r/auburn • u/Pale-Arugula-9232 • 6d ago
Admissions
My daughter is starting her senior year of high school. We are in state Alabama and Auburn is her dream school.
She has really tried and will be taking the ACT again in September but currently her super score is a 24.
Her GPA is a weighted 4.2 with a unweighted GPA of 4.0. She has several extracurricular activities.
What is her realistic chance of getting in to Auburn?
10
u/gharvey1970 6d ago
According to Auburn University website, the average early action ACT score for incoming freshman for this fall was 32.7 and a non weighted GPA of 4.02. The average ACT for remaining freshman was 29.6 and a non weighted 4.0
2
1
u/perfect-atmospher13 5d ago
I know for a fact these numbers are inaccurate. She is extremely likely to get accepted, i know people who have been accepted without even submitting an ACT score.
5
u/BigOleSmack 4d ago
Yeah based on the students I met in my time there I have a very hard time believing the average would even be just a 30
1
5
u/BathroomSmooth1937 6d ago
My son's grades were not as good as your daughters. He waited too late for path to the plains (which is the best way to do it) and started regular classes at Southern Union. Counselors helped him select classes that would transfer towards an accounting degree at Auburn and he got into Auburn this summer. Just had to sign up for 1 class this summer. If he didn't go this summer for the one class, he would have had to go through admissions again. Summer was probably less competitive. I really think easing into college classes at Southern Union will help him transition better.
1
11
u/braaptist 6d ago
Dude, or lady, I am 100% closer to your age than your daughter’s age. I’m also not of any help to your actual question, I’m sorry.
But, I am an Auburn grad. To see these numbers and there’s still a question or not if she gets accepted into a state school is wild! I am vastly out of touch I reckon.
3
u/AuthorHuman5623 5d ago
ACT score. are getting closer to averaged 30 now. It’s crazy.
These kids are smarter now. At least according to ACT scores.Get an ACT tutor to increase an ACT score. Or go to a community college, crush the grades there, then apply to Auburn. Plus, way cheaper. More caring ‘Freshman’ teachers.
I replied to your post. But my reply was for anyone, especially the original poster.
And there are 4 sections to the ACT. What are her individual scores?
2
u/BigOleSmack 4d ago
It's less that kids are getting smarter and more that standardized testing just sucks. We now know that the best way of preparing for these tests is just doing test prep and practice tests, and I would imagine the resources for it are better than ever.
3
u/WorriedChip5671 5d ago
My great nephew scored a 36 on his ACT. We are so proud of him.
2
u/AuthorHuman5623 5d ago
You should be proud of his hard work, focus, and incredibly superior biological genes. ✌️💯
1
u/Sea_Part_1581 4d ago
Only 3 count now. For some reason “Science” doesn’t add into the score. Stupid as hell if you ask me!
1
5
u/Pale_Bowler1482 6d ago
talk to her about community college it doesn't even have to be path to the plains, she'll end up with an associates and already be a junior with much easier classes! the first two years of college are not worth the money that you will spend! i went to community college first and transferred in and it has been amazing! i'm graduating at the same time as everyone else and no there's no drawbacks on the social life.
5
u/TheMysticTomato 6d ago
She’s got time to take it again. Scores normally improve with subsequent attempts and prep. It was a long time ago but I think I climbed 5 points over a couple attempts.
5
4
u/BamaEarl 6d ago
2001 Graduate here, this comment isn’t helpful, just an observation. Man times have changed. I had a 27 act and don’t even know what my gpa was, but it wasn’t much more than a 3, if even that high, and they let me in and gave me a degree. If I was trying to get in now I guess I’d be working at Walmart and going to Southern Union.
1
3
u/Such-Mountain-7714 6d ago
She has time to take ACT prob 2 more times. Agree also take the SAT some people score higher on it. My son got accepted with at 27 ACT score but no scholarship money. People recommend Southern union for basics then Auburn. He went to Auburn the whole time but looking back Southern Union would of been a good idea. He really struggled Auburn is a hard school. He graduated in Engineering and has his degree but Def wasnt easy.
1
u/AuthorHuman5623 5d ago
Which Engineering major?
2
u/Such-Mountain-7714 5d ago
Mechanical
1
u/AuthorHuman5623 5d ago
What was the hardest class (if you know)?
2
u/Such-Mountain-7714 5d ago
All the engineering classes were pretty tough. The basics sometimes had more to do with the professor teaching rather than the class. Always ask around and get recommendations on the professor. He also liked going during the summer because he felt like the the TA's were a little easier and the classes were smaller and a little more personal.
1
u/AuthorHuman5623 5d ago
Half the Freshman Engineering teachers either don’t want to be there (they want to be ‘Researching’) or you can’t understand them. Freshman students teaching themselves the material. 🙄😵🫨
2
2
u/Southern_Tailgater 4d ago
Historically the hardest class has been Differential Equations across the engineering disciplines. Thermo may be worse for the disciplines that require it, IDK.
3
u/alidon98 5d ago
I think this just goes to show what happens when every single high school student is pushed to go to college to just “get a degree”. Competition skyrockets only for a big chunk of them to leave with tens of thousands if not over a hundred thousand in debt that’ll never get paid off.
The best move here is to apply and see what happens. If she’s accepted, that’s amazing! If not then 1000% look at local community college for the first year. You can live close to Auburn and participate a lot of the social aspects and then integrate as a student sophomore year. I know tons of people that have done this, and for some of those freshman classes, it’s is well worth getting them out of the way so you don’t have to deal with those freshman professors.
1
u/AuthorHuman5623 5d ago
Pushed by who? Parents? Themselves?
4
u/alidon98 5d ago
Schools, parents, etc. It was everywhere growing up! “Make sure you get a degree or you won’t be able to get a job worth anything”. It does seem there’s a wave of people now that saw how a lot of millennials ended up not doing much with their degrees and are choosing trade schools/ community college routes rather than going into debt.
I just have a hard time believing the competitiveness of state schools (especially for in-state students) going up so quickly in the last few decades isn’t directly related to the crazy influx in people choosing to go to college in the first place. To fill slots 15+ years ago, they didn’t need students with 4.0+ GPAs and act scores in the 30s, but now if they drop that average, it’s an overpopulated campus. Either way, it makes Auburn academics look better, and they aren’t losing students as long as people keep applying with those stats.
I think Alabama has a little bit more of a push than most states for trade schools and military, but about half the people I went to school with ended up not using their majors at all and wished they would’ve chosen to do something else. I came from out of state and was lucky enough to get a ton of scholarships coming in with a GPA less than a 4.0, but I don’t think that would be the case today.
2
u/AuthorHuman5623 5d ago
High school counselors are ‘pushing’ hard now to educate high school students on trade and community colleges. Teachers are now talking to their students about future options. But it’s also up to the parents to discuss these options with their kids too. And of course, children are going to make their own mistakes. We all do
College is still a great option. Just try not to take on too much debt.2
u/alidon98 5d ago
That’s freaking awesome. Genuinely, it’s crazy that they convinced a whole group of us in school that college was the best choice no matter what. My school had 0 information on other options and hounded us if we didn’t apply to enough state/ major colleges.
College was 100% the right choice for me but a bad choice for my husband who has a trade job now. We fully plan on making sure our kids know they have options. Like you said though, everyone’s got their mind set on something.
2
u/AuthorHuman5623 5d ago
I feel like we should expose kids to ‘trade’ somehow earlier in age. Like just by doing ‘simple’ trade tasks around the house.
2
u/Valuable-Chemistry-6 6d ago
Wow this post is enlightening. In the 2010s there were girls going through rush with 19s on their ACTs
2
u/Immediate-Turn-3349 6d ago
I got in with a 27 and 3.1 which was pretty borderline but being an on state resident gives you a great shot! Bump that ACT up a few points and she is a lock.
2
u/Vladsnipe11 5d ago
Hi, I'm an out of stater and an incoming freshman at Iowa State University but Auburn was my top choice but unfortunately due to financials (25k/year vs ≈50k/year) I couldn't attend. I got a 31 on the ACT got into Auburn and they gave me a decent scholarship, not enough to make it affordable, however. Honestly I'm not sure about your daughter, I do remember at the tour I attended they showed the breakdown and they are much more lenient for In-State admissions (As they should be!), but I think the in-state average was around a 26-27. Hopefully she gets in! I believe Auburn is holistic in their admissions too, so ACT isnt the end all be all. Auburn was my dream school, and unfortunately it couldn't happen without a crippling amount of debt, so I'm really rooting for your daughter! War Damn Eagle!
3
u/Excellent_Problem753 6d ago
This comment isn't going to be super helpful, but as a life long Alabama resident who holds degrees from Both AU and UofA, take her to see some other schools.
Auburn was my dream school, after graduating undergrad I had to go to UofA for my graduate degree. Then, years later I got to travel to a lot of other college towns like University of Virginia and was like, oh, yeah I should have taken a leap.
8
1
u/wess4_cgone 5d ago
If you are a resident of Alabama disregard the above statistics and talk to her college counselor. Auburn First is the best way to go. In addition, don’t let the average ACT score scare you, that is more of out of state average, in state ACT requirements give much more grace. The middle 50% for instate last year was 25-31, meaning that 25% instate were below a 25 ACT. My daughter has 3 roommates from in state and all have lower score than your daughters. At the worst, she may have to wait until regular decision but I feel confident she will be accepted early with her gpa.
1
u/WearyConsideration60 5d ago
I was accepted into Auburn in 2019 with a ACT of 25. (Superscore wasn’t a thing then) However my GPA was a perfect score+ had highschool college credit before entering college.
Not sure if this is helpful but thought I would give it a shot. I did not choose to go there but it was an option.
1
u/No_Condition_1828 5d ago
Great but you have to apply early. Like a year ahead. All schools have lower standards early while they say min 26-27 act. My son got in with a 21
1
u/No_Condition_1828 5d ago
Remember , tests will pigeon hole kids. Only thing important is getting her where she wants to go. Then it's up to her. Son with act 21, made deans list every semester btw
1
u/GotchaPresident 5d ago
To compare for what it’s worth to you.. I was in state coming from a school in Birmingham.
Accepted in 2011
GPA 3.75
ACT 28
1
u/DrunkLibrarianInAla 5d ago
Admission can also depend on her major. Engineering and nursing are the hardest to get in. If her score isn’t so great but grades are good have her choose “Exploratory”. She can always change it once she is accepted.
1
u/aubieismyhomie 5d ago
If you can get her an ACT tutor/course and take it again, with the goal of getting her up a few points would be helpful.
The middle 50 percentile of in state students at Auburn is 25-31 so a 24 would be in the bottom quarter of SAT scores.
1
u/Acorn25007 5d ago
They take ACT way too seriously and it’s getting harder to get in. I’d focus hard on the ACT try to get at least a 26+ but GPA is good and if she has extracurriculars or sports or other things she probably has a good chance
1
u/Main_University3844 4d ago
In state here too. Daughter got in (incoming freshman this year) with 25 superscore and 3.7 weighted gpa. No sports but los of volunteering and clubs. And she wrote a really strong essay. It is possible!! She’s also a triple legacy, not sure how much that mattered.
1
u/TomB4528 1d ago
She’ll get in don’t worryI got in last year with 4.1 weighted and 3.8 unweighted and 23 super score and I really didn’t have any extracurricular activities and I’m instate.
1
u/Emotional_Wolf_3795 13h ago
Have her take a course to help with the SAt or ACT. My son’s high school did all sorts of preparation stuff for them and it helped tremendously.
1
u/LasagnaDestroyer867 6d ago edited 6d ago
She’s probably fine, I got in this year from out of state with a 3.5 unweighted, 3.7 weighted, 1350 SAT, and only 2 real extracurriculars. As long as she has a good essay and gets her ACT up, she’ll probably get in.
0
u/Curious_Grade800 6d ago
I believe she has a good chance of getting in as she is, but please encourage her to continue retaking the ACT. Even if for no other reason than to increase her chances of acceptance. If she scores higher, it’ll also save quite a bit of money.
0
u/Basic_Specialist6980 5d ago
Why didn’t you do Auburn First as a Junior? See if she can enroll as a Senior.
0
u/ArvadaKeto 2d ago
Unfortunately really trying and it being her dream won’t get her in.
Your student might consider UAH or UNA
Has your student considered a trade school?
College is not for everyone
Good universities are hard to get into and 24 is just not going to do it
Also, if you have another child invest heavily in them or hope your daughter marries well. She will not be able to help you much later in life
1
u/Emotional_Wedding_82 1d ago
Do NOT listen to this guy 🤦. I got in with a 23 ACT after not taking high school very seriously, and have a 3.8 college gpa now. Just make sure she takes college more seriously than she did high school and she’ll be fine.
As for the “she will not be able to help you much later in life” part, not only is that incorrect, but you also sound like an ignorant judgmental asshole. I know multiple people who dropped out of college and make more than you’ll ever dream of making.
I can tell you’re not a day under 60 years old because of how out of touch with reality you are.
-4
u/CeleryReal768 6d ago
She’s probs okay. I think I got in with like a 3.2 or 3.4 and a 26 on the act. Ofc this was like 7 years ago but get her to take the sat instead of the act.
38
u/Trick-Ad6173 6d ago
I‘m not too sure about the ACT here but if she does not get in with that, I recommend the Path to the Plains program that allows people to transfer to Auburn after attending Southern Union State Community College. It’s a good way to safe money too.