I am a HS senior and recently got back my SAT I scores. They are honestly horrible according to me…1680
I took 20 practice tests from the Blue Books and Princeton Review before the test and showed great improvement on them, going from a 1550 on the first test to a 2330 on the last practice test!
Reading: 480
Math: 530
Writing: 670
My unweighted GPA is at a 3.2 and weighted GPA is at a 3.6, though I have to recheck this information with my counselor as I moved in the middle of high school twice, and I’m not sure if AP and Honors classes have been calculated in properly.
I’ll be taking the ACT on Oct. 24th, and feel like I am well prepared and ready to take the test and see positive, high results.
I’ve already started applying to colleges, and they are good colleges overall - 4 Public Ivy Leagues, 4 Public Colleges.
Now, my parents are telling me to start applying to state schools which I don’t want to do as it will take up more money in sending test scores, and application fees. The way I see it, I will do great on the ACT, and send those scores in to all the colleges I’m applying to instead of sending SAT scores. And the fact that I’m Indian adds to the pressure! I’m a great student, but the SAT has destroyed my mood
At this point, I don’t know what to do. Please give me insights…
To be truly honest, raising your score to be competitive for some of those “public ivys” will be pretty miraculous. Along with a low UW GPA, I would consider your parents suggestion and look into some of your state schools. There is no shame in going to a good state school. Your GPA and test scores do not reflect a “great” student but you are a good student.
Right now, I don’t care about the SAT score anymore because I am not going to retake it. I have my ACT coming up this Saturday, so that is my focus, and I know I will do wonders on it. And it’s really not up to you to judge me and take me down to a “good student”. I know my strengths and weaknesses and will assess myself based on what I think and am capable of. I’m applying to University Of Maryland, and though it is selective, I am positive I will get in, and will get accepted into most of the other universities that I’m applying to.
Read your title: Really . . . . . . . what are my chances?
@GumbyMom was providing you with truthful insights.
She has always been an experienced and encouraging voice on these forums. Her experience in acceptances (with students here and her own children) may not be what you wanted to hear, but she is being very truthful.
My truthful insights are that I concur with her evaluation.
Your stats aren’t at the level of “greatness” for any ivy. Your Indian parents are going to have to deal with the fact that you couldn’t get a perfect score on the SAT. Also, your UW GPA is not competitive with the tougher schools.
Based on your SAT, your best bets would be at instate schools since your ACT specifics would be along the same lines as “good”. With your current stats, your costs at private schools with be extremely expensive since your GPA and current SAT don’t qualify for any MERIT based aid.
If you had done well, you would be looking at National Merit schools now, not trying to force people to give unrealistic opinions on a 1680 SAT.
I never said I wanted to apply for ivy league schools. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t go to any ivy league school for engineering because most of them don’t even have what I want to. Public ivies are different in the fact that they have more programs than Ivy leagues, better fees, and are less selective than Ivy leagues.
These are the schools I’m applying to:
University of Maryland College Park (in-state)
Virginia Tech
North Carolina State
Rutgers New Brunswick
Ohio State
Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach
University of Texas at Arlington
Kent State
Like, I said, I’m taking the ACT tomorrow, and have the instinct that I am truly ready for it and will do very well on it.
I never said that I’m not going to send in SAT scores…I just said that they aren’t what I was expecting.
And please stay off of that stereotype that Indian parents are very strict and only want perfect SAT scores and 5.00 GPAs. I try my hardest in school and have taken 2 AP courses, taking 3 APs this year, and am doing and internship. I’ve had all A and B grades in regular level, honor level, and AP courses. And you people are acting as if SAT scores are the only thing that colleges look at…As you know, they look at way more than that. And I’ve done my research on these schools, their fees, and scholarships. It depends on the school what they’re looking at for scholarships.
And please consider the fact that I’ve been moving my entire life, was in India before moving to Maryland for 9th grade, went to Texas for 11th grade, and am back in Maryland for senior year.
Your UW GPA is a 3.2. Your SAT results are in line with that GPA. There’s nothing to suggest you’re going to do exceptionally well on the ACT, and in any case we’re chancing you on the basis of the scores you have, not those you expect.
When students talk about “public Ivies,” they typically mean schools like UC Berkeley, the University of Michigan, UNC-CH and, yes, UMD-CP, which is what many posters seem to have assumed.
Your CR+M SAT score of 1010 is at least 100 points (and often 200) below the 25th percentile at most of the schools you’ve listed (the two exceptions being Embry-Riddle and Kent State). As an OOS engineering applicant, that makes most of these schools non-starters.
If your ACT score goes up significantly, that could make a difference. Until it does, you should heed the advice of the posters here who’ve guided multiple kids, and hundreds if not thousands of CC posters, in their application process.
I recalculated my UW GPA and it comes up to 3.42. I’ll have to talk to my counselor about that as transcripts have been sent in already. My practice scores on the ACT and my confidence prove that I am going to do good on ACT, and I’ve been told many times that those who don’t do well on the SAT do well on the ACT. I’m not saying that I’m basing everything off of that, but it’s a proven fact.
Yes I am aware of the “Public-Ivies” and I believe that 4 of the colleges I’m applying to are public ivies.
You see, I am unable to figure out where I went wrong on the SAT. I practiced for 2-3 months and finished 20 practice tests, slowly upping my score from a 1500 to a 2330. With this much practice, I don’t know how I degraded myself to a mere 1680!
Anyways, I really can’t crib about it now that it’s done and I’ve received my scores. I’m unable to take another one as most of my college apps are due in November. I have to stay positive and go take the ACT with confidence and the knowing that the incentive will be to be able to send amazing ACT scores to colleges instead of dingy SAT scores.
I understand what you and the other posters are saying, but I can’t give up and have to positive and trust myself!
Algebra 1/Data Analysis SS B 1.00 Unweighted GPA Scale
A = 4
Grade:09 Term:FY B = 3
Lifetime Fit S1 B 0.50 C = 2
Year 2013 Grade:09 Term:FY
Computer Sci I-Hon A 1.00
Earth & Space Sci-G/T B 1.00
English 9 Honors B 1.00
French 2 B 1.00
Geometry G/T C 1.00
Health S2 A 0.50
US History Honors B 1.00
Year 2014 Grade:10 Term:FY
Algebra II B 1.00
Am Govt - Honors C 1.00
Biology - Honors B 1.00
English 10 - G/T B 1.00
French III B 1.00
Piano III/IV Honors A 1.00
PLTW Engineer Dsgn-GT B 1.00
Year 2015 Grade:11 Term:FY
Aerospace Engineering B 1.00
AP English Lang. B 1.00
AP French Lang. B 1.00
Chemistry A 1.00
Comm App A 0.50
Journalism A 1.00
PE A 0.50
Pre Calc B 1.00
World History B 1.00
The following is my transcript from 9th to 11th grade. The grade and year I was in is on the top, the course name and level of course is on the far left, the grade I received is in the middle column and credit earned is on the far right. Could someone please calculate UW and Weighted GPA…Note, G/T earns same GPA credit as AP courses in my county. And please don’t judge me and take advantage of me with the fact that I’ve openly posted my HS transcript. I posted it for a reason and that is to get my GPA properly calculated and the transcript evaluated for my interest as I am applying to colleges now.
By state schools, they mean schools like Salisbury, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Towson, etc…Schools in Maryland rather than UMD-CP as I’m already applying there. This is only because of the SAT score…These schools will be safety schools
Yes, I acknowledge the fact that colleges don’t give a crap about practice test scores. Though I don’t understand how I do so well on practice test, but perform poorly on the actual SAT!
@Desi4life
I’m sorry to hear the sat didn’t go as you planned. The most important thing at the moment is to stay positive and motivated about the act, as it is crucial to your application. I wish you the best of luck, not only on the exam but on getting to the schools on your list.
@ambitionsquared
Thanks for the motivation! I can’t let my SAT scores bring me down as I still have a long process ahead on college applications and I still have the rest of my senior year left. I appreciate your wishes and the fact that you have answered to my post in a positive manner over degrading all of my HS stats. Again, thanks for the motivation and wishes for my ACT and college apps!
@TomSrOfBoston
Lol…true! People always want to demotivate others. My GPA is decent, though my SAT scores aren’t good. My grades have been great and the rigor I put myself through with the courses I took and am taking have shown my intelligence in HS.
I should get what I want to hear instead of people pointing out everything that is wrong with my HS stats. Are there any insights you would like to give on my stats and standings?..be honest please
If there indeed is such a huge difference your scores in the practice and the real SAT it makes me wonder if there was a scoring problem. Did you mis-bubble?
