According to the Minnesota Department for Higher Education, Minnesota has the highest average ACT score with a composite score of 22.9. Orono has exceeded the state average with an average composite score of 26.1. As application deadlines approach, Orono seniors begin the lengthy college application process.
“We beat Blake and Breck for our top 100 ACT score, with an average composite score of 29.2,” said Orono High School guidance counselor Katie Dorn. According to Dorn, over 80 percent of Orono students go to a four-year college and have a 62 percent acceptance rate.
Dorn recommended that students should be applying as soon as possible. She later stated, “Depending on what college you are applying to, many of the deadlines for early action are Nov. 1 and Nov. 15.”
Dorn also remarked that if a school has rolling decision or priority deadlines, it is definitely better to apply early. Schools such as the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin at Madison have the rolling application option.
Senior Millie Luedtke is already ahead of the game. She visited Iowa State last year, applied over the summer, and received her letter of acceptance soon after. She plans to stay in either Minnesota or Iowa for college.
Luedtke will most likely be attending Iowa State next year. She later stated that, “I never thought I would even consider going to Iowa state.” Her other top choices for college are the University of Minnesota Duluth, the University of North Dakota and the University of Wisconsin Lacrosse.
Senior Sophia Sodhi is currently still in the process of applying. “I am still polishing up my resume, but so far have applied to Loyola University in Chicago and to the Carlson School of Business at the University of Minnesota.”
Sodhi does not plan to apply early decision to any schools, but hopes to get her applications in before most of the early action deadlines. “I haven’t found that perfect school that would be worth throwing out any financial aid package options just for admittance.”
As a kid, Sodhi always dreamed of going to Standford University in California. “Who would’ve guessed that Stanford doesn’t have a business undergraduate program?” remarked Sodhi on the matter.
Senior Ben Engler, like Sodhi, is also looking at various schools in D.C. All of Engler’s top schools are along the East coast. He plans to apply to Georgetown, George Washington University, Johns Hopkins and Princeton.
Engler plans to apply early decision to Georgetown, which is a binding application. He visited there this past summer and fell in love with it.
Senior Tori Wilson is all over the map when it comes to college choices. “I am looking along the west coast in Washington and California and in Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois and Iowa,” said Wilson. Her top five college choices are: Seattle Pacific University, Loyola of Chicago, College of Wooster, Pepperdine and Washington University of St. Louis.
Wilson visited almost all of the colleges she is applying to either over spring break or during the summer.
“I honestly think that college tours are long and fade together in my memory, but I love seeing the campus first hand and seeing the students in their everyday life. I think its important to get a feel for colleges in that sense,” said Wilson.
According to Dorn, about 49 percent of Orono students go out of state for college.
There are 45 colleges and universities visiting Orono during the month of October. “For the first time ever we have Dartmouth, Boston College and Notre Dame coming to visit. It is very exciting,” said Dorn.
Stephanie Urness is a News Editor for The Spartan Speaks
