Will Math 2C be my undoing? (non-score choice schools)?

<p>Hi everyone,
NOTE: FOR THE FOLLOWING, I AM ONLY REFERENCING NON SCORE CHOICE SCHOOLS.
2nd Note: I have a strong feeling the adcoms sort of have a problem with our schools grading system because in the past, their has been a much stronger correlation to high test scores then high grades. I know people that have gotten many Bs get into ivy league schools and other comparable schools. Also, many lower GPA students have done way better then students ranked at the top. Our school doesn't rank but we give the colleges an idea of where everyone is through a school profile. Please keep that in mind when reading the following. </p>

<p>I took the math 2C test today, and did not do very well (i.e. maybe like 650-700). My highest math 2 score is 650. I am wondering if that score will ruin most chances I have of going to a top 20 college? The thing is EVERYONE, seems like they have an 750-800 math 2 score regardless of what their intended major is. Is a high math 2 score sort of like an unwritten prerequisite for acceptance. If this question is stupid, I apologize in advanced, but I am seriously worried. BTW, I am in AP Calc BC and took pre calc honors last year (1 A 1 B), so its not like I'm bad at math, but I'm just not that good at the content of the math 2 test. I tend to be really slow at math and that also causes a problem.</p>

<p>BTW, I am taking the SAT in January. </p>

<p>Here are the rest of my stats:</p>

<p>Ok, here goes:
School type: Top 300 public in Southern CA.
Ethnicity: 25% Mexican 75% European. I will check the hispanic/latino box.
Gender: male
Income level: high</p>

<p>STATS: </p>

<p>9-12 weighted GPA: 4.578 (5.0 scale)
10-12 weighted GPA: 4.71 (5.0 scale)
9-12 unweighted: 3.94 (4.0 scale)
10-12 unweighted: 3.96 (4.0 scale)
School doesn't rank and my counselor said our GPAs aren't that reliable because we weight easy courses like marine bio honors as much as hard ones like AP Physics C</p>

<p>Condensed Course Description: </p>

<p>Strong Aspects of my schedule: </p>

<ol>
<li>Consistent GPA improvement (4.3 freshman year, 4.7 sophomore year, 4.7 junior year but I took an AP test without taking the course and scored a five and I took part in the science fair which is normally a class and honors weighted but I entered it too late; my counselor will mention these things). </li>
<li>My schedule has become more rigorous by the year especially in regards to mathematics courses. I did not take honors math the first two years of high school, moved up to Pre-calc honors junior year and am now in both Calc BC and Physics C AP (traditionally the hardest science course) </li>
</ol>

<p>Weak Aspects of my schedule: </p>

<ol>
<li>I received two B's in high school and one was junior year (pre calc Honors). I was sick a lot second semester and my math teacher wasn't that accommodating and I couldn't keep up with the material </li>
<li>I have taken no honors of ap foreign language classes. I have taken four years of spanish and have gotten straight A's but foreign language is the only honors/ap course offered in which I have no courses that are honors or ap level. My counselor will still check most rigorous though for my schedule. </li>
</ol>

<p>Senior Year
AP Physics C
AP Calculus BC
AP English Lit.
AP Environmental Science (I hate chemistry and thats the only intense science course I haven't taken. How much will that hurt me?)
AP Government/AP Economics (1 class)</p>

<p>TEST SCORES: </p>

<p>ACT: 32 (34 E, 29 M, 33 R, 31 S, 11 Essay)
SAT: 2090 (670 CR, 710 M, 710 W) retaking in January; my reach school is Dartmouth accepts the January test so I should be fine. The 32 is okay everywhere else I am applying to.
SAT Subject:
770-US Hist.
710-Bio E
650-math 2
AP:
5-AP Biology
5-AP European History
5-AP US History
5-AP Comparative Government and Politics (self-study)
4-AP English Language
4-AP Human Geography</p>

<p>Activities and awards: </p>

<p>AWARDS (lacking, I know):
Ap Scholar with Distinction
National Honor Society (12th grade only)
CSF member since freshman year
Model UN outstanding at a small conference
high honor roll freshman through junior year (except 2nd semester)
maybe some speech and debate awards?
Speech and Debate (12th grade only; new club my friend started) : Certificate for SPAR at a really big regional competition. I know, its SPAR, so not that important, but its something I guess? </p>

<p>EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:
Golf (3 Year Varsity Co-Captain, 2007 Co-MVP; I have made the league individual tournament every year but have not advanced. My team has made the playoffs the last two years but has not advanced) I do not know if I will be co-captain this year but I have been since freshman year. (Golf is a spring sport)
SCPGA jr. tour (small jr. golf tournaments)-I have played 4 tournaments. Best finish t-16th.
Key club district-(10-12)-Junior year I was recording secretary, as a senior I hold the #5 position in Key Club International
spanish honors society (10-12)
Mu Alpha Theta (11-12)
Science Club (treasurer) (11-12)-I was on the Ocean Bowl team last year and we got fifth at LA surf bowl. I also participated in the science bowl B team (non-competitive). This year I will still only do ocean bowl because science olympiad is the same day so the advisor wants me to stick with the event I have experience in. I may be captain though and I will still be doing science bowl (non-competitive team).
Model UN-(11-12)-Outstanding award at a small novice conference. no big deal :)
Students Organized for America's Homeless (VP) (11-12)
Academic Decathalon (12; new club)-appointed Co-president and expecting some pretty big awards since I am really good at the category and our school is Div 3 (new school)
High school science fair and science fair that sent students to the intel regional one. I didn't advance. My project stunk. LOL
Speech and Debate (12)
Camp Escapades volunteer (summer program in which I helped autistic children at a summer camp)
I also participated in a golf camp the summer before junior year
probably NHS
about 280 hours of community service</p>

<p>Essay: very, very unique topic. Should be pretty good
Counselor Rec: Hard to say. she writes a lot.
Teacher Rec A: very, very good (i.e. one of the top students in history of his class)
teacher rec B: pretty good. </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Bump. </p>

<p>Also, if any reasonable competitive school (i.e. accept less than 50% of their applicants) does not allow score choice, is it even worth my time to apply?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>I wouldn’t worry about it. Subject tests aren’t really a big deal , and your other scores and ec’s are good enough to cover it up.</p>

<p>Btw I seem to have the same problem that you have, I am kind of slow at math and like to work things out . I only got a 640 in math II , but again it really doesn’t matter much.</p>

<p>Not be racist but you will get into top school because you are mexican, they have to meet a quota of how many minorities they accept.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/822718-help-average-person-trim-down-their-list-schools.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/822718-help-average-person-trim-down-their-list-schools.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>i think u should be alright ur sats might be alittle llow for the ivies but it depends wat ur aplying to if its like business at upenn then u have to get that math score up, otherwise u seem competitive <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/822268-chance-me-please-ea.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/822268-chance-me-please-ea.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Since you are checking the “Latino” box, you will gain an advantage of 100-200 points on the SAT or 2-3 ACT points over White/Asian applicants! Don’t worry about your SATII!</p>

<p>I actually have a question about checking that box. I am 25% mexican which is significant but I really don’t have any connections to the Mexican culture other then the fact that I think its important to include my grandmother’s heritage on my application because it is a significant amount of my heritage (1/4). Are their any hard and fast rules regarding checking that box? Do you have to be 50%+? I know that for native american its much less but is 1/4 acceptable?</p>

<p>Also, could someone chance me for the following schools :
Dartmouth (note-this is my big reach school and they accept score choice so they won’t see the 620/650. Also, they allow January SAT scores and I may be able to score 2250+ but please don’t assume I will)
Cornell-
Northwestern-
Wash U in St. Louis-
Boston College (EA)-
Santa Clara (EA)-
(in state for UCs)
UC San Diego-
UCLA-
UC Berkeley-
UC Irvine-
USC-
American University
Pomona College
Do I need more safeties? I honestly feel like most of my schools are pretty decent reaches cause of my test scores/ECs/grades?
Thanks!</p>

<p>pomona: 30%
uc irvine: 90%
uc berkeley: 40%
ucla: 40%
uc sandiego: 90%
santa clara: dunno
bc: 70%
wash u: 30%
nw: 30%
cornell: 30%
dartmouth: 20%</p>

<p>good luck on your SAT’s in january! it’ll help these percentages a lot!!</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/820270-chance-me-please-thank-you.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/820270-chance-me-please-thank-you.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Thanks for the reply, however I am going to have to BUMP :)</p>