Senior who just got their ACT score back, what are my chances?!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi! I’m a senior who just got back their ACT score. I really need to start applying but I’m not sure if I should to some schools. I feel like with my stats, I’ll just be wasting money on the application fee. What do you think?

Objective:

ACT (breakdown): 28C (29E, 26M, 29R, 26S)
Unweighted GPA: 93 UW, 101 W
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): N/A
AP (place score in parenthesis): AP World (2), APUSH (4), AP English (2), AP Stats, AP Gov, AP Bio
(I know my AP scores are bad, I’m only going to report the APUSH score)
Senior Year Course Load: Calculus Honors, AP Stats, AP Bio, AP Gov,
*I took college accounting my junior year, got an A+ and received 6 credits for it

Subjective:

Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
Red Cross (secretary 10-11, Vice 12)
Key Club
Writer for school newspaper
Mathletes
Environmental (Vice 12)
National Honor Society
Math Honor Society
English Honor Society
Science Honor Society
History Scholar Honor Society

Essays: I’m really bad at judging my own work because I’m so hard on myself. I wrote about a generic topic but I made it unique and made sure you could hear my voice in it. So maybe a 7/10?
Teacher Recommendation: Got one from my APUSH teacher who apparently writes really good ones. I was her intern junior year! Also asked my math teacher who loves me. I really pushed him to make my recommendation good and not generic.
Counselor Rec: Probably really generic. She doesn’t really know me.

Other:
Intended Major: Thinking about double majoring in business (probably accounting) and journalism
State (if domestic applicant): New York
School Type: Public school, not very competitive
Ethnicity: Asian! (Chinese)
Gender: Female

Schools I’m applying to:
Cornell (hahaha my parents want me to apply. I’m just aiming for a guarantee transfer. My dad went there and my sister is studying there now)
NYU (for journalism)
Colgate (I think my supplement will get me in! But are my scores too low to even consider? I heard they’re trying to get more diversity in their school so maybe being Asian helps? idk)
Northeastern (I wish, it’s gotten so competitive)
Binghamton
Stony Brook
Baruch
Queens

Additional comments:
I know my ACT score is not good, but I’m tired of being so hard on myself. I did improve 3 points! I got a 25 my first time (lol don’t judge) and I improved to a 28. I’m not sure if I should retake it in December. The exam is in less than a month and I haven’t been preparing. I already have to balance finishing college applications and schoolwork. Standardize testing is exhausting and I’m not sure if I want to go through it again.

Anyways, what are my chances at these schools? Don’t be afraid to be honest (but don’t be mean either!).

2

Your GPA is good, but not as good as average students’ in top schools; your ACT score (~28) is low; your extracurricular activity background is not exceptional as you are apparently in many clubs just as a member, not as a leader.

It might be hard for you to get into Cornell, Colgate, Northeastern and possibly NYU.

You might stand more chance if you apply undeclared, gain leadership positions, get better SAT/ACT scores, raise your grade, etc. Also, if any of those schools recommend or accept SAT 2, then take 'em.

3

Even if you only took like 2-3 practice tests by December 10th, you could raise your ACT score. Just make sure you take them in timed conditions and find out why you are missing questions.

I raised my ACT from a 29 to 32 from one week of studying. I did 3 reading practice tests because that was the score dragging me down

4

@airfire1928 “disadvantaged”

5

@ivybred excuse me?

6

@airfire1928 you’re ACT score is decent; however, your EC are snoozing.

7

NYU will not be hard for you.

8

If you have the money for NYU, what about Syracuse? Top journalism school and in NY like your other choices. Your stats make it a match, I think.

9

Bump

10

I don’t think you are competitive for Cornell, Colgate, NYU or NE. The others you should be fine. You should look for more matches. Hobart, Muhlenberg, St Bonaventure, Syracuse

11

@wisteria100 (@airfire1928) I completely disagree with your claim. @airfire1928 I encourage you to apply to Cornell University. PM me if you need assistance.

12

Uhh I just got my writing score back and I got a 6 how important is my writing score to colleges?

13

I dont know if a 6 is good, however I do know that a LOT of colleges have recently put a lot less consideration into writing scores because both ACT and SAT switched up their prompts for it. Next ACT make sure you are more familiar with the format of the test. The ACT essay is nothing like other essays.

14

NYU seems not too bad of a reach of you- just that its a bit pricey. I know that your technically a legacy because your dad and sister went to Cornell, but in all honesty, unless your dad/sister is friends with the top people, or if he’s famous or that he donated to the school, it seriously won’t help you much. As for your AP scores- I wouldn’t recommend reporting any of them and here’s why. The colleges see your transcripts and see what you take and got in the class. Lets say you got a A in AP World. So they see that A and this wow- they don’t care about your AP score. But now that reporting a score (APUSH) they’re going to wonder why you didn’t the other AP scores and know that your hiding something. (Does this make sense?) I hope this helps! Chance me back!

15

bump!! also how important are supplements? i think my supplement will get me into colgate but im concerned if my stats are too low to even consider

16

All prestigious school do go through holistic review process, so do not worry about whether they will even consider reading it.

Certainly supplements are crucial, but try to focus on academics more.

17

Have you considered applying to other liberal arts colleges other than Colgate? I think you would be a good fit for LACS.

18

Bump!!! (Will I even get into Binghamton? I’m scared that my act score is on the lower side)