a lot of leadership and service positions so I'm not worried about that. I also have different circumstances, I live in TN for about 6 years but my dad's in the Air-force, so we just moved again. I've also been to alot of camps and stuff like Girls' State. My biggest fall back is my SAT/ACT.
My ACT best score is a 29 but Vanderbilt requires the writing which I didn't not know so I'm taking it again for the 3rd time but the 2nd time I took it I got a 27. In my defense, I got sick half way through and got a 23 and 24 on the reading and science while I got a 33 in English and a 30 in math. My SAT is only like a 1770. I hate the SAT and I don't plan on retaking it which is why I'm focusing on the ACT.</p>
<p>So basically what I'm asking (with that huge wall of text) is, assuming my ACT stays at about a 29 or maybe up a little, could I still get in with my lack of APs and mediocre test score?</p>
<p>With your school only offering 2 AP classes, I think it is natural to assume that maintaining a perfect GPA is not as challenging as it might be if you were at a more competitive school. That’s not to completely take away the merits of 3 years of hard work, as numbers on paper look the same regardless of where they come from, but you should keep in mind that where an applicant comes from (state, school etc.) can determine admissions nearly as much as the scores themselves.</p>
<p>That being said, this is why colleges and universities use standardized test scores, so as to set a national bar that does not discriminate nor favor applicants because of where they live. </p>
<p>With a weak ACT score, your chances of Vanderbilt are going to be low. That doesn’t mean that you have no chance; rather, this is just one aspect of your application that needs work. If your essays, rec letters and ECs are solid, then that might just be enough to push you into the green.</p>
<p>Most likely rejection at Vandy.</p>
<p>My school is VERY VERY competetive, all of us are only about one hundreth of a GPA point apart. When I moved in the counselor said I was ranked at about 60 of 180, but now I’m really 5th. Our school sent 5 people to Ivies just this past year, so I don’t think my school will be viewed as not up to par. It’s not like my classes were easy, there are nights I didn’t even get to bed. It has been very challenging. I’m just worried that my ACT will look bad, I have taken the prep classes and gotten the book, but I don’t know what happens on test day. And all of my dual credits are from a private university so it’s not like, yeah I took honors but they didn’t mean anything. My school doesn’t do IB or anything like that because the state won’t fund it because it’s such a small school.</p>
<p>Do you go to Bronx School of Science? Just wondering…</p>
<p>No, I live in rural Kansas, my dad is in the Airforce, but I did live in TN and I went to a DODEA (department of defense) school. I’ve also lived all over europe which is why I’m in upper level French and German.</p>
<p>Cool story, but still most likely rejection at Vanderbilt. Anything can happen though. Good luck.</p>
<p>Get the ACT up to a 32 and I’ll say you’re a high match. Right now you’re a low reach for me.</p>
<p>My score will most likey go up to a 31 at least. My school held a prep session this summer and I got a 33 on the practice test we took, then my writing score was an 11. Then on the practice tests I’ve taken (timed mind you) I got, on average, a 34 in English, a 32 in math, a 35 in reading and a 31 in science. So I’m fairly sure it will go up, if not to a 33 then at least to a 30 or 31.</p>
<p>I not blaming anyone. I’ve done everything I possibly can to get the grades that I have and you nor anyone else can tell me “yes” or “no” for certain anyway. I was simply asking for opinions, not stupid comments.</p>
<p>Although your school does not offer many AP’s, it seems you do not have initiative to self study any AP classes. I hope you do understand that course rigor is very crucial when they look at your grades, your transcript will not be competitive when looked at rigor; however, the perfect gpa will definitely be beneficial. </p>
<p>Whats are your EC’s?
Subject tests?</p>
<p>ACT score is just out of range for vandy. A practice test for the act will provide an accurate representation of your real score but expect your real score to be lower (nervousness, timing, distraction, lack of focus etc.), science section is especially hard to do well on consistently because of the harsh curve. </p>
<p>good luck</p>
<p>Well for my ECs:
French Club (vp)
German Club (pres.)
Young Gov. (sec.)
NHS (VP and youngest member, got in as a sophomore and I will be pres. next year.)
Science Olympiad
Ist and 2nd in State Foreign Lang. comp.
Science/Math camp at UT (only 30 students state wide selected)</p>
<p>I went to Girls’ State
National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine
I used to play basketball, but I screwed up my ankle and can’t play anymore, so I’ve started swimming locally (school doesn’t have a team)
Certified in CPR
I am a mentor for the foreign exchange students every year as well. We always get a kid from Germany or France and then the school asks me to mentor them because I speak the languages proficiently and I can relate to them better. For example, I know most of the music in France and Germany, most of the TV shows, things like that. It makes them feel more welcome and makes it easier for them to adjust because I introduce them to everyone and show them around. It’s really fun.</p>
<p>I tutor college students in just about everything. My uncle is a college basketball coach, so they’re mostly his kids.</p>
<p>I also volunteer at the hospital about 4 hours a week, then the rest of the week I do speech and debate after school.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, I took test subjests in German and French. French was a 740 and German was a 770. I plan to take the Biology, English and History too.</p>