<p>I just recieved my latest ACT multiple choice score report-28. I was uttery saddened by this score. I deffinelty thought I did better. Its the highest of the two ACT's I have taken with preparation and I dont know why but it just seems to me that I can't raise it any higher. My DREAm school that I would DIE to go to is Upenn- there is serisouyl a lundry list of reasons why I would love to go here. But from what it seems, my confidence level right now of getting accepted there if I applied ED this fall is -100. my ACt falls a few points lover than their middle 50% average of 30-33 ( which I intially thought I had scored in when I walked out of the test center) I have really good grades, EC, and things gonig for me- 4.2 gpa, only 2 B's in all high school (both in 9th grade) all but 2 A+'s this past junoir year of high school (and thats in all honors, APs and a dual carriculam of genral and Jewish studies courses) founder and leader of a middle eastern jewish youth group, varsity baseball all years of high school, sing in a city choir that goes to weddings, old age homes, etc, .... first in my family to graduate high school and attend a four year university in the US-both parents from Iran and didnt formally continue secondary education once moving here. I am also Jewish and i live in NC. I have all these things going for me and it seems to me that the only thing holding me back from applying to my ream schol is my damn standadrzed tets. I know they say they are not everything, bt it seems to me that they are a BIG thing. Ill probably take the ACT one final this this september ( I am guessing its the final time I can take it if I want to apply ED) and just have upeen recieve the score and count it if its above 28. I just seem soo lost and dont know what to do. Should I continue on persuing this dream of going to the school whose campus, city, community, and people I absolutly love or should I just settle on the reality that my test scores dont rank up and it would be a waste of time and a big turn off??</p>
<p>Have you taken the SAT? Some people do better on one than the other.</p>
<p>retake? study harder? take a test prep class? (e.g. Princeton Review, Kaplan)</p>
<p>i took sat and act and i picked to study for one based on how i did on each with no prep. I did better on the act. i also just finihsed a prep course clas. is a 28 too low to even be considered.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that the 30-33 range is the middle 50%. 25% of students who go to Penn have lower than 30.</p>
<p>Also, if you have good grades/ECs, you certainly have a shot. One test score won’t make a huge difference (i.e. probably won’t make or break the decision)</p>
<p>Lastly, Penn treats its ED applicants very well. An admission officer there once told me that it views ED applicants more leniently because they have alread made a commitment to Penn.</p>
<p>I would suggest applying ED, it would greatly increase your chances. Never lose hope.</p>
<p>How did you do on each section, and is English is your second language? Penn might be a little more forgiving if your score is being brought down by the writing and reading sections but you have high math and science scores.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that the ACT is not the only thing Penn cares about. Coherence and proper spelling come to mind.</p>
<p>Don’t lose hope. Just apply ED and see what happens. There are tons of other great schools out there as well.</p>
<p>english actually is not my first language and its funyy though that i had gotten an 10 on the essay the first time (i hvavent gotten this on’es essay score back) and a 34 on the english section for each time. its the reading and science thats hurting me. any tips on how to conquer those sections? i want my spetember test to really bring out the best of what i can produce. </p>
<p>and thanks for all your replies!</p>
<p>Science really requires nothing more than memorization so I would look through a review book. Reading requires a bit more along the lines of practice, but it should be easy to accomplish.</p>
<p>what do you mean by memorization?</p>
<p>I think memorization is misleading (if not wrong) in hindsight, but the ACT pulls subject matter from biology, chemistry, and even physics I believe, so if you haven’t had a biology course since your freshman year you may need to review some things. You cannot expect to be as familiar with subject matter you learned years ago compared to your knowledge of a language you use daily. English and math classes are more cumulative than the sciences.</p>
<p>if i’m not mistaken, the Incoming Class Profile for 2010, said that the median scores were 31-34. i just got my ACT scores back as well and got a similar score. i am aware 25% of students admitted had lower scores, but i would much rather be in the median or higher. like you, my dream school is Penn and i will be applying early. i advise that you take the the ACTs again come fall.</p>
<p>are you going to be taking it again in the fall?</p>
<p>25% do score lower, but they were generally buoyed by other exceptional factors. What was the total breakdown of your scores? If the rest (besides reading and science) were in the 31-34 range, you have a much better shot.</p>
<p>Are you in the top 10% of your high school class? 99% of student accepted are in the top 10%.</p>
<p>reading and science are the hardest to improve. You can always learn math and grammar but to become a speed-reader or make up for a laconic 4 year high school science program is almost impossible. I strongly suggest getting some science magazines and reading over articles but most importantly, BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND GRAPHS! You are expected to know nothing of science --you ARE expected to understand what is being told to you.</p>
<p>Lets say that everything else is exceptional–reccomendations, essays, grades, EC’s, volunteer work, and that test socres are the only thing in your way. Would I even be considered–possibly have a chance of at least getting deffered?</p>
<p>Firstly, I only glanced over your initial post – I am sorry I did not devote more time to it, but the content was rather hard to read. With that said, I will throw out a couple of comments based on my understanding of what you are saying.</p>
<p>You mentioned you have “a lundry [sic] list of reasons” for going there. That is great, but I most certainly hope you do not put down the entire list in your “why-Penn” essay. Stick to a couple (and a couple – i.e. two – at most) and elaborate on them.</p>
<p>Unfortunately your “damned” test scores are not the only things holding you back. To be perfectly clear, I do not see much in your extra-curriculars – plenty have done better, only to be rejected. I suggest writing about one EC in one of your essays. Do not mention things like “leadership” and “compassion” which are overdone, but link the EC to something special and truthful about you that will differentiate you from the others. (Truthful is the keyword. Trust me, there will be no emotion in your essays if you randomly BS some wonderful things about yourself. Stay to the reality and do not overstate anything.)</p>
<p>No, ED does <em>not</em> – and let me repeat again: <em>NOT</em> – increase your chances. The criteria for acceptance is the same across the board. Yes, you may find someone who “lucked out” during ED and got in, but you will also find the same percentage of people who “lucked out” during RD. ED was estabilished totally out of beaureaucratic necessity: universities need more time to review potential students so they prolong the application time frame. It <em>appears</em> that ED is easier because a higher percentage of people are accepted. That is because many qualified and confident individuals apply ED, and because those who apply ED are likely to know exactly what they want to do and therefore write more focused essays. In short, it is the quality of ED applicants that contributes to a higher acceptance percentage, not the lowering of the acceptance criteria. Only apply ED if your marks at the time of ED is good, else wait.</p>
<p>Finally, if everything is “exceptional” except the test scores, then there is no question that you will be accepted. Yet as I said, from my understanding your EC is definitely <em>not</em> “exceptional.” I know your essays will have much better grammar and spelling (hopefully you do not mistake “lose” for “loose”), but I hope that your tutors/teachers/parents would not alter them too much – application reviewers know exactly where you stand in your writing based on teacher recommendations. Finally do not be so naive as to assume that teachers will write “exceptional” recommendations – most choose to stick to their professional opinions. Be warned.</p>
<p>Overall I will refrain from giving you my opinion before I see your whole package. I can only say that give up Wharton as of now, concentrate on the standarized tests.</p>
<p>Edit 1: Fixed typo – changed “give out” to “give up” in the very last sentence of post.</p>
<p>manav means man in hindi/sanskrit. hmmm… birdman?</p>