Hi, I’m looking to help my daughter navigate this crazy college process.
We live in Maryland (Frederick County) and she wants to stay within an hour or two, preferably. She wants a larger school with Engineering, etc., as she is interested in that major as well as others.
Anyway, we know she’ll apply to UM-CP, UMBC, etc. But she wants a reach, so we’ve started to think about Johns Hopkins.
Obviously, it’s an amazing school, but we didn’t really think that “big time”. But, this darn girl has a UW 4.0, weighted like 4.6 or something, and it’s like, hmmmm…She is also doing well on AP tests and is a Varsity athlete, volunteer, etc.
So after all this preamble, the issue is SAT scores. She just took it Saturday for the first time and of course we don’t have scores back but we signed up to send scores to the Maryland schools and Hopkins. Is this mistake? Should we have waited to see if they’re good or wait to see if the second round in June is better? Does Hopkins superstore? Do they expect all scores?
Also, should she take SAT II tests? What about the SAT with Essay next time? How about the ACT?
Hi. I am an applicant for Johns Hopkins and I hope some of this will help!
As for SAT scores, I would personally recommend to hold back on sending them until getting a satisfactory score since ACT is always an open option. I myself took the SAT multiple times before switching to ACT because I couldn’t reach my score goal. Especially since it is her first time taking the SAT, it will probably be best to see how she does first and take it 1-2 more times or try the ACT. I can’t recall if JHU requires to send all SAT scores. I do know that JHU will consider the highest section scores across all SAT/ACT tests taken. The essays, according to their website, is optional.
As for the SATII, it is not required to take to apply to Johns Hopkins, but it is usually strongly recommended for students to show academic strength. According to their website, they will consider the two highest subject test scores, and if your daughter is choosing to study engineering, it is strongly recommended to take the Math II test and a science test.
Most of this information is also on their website, so I would also check there for confirmation.
(Current Student)I know your question is mainly about SAT scores, but I looked at what you said about your daughter and just want to remind you that a 4.0 GPA, while impressive, can be deceptive. For example, my cumulative unweighted GPA was a 3.94 but that was also while taking 13/15 AP classes the school offered while balancing tutoring, volunteering, 20 hours of athletics per week, and music. People with 4.0s who took less rigorous classes and had less extracurricular activities had a higher GPA because they had less on their plate.
Regarding SAT scores, sending them now isn't a big deal. In fact, when your daughter applies, just have her send all of them. The way admissions works is that they will look at all of her scores and assemble the best profile out of them with superscoring, etc. So if she got a 1400, 1500, and 1600, they would probably only consider the 2400 while also noting that she improved on each test.
My recommendation is to take the test in June. See how she does with these 2 test and see if she likes the SAT format and does well. If not, then have her do at least 2 hours of test prep every day during the summer and take the SAT or ACT in September/October. This will give her time to really familiarize herself with the test and help with testing nerves. Also, these months are when school hasn't really picked up and she is still relaxed.
Regarding SAT vs. ACT, different people like different tests. I was more of a fan of the ACT and after getting the same score(2100) on the SAT twice, I studied through the summer and took the ACT in my senior year September and got a 35, much better. And getting a good score made me less anxious about the SAT so that when I took it for the final time, I didn't have any testing nerves and got a 2300.
For the SATII tests, if she wants to be an engineer, then she should take at least one science test and MathII. This will be more than enough for even the best engineering schools.
Anyway, I know this is a lot of info, so if you have questions, feel free to message me.
Thanks for all the info! Yes, she does want to try the ACT too. She studied a lot for the SAT so it will be interesting to see how she does. I agree on the SAT II tests. Do you all think she should do the SAT with Essay next time?
I totally get that 4.0 can mean different things. She is taking all Honors or AP when available at her smaller public school. And does volunteering, along with being one of the top Varsity Tennis players.
We’re totally proud of her and really hoping for UM-CP or UMBC. But she is also applying to Frostburg State for a safety, and wants a super,-reach, so is thinking Hopkins. No expectations (and also not sure we could pay for it, lol).
Off-topic, any other suggestions for schools to apply to for her? Loyola of Maryland? George Mason or James Madison? She wants places that have Engineering.
Thanks for the feedback! She will put in an application to Johns Hopkins if her SAT scores warrant it.
Although the essay on the SAT and ACT are both optional, it goes without saying that you should definitely opt-in for the essay. Most colleges, even if they don’t say it, prefer to see an essay.
Additionally, the difference between the SAT and ACT is mainly in the format of the questions and the pacing of the test. I enjoyed the simpler and less analytic questions of the ACT, especially since the Science section is basically reading comprehension.
You also mentioned that she is a top Varsity Tennis Player. Is she looking to get recruited? JHU is Division 3, so if her grades are on par, the coaches can probably guarantee her admittance through early decision. You also don’t have to worry about getting locked into attendance through early decision, because if your financial aid is less than you need, you can defer early decision for that reason. I am on the varsity swim team and was recruited, although I applied regular decision.
If she is from Maryland, I don’t see a problem with her chances for UM-CP or UMBC. Regarding engineering schools, I don’t really know any schools. A good starting point would be to see what kind of engineering your daughter would like to pursue(BME, EE, ChemBE, MechE, etc.) and just search online for rankings.
@Astro77, I take a different view of the standardized essay than what is suggested above. The essay is completely “optional” according to the JHU admissions website. I don’t agree that admissions “wants to see” that score. If they did they would ask for it or at least “encourage” it. The standardized tests are difficult enough to add another hour to the test-taking process. So long as your child submits good essays with her application and has good grades (and hopefully a decent English AP score), she will be more than fine. Another complication with regard to the essay is that you cannot leave the essay score off of an otherwise great SAT or ACT score should your kid bomb the essay. The same goes for if your kid aces the essay but bombs the rest of the test. My kids have also had more success with the ACT than then SAT as one poster above also experienced. You need only submit one set of test data, SAT or ACT.
Since engineering is of interest, plan on taking the SAT subject tests. The JHU website “encourages” submitting Math 2 and a science. The word “encourage” means much more than “optional” but not quite “required.” So if your kid can show decent subject tests scores for engineering, then I would share them with JHU. But if your kid cannot show good scores in a math or science, I would reconsider engineering…or at least consider taking care not to start your freshman student off in too high of a math or science class. If you agree with this reasoning, and if your kid is going to take a shot at the SAT subject tests…then you may be back to considering the ACT as your main standardized test vehicle for the baseline requirements. That way, your child can take subject tests on any day that an SAT is given without feeling as if she should also be taking the regular SAT instead. This is how my eldest two kids approached it.
You really need SAT IIs for Hopkins. A 4.0 in mostly APs in Frederick County does not show you are at the level for a top school. The SAT IIs are really important for top 50 schools, particularly one like Hopkins that is looking primarily for strong academics. If you have good AP exam scores, it might not be so important, but then you should do well on SAT IIs. They probably prefer to see the essay, but it is not so crucial.
I would suggest looking at school a little bit between the level of UMD and Hopkins, even if they are not local.
The top 500 schools ranked by average SAT score. This should give you an idea. I would look at roughly #40-100. I can’t recommend specific schools without knowing the student.