Will top colleges accept kids stronger in reading/english over science/math? While my daughter has solid grades (3.86 UW, 4.05 W), she is much stronger in the non-stem areas and will pursue a major in english, political science, etc. With a 34 average of the reading/english side of the ACT (over her 28 on the science/math side), please let know your recommendations for colleges. As a high school 2016 graduate, my daughter has excelled academically, athletically, and ECs.
Her basic scores are:
GPA:
3.86 unweighted
4.05 weighted - will graduate with 4 APs (11, 12) & 4 honor classes (9, 10)
Yes, top schools will accept applicants with stronger English than Math. They do, however, prefer to accept people who are strong in both. Any place where your daughter’s Math is under their 25th %ile will be an added hurdle.
I’d certainly apply to a few Ivy’s but they will be unlikely. If she is interested in Liberal Arts Colleges (LACs) there are some great ones with amazing English programs such as Kenyon, Holy Cross, Oberlin and Middlebury, to name a few. If she prefers larger schools she has a shot at UVA, Georgetown and Northwestern.
If your high school uses Naviance you might check to see how well applicants from your high school fared at various colleges. That, and your guidance councilor, might give you a better feel for your daughter’s chances at the “top schools”.
If your daughter has excelled athletically enough to be recruited at some of the top schools then forget everything else I said as her chances at those schools she was recruited at will be very good, even if they are Ivies.
Your daughter is on the cusp, certainly will get accepted to some schools in the top 25 universities and top 25 colleges but you need a good plan that takes demographics and geography into account. If she is a Caucasian girl from the mid-atlantic or northeast, her plan needs to be well constructed, that is a bad demographic. She has good grades, good ACT but they are average or below average for the schools you are hinting at. 4 APs is not a lot nowadays.
@BatesParents2019 Would it make a difference if she added one more AP for total of 5 by time she graduates (Ma 2016). She took 4 honors classes during her freshmen and sophomore year. She is your typical suburban white girl from the Denver suburbs. Thx!
If this is what you’re asking: colleges do pursue “diversity”, so they encourage females in STEM fields.
Nevertheless, it is good to be well rounded
in testing, i have been told that (in SAT, idk the ACT conversion, sorry) your lowest score should not be more than 100 lower than your highest
ex
800M 600R 690W is a no no
720M 780R 750 W is nice and balanced
it shows strength and interest in humanities, but still okay in STEM
“I have been told that … your lowest score should not be more than 100 points lower than your highest”
So is 800, 600, 690 worse then 700, 600, 690?
This seems like convenient misinformation that people pass around, though I wouldn’t be shocked if some adcoms accept it – and, if so, then it may not be actual misinformation.
Does she prefer a big research university or a small LAC?
Urban or small town (/suburban) setting?
What part of the country?
What about your budget? Can you cover the Expected Family Contribution at expensive private or out-of-state public schools?
Let’s say cost, location, size, etc, are not important to you, and to get started you just want to know what are the most selective colleges where she has realistic chances, and that have strong English or PS programs. In that case, you might want to check out schools in approximately the #20-#40 positions of the US News “national universities” and “national LACs” lists, or schools in the ~#25-#75 positions of the Forbes ranking.
Possibilities:
USC, Tufts, Wake Forest, Boston College, NYU, Boston University
William & Mary, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa
Colgate, Oberlin, Macalester, Kenyon, Colorado College, Holy Cross, URichmond, Dickinson,Whitman
Bryn Mawr, Smith, Mt. Holyoke
(these cover a fairly broad mix of sizes and settings)
I doubt she would get into USC.
her science / math scores are probably too low.
can she take it again?
2015 USC ADMITTED CLASS STATISTICS
77% had standardized test scores in the 95th percentile or higher;
nearly 3,500 had standardized test scores in the 99th percentile.
The following top schools tend to have students who are stronger in reading/English than in math/science:
Swarthmore
Washington and Lee
Macalaster
Kenyon
Reed
Barnard
New College
Rhodes
Oberlin
Davidson
Earlham
