<p>The University of Maryland, Whitman College, and Butler University are three very different institutions. It is unlikely that all three would be equally good choices for the same applicant. What is your intended major? Maryland might be the best choice of those 3 for an engineering or accounting major, Butler for a general business major, and Whitman for an English major. That assumes you have no preferences whatsoever for school size, location, etc. </p>
<p>It also assumes you get adequate aid from each school.
How much can your family afford to contribute toward college costs? Have you run the online Net Price Calculators for each of those schools to see if your family can afford the Estimated Family Contribution?</p>
<p>Of course, you have to be admitted to have any chance for adequate aid.
Do you know your cumulative unweighted GPA or class rank? These usually are among the most important factors in US college admission. According to the University of Maryland Common Data Set (2013-14), section C12, the average GPA of entering students who submitted GPA scores was 3.76. At Whitman, it was 3.74. At Butler, it was 3.77. These numbers aren’t necessarily directly comparable to each other (since for example Whitman may get a higher percentage of applicants from more competitive high school programs than Butler gets). However, 3.75 grade points would be very roughly equivalent to an individual IB grade of 6. So that might be, approximately, the minimum average IB subject grade these colleges would want to see (although each college may apply somewhat different standards in interpreting IB grades.)</p>
<p>Generally speaking, there is no standardized test you can substitute for a grade report to US colleges. Except in unusual circumstances (e.g. for older students) they all want to see some assessment of your performance in HS courses. If you think your IB exam performance was not a good reflection of your 4 year HS academic achievement, talk to your Guidance Counsellor or a teacher about your options.</p>