Wondering if anyone here, or their student has applied test optional to Ithaca.
In looking at the common data set, test scores are only “considered” versus important or very and it looks like about 20% of applicants were test optional for the 15-16 cycle.
Ithaca doesn’t report GPA so it is hard for me to tell if including test scores, or not, will be beneficial to my student both from an application and merit standpoint. The NPC does show merit awards at his stats…
Stats are as follows.
3.45 UW.
Solid upward grade trend (3.67 for Junior year with most demanding courseload to date)
6 AP’s by graduation, 1 College in the Classroom. (APs are Lang and Lit, Physics, World, AB Calc, APES, College in the Classroom is Pre-Calc)
4 on the AP Language test
Should get either “most demanding” or “very demanding” boxes checked
School does not weight or rank
Fairly solid EC’s (theater, music, community service, 2 part time jobs, school clubs, some leadership in the EC’s but not a ton)
25C ACT with superscore (which Ithaca does). Which is in the middle 50% (the 24-29 bracket has 65% of the enrolled freshmen) however I’ve no idea what the spread is within that, though the average is reported as a 27 elsewhere on sites (not in their own published CDS though). His superscore English is a 28 (44% in that bracket), Math is a 24 (65% in that bracket).
Planned major/application will either be Environmental Studies or Environmental Science and planning on applying EA.
Thoughts on pro/con of test optional in his case or is it a net neutral (other than saving $48 in score fees).
thanks!