When you're an english person, but not a math person...

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

As I’ve gone through school, I’ve always excelled in English. My extracurriculars, interests, and goals for the future reflect this. My test scores reflect this as well; I consistently pull mid 700s in reading and writing on the SAT, and have gotten a 36 and 35 on the ACT reading and english. However, my scores also reflect a clear struggle with math and science. Try as I might, I cannot seem to pull my SAT math out of the upper 500s, and ACT math and science higher than 25.

It’s a bit crushing to have worked so hard, and to truly be doing well in my desired subject, while still being faced with the reality that upper level schools are unlikely to look past my low math. This leads me to consider whether I should apply to schools that my english scores are compatible with, or simply resign to applying to those more in the range of my lower math scores.

Anyone have experience or advice? Some stats, just as background. Currently planning to apply to UChicago, Georgetown, NC State, Wake Forest, Davidson College, Boston College, and perhaps UPenn, Brown, Duke, or Cornell (reach schools. high, high, high reaches :))

White, female, lower middle class, deceased parents, attending public school in nc

GPA Weighted- 4.77
GPA Unweighted- 3.94
Class rank- 15 out of 180
Took 3 AP classes junior year, scored a 3, another 3, and a 5 on exams.
Taking 4 AP classes senior year.

Played varsity tennis for three years.
Member of Music Club, Service Club, Spanish Club, Book Club (President).
Marching band for three years, section leader and first chair bass clarinet.
Accepted into all county and all district bands.
Jazz band member.
Accepted into and attended Governor’s School for English.
Writer for town newspaper.
130ish hours volunteering for local middle school.

SAT- taken twice
reading- 740
math- 580
writing- 760
super score composite- 2040

ACT- taken twice
english- 35
mathematics- 25
reading- 36
science- 25
composite- 31

2

Half your list consists of high reaches, and I’d suggest you replace a few of those with matches and/or low reaches. If you had 800 in CR and writing or 36 in every section save math, you might have reasonable chances at some of your top schools, but as it stands your scores will handicap your application severely, especially at schools like UChicago where successful applicants tend to have high scores.

The 3’s in your AP exams are another potential issue, as they suggest moderate grade inflation, just as the low math scores suggest that your high marks (with that GPA presumably buoyed by some A’s in math) are somewhat generous. I have no idea whether this is actually the case, but that’s how many US colleges are liable to perceive your profile.

3

SAT scores when averaged over hundreds of students will appear much more consistent than they actually are for given individuals. Your case may not be as unusual as you think. Beyond your concerns about getting accepted, you may want to research colleges with particularly flexible curricula, such as Smith, Grinnell and Hamilton, at which your freedom to explore your academic interests will be somewhat greater than at otherwise comparable colleges. Your hard work will reveal itself in many ways in your application – wherever you apply – and you should get into a really nice school. (Oh yeah, your chances. Three to four of your first six?)

4

I agree with @merc81 - you should apply to LACs with strong English programs (Kenyon) and other women’s colleges (Mt. Holyoke or Wellesley).
Lastly, check out schools with strong journalism programmes (Syracuse or Northwestern) who will be used to kids with similar “unbalanced” scores. Good luck!

5

Your superscore is actually a 2080.

6

“Your superscore is actually a 2080.”

Well, she said that she was weak at Math! :slight_smile:

7

As a purely practical method of determining which applications wil be worth your effort, you may want to concentrate on schools where your CR+M score is at the 25th percentile or higher. This leaves Georgetown, NC State, WF, Davidson and BC potentially open to you. (Though I beleive Georgetown requires 3 SAT subject tests.) If you add to this group a few other schools that are well suited to you, you will have more choices in April than if you were to add multiple reaches, and you may also end up at a college that is better for you generally.

I agree with other posters that 740+580+760 = 2080. :wink:

8

Sorry about the superscore error, I copied these stats from an old list I had typed and forgot to edit the superscore after editing the math score from my third testing :slight_smile:

Unfortunately, I’m not currently considering women’s colleges. I believe that isn’t a great fit for me. And some of the colleges I listed are definitely reaches that I don’t expect to get into!

I suppose right now I’m just struggling with finding colleges my test scores fit into that are still “good” schools, and aren’t exceptionally far from NC. Thanks for all the input so far!

9

How are you defining “‘good?’” Do you have a source in front of you that you are using as a general guide? Assuming Chicago may be your distance limit?

10

And what are your academic interests?

11

You’re what we call “well lopsided”. Kenyon should be an obvious college to which you apply. Sewanee would be a near safety. Both excellent for English it goes without saying (weird expression). :smiley: Add Emory plus colleges with a flexible curriculum (Grinnell, Hamilton, Brown). Definitely apply to App State, UNC A, UNC-CH. All would make more sense than NCSU which is known for STEM and Business.
Since you’re lower income and have two parents deceased, your scores will especially stand out. Focus on LACs and research them well. Fill out the “request info” form to demonstrate interest.
Your ACT English and Reading scores are superb, and your math& science scores, while not as incredible, as well above average (something like top 25%).

12

I’m considering good as ranked somewhat highly, though I’m aware this is flawed and perhaps not the best way to look at it. Chicago is pushing it a bit, distance wise, but I’m flexible. I’m interested in majoring in English, hopefully pursuing a career in publishing or editing.

And MYO, thank you for the recommendations! Looking further into them now! Definitely finding it challenging to find great smaller schools whose names don’t jump out quite the way the high reach schools do, so thanks for the suggestions :slight_smile:

13

Though these online articles mostly discuss writing programs, you will still, within their descriptions, get a feel for the general English departments at the colleges discussed:

“The 25 Most Literary Colleges in America” / Flavowire.

“The 10 Best American Colleges for Writers” / USA Today

“The 10 Best Colleges for Creative Writers” / The Freelancer.

Regarding smaller schools, they are too often separated from larger ones in the public understanding. This Business Insider article, though unfairly titled, compares smaller and larger schools directly in an analysis of the standardized test performances of their students: “The 610 Smartest Colleges in America.” In a country with 50 states, I’d say that any college in the top 50-100 would be considered, at the least, to be “ranked somewhat highly.”

14

I would suggest Hampshire College in MA. Its the type of LAC where you can choose your own study… I think its definitely worth taking a look at for someone who is much more proficient in some things than others.

15

OP, be aware that UChicago looks mainly at CR+M. And the have one of the highest CR+M range around. I think you need to look at more match and safety schools.

Women’s colleges are a great place to look at and not dismiss. You would be looked at favorably.

Apply to reach schools but research them thoroughly and write outstanding essays.

16

I hate to say this but I really hate your list for you. It is so mixed up it actually doesn’t make any sense to me. You really should look beyond the obvious. There are a few hundred, at least, good schools. I really believe that you need to be an allrounder for CHI. And it may not be obvious but Brown also admits students very strong in all areas. Isn’t Davidson supposed to be extremely demanding? I worked with a student 2 years ago in your same family situation with your same test score overall, similar class rank, who is well miserable at a reach school.

@Merc81 +2 for the citations, -2 for lack of links :slight_smile:

17

@goingnutsmom UC was an extremely high reach, I’m not expecting much! Just one to apply as a dream:)

@BrownParent I’m starting to realize I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing. There’s a great deal of frustration that comes with having the highest test scores in my senior class while still not having scores high enough to place me into the schools that I have learned to constitute “success.” I’m finding it very challenging to filter through the hundreds of good schools and make a genuine connection with any when I’ve never heard of them. (gee, forgive my mental crisis)

I’m filtering through some of the suggestions for liberal arts colleges and trying to research as much as possible. Grateful for the ongoing help and wisdom

18

Check out Wesleyan. They are test optional and you can get a terrific education there. Lots of very famous creative people went there.

19

Can’t you see that Chicago is a bad fit because of the core? You have to take a certain amount of classes in each area. Don’t take Brown off the list, though :slight_smile: Do try to see what the culture and atmosphere is at each school. Think of happiness, your daily life for 4 years, don’t just blindly think you have to go to the best school you can get into, as according to US News.

Who is helping you? You might like to read the Hindsight forum, look at this post: whoops can’t find now, will post later

20

“I’m finding it really challenging to filter through the hundreds of good schools” (16)

A little confusion, uncertainty and frustration now will help you find a college that is well suited to you. Getting from hundreds to maybe 40 to maybe 20 should not be as difficult as you might think. Going then from 20 to a thoughtful list of maybe 6-10 schools should be your goal.

Some colleges you hadn’t previously heard of may be better for you overall, not, as you might think is the implication, in some soft, “better-for-you” type of way, but in the sense that they would be both excellent for you and respected nationally in a way that you might not currently realize.

(As an example you may be able to draw inferences from, Reed College at one point had a higher SAT average than your dream school, the University of Chicago. Both of these colleges were, and are, excellent, but current perceptions and trends seem to overwhelm individual preferences regarding the substantive underpinnings of these and other schools.)