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Ask the Guru a question.SAT/ACT Tests
Thanks for taking the time to read my question! I am currently a rising senior in high school. I scored an 1870 on the new SAT, have an unweighted GPA of 3.8 and am very involved in extracurriculars. For example, I am the president and founder of my school's Young Democrats Club and am completing internships under the Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates and under the local teacher's union. By the time I finish high school, I will have taken 6 AP classes along with 15 honors classes. I have a list of several schools I'm interested in. I was wondering, how many reach schools should I apply to? I'm working with a private SAT tutor to bring up the SAT scores, what other advice would you have for me to make my application more desirable to a school like Georgetown? Finally, would I be considered a legacy at a school if my grandfather attended it?
It sounds like you're doing all of the right things! You have a strong record and should be in the running at a number of fine schools. In response to your specific questions, the only thing I can think of that you could do to possibly improve your chance of getting into a top school is to take the SAT again. You have a very good score, but if you think you could raise it a total of 100 points or so you probably would improve your chances at some of the top schools. It's hard to say how many "reach" schools you should apply to. I think you just need to decide which ones you would really like to go to. A number in the 2 to 4 range comes to mind, but, again, that's a personal choice. I don't know if financial considerations affect you, but, as you know, schools charge an application fee. As far as your legacy question, that depends on the school. Some schools will give a preference to legacies, so you need to check directly with the schools you have in mind.
I am going to be a senior in a highly ranked public school and have decent grades. I am in the top 3% of my class, play varsity tennis, and am in a few clubs with strong positions in them. My concern when it comes to college admissions is my test scores. I am very good at math but the reading and writing sections seem to let me down. I scored a 1970 on the new SATs (800 math, 600 reading, and 570 verbal) and a 29 composite score on the ACTs (35 math, 24 reading, 29 english, and 26 science). I am not going to ask what my chances are of getting into a certain college because I realize that is a question no one can know, but what should I do to go about bettering my English scores? I plan to retake both tests, but if the scores do not improve, then what is another step I could take to help improve my chances in that area of college admissions? Also, I answered 68 of 75 questions on the Englsih part of the ACT correct and still got a 29, how are these sections being scored?
I’ll answer your last question first. ACT scores are determined by counting the number of questions on each test that you answered correctly. No points are deducted for incorrect answers. Then, the number of correct answers (your “raw score”) is converted to a scale score. While a scale score of 29 out of 36 might seem low considering the number of questions you answered correctly, it’s important to put the number in context: According to the ACT website, an English score of 29 puts you in the 93rd percentile nationally. This means you scored higher than some 93 percent of high school students who took the test -- very impressive! (Your composite ACT score, by the way, falls in the 95th percentile, also quite impressive.) If you still want to improve your scores, the best strategy is to take a test preparation course or to organize a course of study on your own. Whichever you choose, the most important thing is to take as many practice tests as possible. (The makers of both the SAT and the ACT publish old tests for practice purposes; you can find them in your local bookstore.) Another way to raise your English scores is to beef up your vocabulary. Many test prep books contain lists of the most commonly tested words. Try studying a certain number of words nightly until you’ve mastered the lists.
I just got my results back from the new SAT with the following scores: 625 in math, 500 in critical reading, 460 in writing, 42 in multiple choice, and 8 in essay. Which figures do I add to get my SAT score?
You add the 625, 500 and 460 for a total of 1585. These are your scaled scores (reported in the range of 200 to 800). The scores for the multiple choice and essay are subscores that were used to compute your total score of 460 in the writing section. The multiple choice subscore is reported on a 20-80 scale, and the essay subscore is reported in a 2 to 12 range. According to the College Board, the multiple choice subscore counts for about 70% of the total writing section scaled score, and the essay counts for about 30%.
How do the SAT and ACT compare?
The SAT and ACT are both standardized tests designed to give colleges a common measurement by which to judge applicants. The SAT tests critical reading, math, and writing and is scored from 200 to 800 per section, for a total of 2400 points. The ACT tests English, math, reading, and science and is scored from 1 to 36. The ACT also has a writing section which is optional, unlike the SAT's writing section which is required. The focus of the exams is also slightly different: The SAT ostensibly measures “aptitude,” meaning there is an emphasis on problem solving and critical thinking. The ACT, in contrast, is more content-based, with a larger focus on knowledge acquired in high school. Most American colleges will accept either the SAT or ACT. The important thing is to find out which test is required by the schools to which you're applying (and, in the case of the ACT, whether or not the writing section is required). Since most schools accept either exam, it’s a good idea to determine which test plays to your strengths.
Admissions Guru, I don't exactly understand what SAT II is. What's the point in taking it? Do colleges like so see it on a transcript?
The SAT II tests are one-hour, multiple choice tests, on writing, literature, mathematics, history, sciences and foreign languages. Some schools, particularly the most competitive schools, require that you take as many as three of these subject tests. The schools that do require them may designate which subject you need to take or they may let you pick them. These schools may use the test results to determine your acceptance or placement in college courses. Even if a school does not require the SAT II, they will still consider your scores on those tests. Therefore, it's something for you to consider taking although it's hard to say how much weight a particular school would put on these scores if they're not required. If the schools you're interested in don't require them, I would take them only if you're looking to get exempted from certain course requirements and/or to be accepted in certain courses that may require the SAT II without any other prerequisite courses.
In what grade do people usually take the SAT's or ACT?
I'm going with Spring of ones junior year of high school and Fall of ones senior year of high school. I recommend taking either of the tests twice, unless you're completely satisfied with your score. If you take it in the Fall of your senior year, you still have late winter opportunities to take it again if needed. I don't really know the answer to your question, but as a strategy, this is what I'd go with.
I am currently entering my senior year in high school, and have finished taking all necessary standardized tests. Although I have received many accolades in math, and my teachers comments on my innate math ability, my math scores (SAT 1 and Math 2C) ar e less than I would expect (I received mid 600’s). Will the prestigious colleges I am applying to investigate my situation? Should I take these tests again, or will it not make a difference? When I take these tests I truly just run out of time.
A lot of people would kill for mid-600s. But anyway, I’m not sure what situation you want colleges to investigate. That you are better in math than your scores show? I mean, you’re 150 points from perfect! However, if you are unsatisfied with your score, take the darn thing again. Colleges consider the highest score. Before you take it again, though, develop a strategy for working faster. This might mean taking an SAT prep course or just buying a book that provides SAT prep. If you didn’t want to take the test again, maybe you could get a recommendation from a math te acher touting your math ability. At any rate, I’m not sure how selective of a college you’re after, but based on math SAT scores, you’re going to be in the running.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of retaking the SAT if you did not do as well as you had hoped the first time?
I'm trying to reach an SAT score above 1900. I take practice tests, yet my scores are generally low, I want to get into a top school such as Johns Hopkins. Should I get tutoring?
While taking practice tests will help familiarize you with the test format, your test scores probably won’t increase until you learn how to take the test. Taking an SAT prep course should do the trick. Not only are their teachers SAT whizzes, but they’ve spent hours figuring out tricks that will make the SAT less painful — and help you discern exactly what the test makers are looking for. They’ll also help you come up with a personalized study plan designed to help you earn your target score.
The major test preparation companies also offer private tutoring, but the cost of private tutoring typically exceeds the price of one of their prep courses. Plus, while an individual tutor can work with you one-on-one, that arrangement doesn’t give you the benefit of hearing other students’ questions and concerns. However, you need to decide whether taking a course or getting a private tutor will be better for you. I think it depends mainly on whether you're disciplined enough to study on your own without being prodded by a private tutor each week. Everyone is different in this regard.
If you don't have or want to spend the money for a course or private tutor, and if you are disciplined enough for total self-study, there are also books (available in the “Study Guides” section of most bookstores) and CD's you can purchase that will teach you the same tricks taught in the courses. If you decide to buy a book or CD and teach yourself, however, make sure you actually set aside time — ideally one to two hours — to study every single day for at least four weeks before the test day. Also be sure that you study in a quiet place so you can get used to the conditions you’ll be taking the test in before test day.A general question about SATs that I have not seen answered is whether or not colleges will take the "best" scores from each section. I've heard that some colleges will and some will not. Moreover, I wonder if the difference between a score of 2200 and 2300 really counts in the long run. I am debating whether or not I should go through the long, grueling process once again just to increase my score 100 points or so, at the cost of 4 hours and $40.
First, congratulations on your SAT score. You should be very proud of yourself!
With regard to your first question, the answer varies from school to school. Most schools will take the higher of the two cumulative scores or take the highest score from each section, although some will average your scores from each section. Unfortunately, most schools don’t disclose on their web sites which method they use, so it would be a good idea to call the admissions offices of the schools to which you’re thinking about applying to find out how they handle multiple SAT scores.
If you’re willing to study hard to retake the SAT and you think you can raise your score by at least 50 points, then it is probably worth your while. If you’re not planning to devote a lot of time to studying, though, it might not be worthwhile, as your score might stay about the same or end up going down.
It’s also important to keep in mind that SAT scores are just one part of your college application. Admissions committees also evaluate grades, rigor of curriculum, essays, recommendations, and extracurriculars. So if you already have a great GPA, extracurriculars, and recommendations and you’re confident you can get into the school of your choice with a 2200, then it might not be worth retaking the SAT. That said, don’t make this decision unless you are very confident in your qualifications. There’s a risk that the admission committee will be forced to choose between you and an otherwise identical candidate who has a higher SAT score. Plus, if you’re applying to really competitive colleges, it would probably be a good precaution to retake the SAT, just to be on the safe side, as every little aspect of your application could affect the admissions committee’s decision. But again, it’s only worth retaking the SAT if you’re willing to study hard and think you can improve by at least 50 points.
Finally, be sure to apply to a broad range of schools to keep your options open. After all, many qualified candidates are denied admission to their top-choice schools each year simply because there aren’t enough available spots. Luckily, you can get a great education at dozens of different schools, so long as you take advantage of the opportunities with which you are presented. Good luck!