I am a hugh school senior and am very worried about my test scores. I have an UW GPA of about 3.6 and W of 5.85 (7 pt scale). My SAT score is a 1230 (630 english, 600 math) and am worried it’s not good enough to get into the schools on my list. my schools are:
Safeties
Rutgers (in state)
Rowan University
Towson
DePaul
Matches:
Pitt (high match)
American
Syracuse (my top)
Drexel
Reach:
Tulane (only applying bc I was recommended to do so by admissions counselor despite my scores)
GW (test optional)
I never took the ACT and am wondering if it’s worth it even though i probably will have very limited time to study and it will stress me out a lot. Should I do it anyway, also do you have any other school suggestions?
I am applying for political science
I don’t recommend that you take the ACT given you have never taken it, the tight timeline, and the stated stress it will cause you. Does your high school have naviance, so that you can see past results of students who applied to each of your schools?
Without knowing more about you and the relative strength of your apps, your categorizations seem reasonable, but I would make sure to take a look at each school’s Common Data Set, especially if you don’t have Naviance. I would categorize Pitt as a reach/low reach (620 is the 25th percentile for both M and EBRW on 17/18 CDS), based on GPA and SAT scores. Good luck.
@bleedorangebaby Do you have time to take a practice ACT (under timed conditions just like a real test) for diagnostic purposes to see how you do? Some students do better on one format or the other and for some there is no difference. You can look up on line how ACT and SAT scores compare to one another.
I agree with @Mwfan1921 that your definition of safety/match/reach may not be entirely accurate. For example, your current stats make Rutgers - NB more of a low reach than a safety according to this data for entering class of 2018. You would be a match at Rutgers - Newark and Rutgers - Camden would be more of a safety.
https://admissions.rutgers.edu/applying/admissions-profile
I suspect that American might also fall more into the reach category.
Do you have time to retake the SAT before your applications are due?
thank you both for your input! it was actually an accident american was supposed to go in my reach category lol, rutgers NB is not a reach as i come from one of the best public high schools in the state and they consistently accept people with lower stats than me but I know I didn’t say that in the original post. I actually just got my pitt decision a few mins ago and I got deferred:( so hopefully I’ll get in after i send my mid year grades (kinda expected it honestly). do you have any other suggestions for schools given my current stats and that syracuse is my favorite?
@bleedorangebaby Maybe Ithaca College? You can input your grades and test scores into their NPC and they will give a read on what kind of merit scholarship you might qualify for. I would have said Pitt, but you’ve already included it. Best of luck to you!