Stanford University Early Action

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm stressing pretty hard right about now.</p>

<p>Sat score: 2150
ACT score: 33
Subject test: 760 Math 2, 680 Chemistry
(White male)</p>

<p>Here's the dilemma, Stanford is obviously my number 1 choice and I and still trying to decide whether or not to apply there early this coming fall. I have a 4+ GPA and a pretty prestigious internship at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory this summer located at Princeton University. I have some decent extracurriculars (including varsity sports) and I'm pretty confident that my essay(s) will be very impressive. I will also have some pretty strong recommendations from my teachers/counselors as well as one from my mentor at PPPL. </p>

<p>I am retaking the ACT for sure in September since I had a lot of distractions last time and was not able to study an ounce (friend committed suicide a week before). I figured with some studying I could get it up to a 34-35 which is pretty great.</p>

<p>After September though, my mind is at a loss for a plan. My subject tests are poor, and I don't even have my history one listed because I have all but disregarded it from my memory. I feel as if I need to improve on them and have two solid scores. But I also want to improve my SAT score to at least a 2200 (preferably higher).</p>

<p>My questions to you guys: Should I sacrifice my subject tests altogether and retake the SAT, or should I keep the 2150 and get two solid scores on the subject tests? One of them will be taken in October, and I will take the other in November. Should I not apply early at all and improve both scores? Should I apply elsewhere early?</p>

<p>Other schools I'm considering but not definitely applying to: Princeton, Columbia, UPenn, Duke, USC, UCLA, Wake Forest, UNC, Berkeley, University of Chicago</p>

<p>Here's a link to my high school for reference: The</a> Academy for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia </p>

<p>(It is ranked as one of the 16 number 1 schools in New Jersey)</p>

2

<p>If you really want to rush, you could surely take 2 subject tests on one day, opening up another testing date, right?</p>

3

<p>That’s what I meant. I will be taking the SAT in one month, and 2-3 subject tests in the other month. Sorry for the confusion</p>

4

<p>No thoughts?</p>

5

<p>If I were you, I’d go for the SAT I score. It seems to be a very big factor along with GPA where SAT II’s seem to be for showing mastery of particular subjects.</p>

6

<p>Or should I just go for both and not apply early?</p>

7

<p>Take the ACT in September and the SAT II in October. </p>

<p>ACT is weighed the same as the SAT anyway, so if you score a 34+ that would be the same basically as a mid 2200+ (33 may be good enough anyway).</p>

<p>That way you can still apply early.</p>

8

<p>If I were you, I would study hard for the remainder of the summer and retake everything.</p>

9

<p>Yeah, I’m thinking the same thing as you</p>

10

<p>I was thinking about taking both tests in October and November and applying early to a school that accepts the November test in the early application (i.e. Princeton, Columbia, UPenn)</p>