We hear about near-perfect SAT/ACT scores frequently on this forum, so anything below near-perfect sounds poor. An ACT of 22 is in the 62nd percentile. It’s an above average score, and it is not far mismatched from a 3.0 GPA.</p>
<p>For example, the nearest state school to my location is Cal State San Marcos. Their 25th and 75th ACT are 18 and 23, while their average GPA is 3.17. Your son’s 22 ACT would be on the upper end of freshman, but the 3.0 GPA would be on the lower end, making the ACT appear score appear stronger than the GPA. I grew up near SUNY Albany. Their 25th to 75th GPA is 3.2 to 3.66. While the corresponding ACT range is 22 to 26. So again your son’s 22 ACT would appear stronger than the the GPA. In both cases, including the ACT (if test optional) would likely increase chances of admission.</p>
<p>My older son has always been language exempt. With his hearing loss being diagnosed relatively late (he was 3), it was incredibly difficult for him although he did try. Interestingly, my younger son who’s also deaf loves Spanish. Go figure. Every kid and their situation is so different. My boys did choose to disclose their hearing loss and in fact, both wrote their essays about when they received their cochlear implants. My older son is at Hampshire and is thriving there. He’s always been a kid who thinks outside the box so it was perfect for him. (plus theater is very strong there, coupled with the other of the five college consortium) The disabilities office has been amazingly helpful, kind, and cooperative. </p>
<p>I so agree with amtc that if a school doesn’t want a kid because of a difference, it’s not a place I’d want either of my boys to be.</p>
OMG you can say that again, Data10! Thanks for the analysis and perspective – it’s starting to make sense that his ACT is in line with his GPA, and it’s just who he is as a student.</p>
<p>BTMell – very interesting about your younger child liking Spanish. My niece had a cochlear implant when she was 2 (and went to Smith, at my suggestion – loved it there).</p>
<p>I am so happy to read this thread. My girls have been stressing about their scores. Child A is 4.0 unweighted ( a real hard worker ) but got a 24 on her ACT. Child B is 3.5 unweighted ( a real fun kid) and got a 22. All these high achievers on this site was making me feel as if they had no real shot at a good school…who are these kids anyway that are consitantly posting about their near perfect GPA and scores? Its summer , shouldn’t they be off the computer and living life?</p>
<p>Our son was admitted ED to St Lawrence University with no test scores. Other test optional schools he was planning to apply to were Wheaton (in Mass), Goucher, Muhlenberg, Ursinus. I did not get the impression that declining to submit scores was going to damage his applications at all at any of the schools. Not every kid tests well and it is good that colleges are recognizing
that.</p>
<p>Twinmom – glad you found the thread and brought it back to life! Your kids sound like they’ll be just fine – 3.5 unweighted with a 22 ACT has a lot of options. Are they both rising seniors? </p>
<p>nursekay – thanks for posting your son’s outcome – St Lawrence is a great school. I agree – not every kid tests well.</p>
<p>I might be posting a bit late for some but still want to convey my first hand experience talking to 2 college reps (one is from Union). When you apply to a selective test optional school, don’t send in scores that are not average for that school. Make your strengths show in a different part of application. Example was given of a student that would be admitted to Union based on his stellar application but his scores were below their avg of 600 per section. Rep. didn’t say how below there were. I got the same answer from another selective test optional school - send it if it’s in line with their avg.</p>
<p>Even though I got these replies, it still not clear to me if Classof2015 ACT 22 would hurt or help his 3.0 GPA, since 3.0 GPA would be on the lower end for selective schools.</p>
<p>hi mozika
Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think of his list as having any schools on there that would be considered selective. Our HS is supposedly known to be a tought school and according to his GC, his unweighted GPA (which has several Honors classes) could be recalculated to his favor by the schools on his list. </p>
<p>He has submitted apps (without scores) to: Hobart, Gettyburg, Furman, Fairfield, Loyola. The other schools on his list required scores (some wanted just one; some wanted all sittings). </p>
<p>I will gladly post the outcome once he gets responses.</p>
<p>Sorry, I should have read your post more carefully, I skipped your college list. I believe somebody mentioned Union, so I wanted to contribute the info that can help others… maybe. I was surprised by what college reps. said but then again, it’s just opinion of 2 people, others might think differently. I was thinking that for selective test optional colleges that play number games with ranking, would be important not to send lower than avg. test scores because they’ll lower their reported avg. thus ranking. But looking at Union common data set, it seems that 27% of incoming freshman have < 600 SAT CR. I don’t know if they ask students who didn’t submit for admission to submit afterwords and include their scores, or what their rep. said not entirely true.</p>
<p>My son had a 3.4 average, mostly honors and a few AP courses, and applied to Gettysburg, Dickinson, Fairfield, Holy Cross under Fair Test provisions. He did not give out any ACT or SAT test numbers. Was accepted to them all, got a merit award from Fairfield. </p>
<p>But even with test numbers below their 25% mark, he got accepted to schools like Pitt, UDel, NorthEastern, Fordham, to name a few.</p>
<p>Wow – that’s impressive, cpt! UDel is on his list (but he hasn’t submitted there yet – they have a dreaded supplement). They’re known for good LD support. I’ll encourage him to apply there.</p>
<p>I told him he’d like Dickinson but right now he’s kind of sick of seeing schools. I might tell him to apply then we can visit later.</p>
<p>Northeastern and UMaryland had stipulations for the first semester. He would have had to have gone abroad for NE, and there was no housing for UMD if he started there first term, but he was guaranteed campus housing if he started in the second term. No money from either of them. He also was accepted to some SUNY and some smaller Catholic schools, some of those with merit money. </p>
<p>Some friends had a son go to Indiana University of PA, and felt that the LD support there was excellent.</p>
<p>Just thought I’d post a follow up (I did so on another thread – sorry if I’m oversharing) – he applied to many test optional schools and so far is accepted at Hobart, St Lawrence, Fairfield, and Drexel. Rejected at Furman (sort of surprised at that one) and U of Denver. Still waiting on others.</p>
<p>Thanks BTMell – and thanks to everyone who took the time to post. I love hearing all the info about different schools. I will update when he hears from the rest of the schools on his list.</p>