Is a poor IB score but an acceptable SAT score good enough of US colleges?

[Darshil]

I received my IB grades recently and my predicted grades were 27 but I got a 21. Its reaally low and I know it. I also appeared for SAT my score was 1840 (CR: 560 M:700 W:580 Essay:8). I also appeared for SAT Subject test recently and I'm expecting around 650 for Math I and Physics. I used to be a good student in IGCSE though; 2 A*, 5 A and 2 B. When IB started I was under the impression I'll be able to work everything out as the year will progress but apparently, I devoted a lot of time for the Internal Assessments. Hence, the screwed up scores :/

 

Anyway, now that I've cleared that, I'm looking at the following US colleges:

Virginia Tech

UMass-Amherst

University of Wisconsin-Madison

SUNY Stony Brook

Florida Polytechnic

Purdue University-Main campus

Uni of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

 

I want to pursue Computer Science as a major. Also, my parents are funding my tuition so I'm not applying for a financial aid/loans of any kind.

What are my chances of getting in these places?

 

PS. Will explaining my situation as I did earlier be of any help in anyway? I could elaborate and explain it to the admissions committee. I'm sure it doesn't work this way but will a word of re-assurance help my application?

[Pink97]

I'm not going to ''chance'' you as I'm not an admission officer - it isn't wise of you to ask students to tell you of what your chances are of getting accepted, it's a holistic process and thus none of us can predict what the outcome will be. With that being said, I recommend you look at the statistics of admitted students (usually on each university's website) - you'll be able to gauge where your grades and test scores lie relative to admitted students, SAT and GPA wise. 

 

American colleges also look at your internal grades, how are those? Did you get As, some Bs, Cs..? Your chances at some of the colleges you've mentioned aren't the best in terms of grades as you've a) failed the IB diploma and b) the significant drop in grades demonstrate a downward trend which is not good   But your IGCSE grades are good so that should help you out! Hopefully your extracurriculars are great as they'll likely help you too. Your SAT score is average, nothing spectacular - since it's one component you can control I highly recommend you study your a** off for the next couple of months and get a 2000+ in SAT I and 700+ in your SAT II subject tests - high SAT scores will definitely help you especially since your test scores are more important than your IB grades/predicted score. Your applying for computer science and don't plan on taking Maths Level 2? Not a good idea, take maths Level 2 as it's more advanced and is highly recommended for a major that requires advanced maths courses. If you've taken SL/HL maths it shouldn't be difficult as it covers the SL syllabus (except the calculus component) - get the barrons book and go over the stuff that isn't on the IB syllabus and take the test. Maths level 1 won't demonstrate your math ability as it's essentially the equivalent of the maths section of SAT I. 

 

No, don't mention anything about your situation to colleges yourself, do it through your guidance counselor. If its not something health/family related that seriously impacted your learning then definitely don't make your guidance counselor mention it as you don't want it to look like your making excuses for your under-performance. 

 

*Have you considered re-taking in May to get the diploma?

 

Good Luck, I hope you get into some of the colleges you're interested in 

Edited February 8, 2015 by Pink97

[behaaa]

Your IB scores will definitely matter, but US schools tend to place a whole lot of emphasis on SAT and school GPA, so if those are high, you might have a good chance at getting in

[Guest]

I think if your SAT score is outstanding, US college will still accept you as an exception.  

[simpletime]

You can get into good US skls if either one is acceptable. I got into UT Austin with 1600 SAT and an average IB score (34-36)

[adavis63]

U.S. schools focus on GPA, SAT scores, and extracurricular activities. As far as I understand, IB scores will not have an effect on college acceptance. However,the schools will not give you college credit for the scores since most U.S. schools generally only give credit for a 6, 7, or sometimes 5 for HL IB exams (crazy, I know). IB classes will look very good on your transcript especially if you got good grades.

I would suggest taking your SAT again and making sure you have extracurricular activities. Colleges seem to favor activities that are not typical for "smart" kids such as sports rather than debate team.

I would not suggest mentioning anything about your situation,

 

Best of luck!

[IB_taking_over]

Most US schools look at SAT/ACT, GPA, difficulty of classes prior to IB [to be honest i'm not sure they play any role in acceptance. We, Americans, apply (and get accepted/denied) prior to testing in IB.] 

 

I would strongly suggest that you check each schools acceptance of IB exam scores. (I know that there are a few schools in the US that don't "give" you things for IB scores.) 

[Emmi]

I actually applied to two of those schools on the list (UW-Madison and UNC-Chapel Hill) with a higher SAT score than yours, and was waitlisted at UNC-Chapel Hill and admitted at UW-Madison (but chose not to attend). I have a lot of friends who went to Virginia Tech and their SAT scores were higher than what you listed. At those three schools at least, IB looks good in terms of a rigorous courseload, but the overall score usually doesn't matter too much unless it's the only thing you have grade-wise. Most admitted students usually get 32 or more though. You'll want to raise it up definitely.

 

Explaining the situation is usually reserved for extenuating circumstances (my grades slipped because my parents got sick and I had to work to support my family, my grades were bad initially because I was in trouble but then I improved, getting all A's from then on out), not because you spent too much time on your IAs and didn't budget time properly to studying.

[marti55]

Many schools in the US are still relatively new to the whole IB diploma program. That said, the higher score you receive the better your chances. I have to disagree with some other people on this thread, your SAT score is nothing spectacular. I took the SAT as well, and received a 1860, first time through. I have then decided to focus my efforts on the ACT, but that doesn't matter. I went to SAT/ACT preparatory classes, and have also signed myself up for private tutoring. I know this isn't an option that is available to everyone, so I suggest ordering a SAT practice book from the internet. They have a lot of helpful tips and tricks to improve your score dramatically! If and when you retake the SAT, these methods will surely improve your score slightly, if not significantly.

 

All in all, I'm sure you will get into a wonderful college where you will have the experience of your life!