700 or above 700 for sat subject test?

Applying to College
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<p>I keep hearing about this "above 700" threshold for what Ivy League applicants should report or shoot for on SAT subject tests.
Of course, higher is better, but I keep hearing "above 700" thrown around.
What about a flat 700?
Let's say, for instance, that you had a math lvl 2 of 800 and a US history of 700 for Ivies that require 2 subject tests. Would the average of those two scores (750) be good enough, or should one really shoot to have two scores 750+?</p>

<p>I am curious because I see "above 700" (and even "750+") thrown around a lot for these schools, but I was wondering if the average of 2 subject tests being 750+ would also be ok?</p>

<p>Can any admitted applicants from HYPS shed any light on this?
(Note: yes, I am aware of the plethora of applicants with straight 800s on 5 subject tests here on CC - just wondering if any less than perfect applicants had anything to say about it?)</p>

<p>Thanks,</p>

<p>NP</p>

2

<p>700 on one test may be low, if we’re simply looking at statistics. It would put you in the first quartile. Just because it averages to 750 doesn’t make it more impressive.</p>

<p>However, getting a 750 instead of a 700 won’t be the deciding factor in your acceptance or rejection. Neither will an 800, a 640 or a 490. This isn’t something you should obsess over. There are no strict cut offs. There is no “over 700” quota to be meet. If the rest of your app is strong, then you have nothing to worry about. But that is for you to decide. </p>

3

<p>I agree with @Esat936 that you shouldn’t worry about it. A 700 is fine anyway</p>

4

<p>Thanks for the opinions.
I simply wondered why everyone said “above 700” for subject tests instead of 700+. Was curious if the mark were greater than 700, or greater than or equal to 700.</p>

<p>-NP</p>

<p>Ps excluding the “super applicants” with straight 800’s, are there any of you out there who are “unhooked” (ie not URM, not recruited athlete, not legacy) people with GPA 4.0 unweighted, non super scored sat 1 of 2250+, but only 700 sat subject tests who made it into HYPS? Thanks.</p>

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<p>CC has a feature where you can calculate your Academic Index. The Ivies will look at that as a whole instead of scrutinize just one average subject test score.</p>

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<p>As far as I know, colleges don’t publish data for SAT Subject Tests. However, they do publish SAT numbers in the “Common Data Set.” </p>

<p>I think it’s a good assumption that SAT Subject Tests scores are most likely about the same as the SAT Test itself. That’s where the 700 number probably comes from, as it’s about the 25th percentile SAT subset score at the below schools.</p>

<p>See C9 data:
Harvard: <a href=“http://oir.harvard.edu/files/huoir/files/harvard_cds_2011-2012.pdf”>http://oir.harvard.edu/files/huoir/files/harvard_cds_2011-2012.pdf&lt;/a&gt;
Yale: <a href=“http://oir.yale.edu/sites/default/files/CDS2013_2014.pdf”>http://oir.yale.edu/sites/default/files/CDS2013_2014.pdf&lt;/a&gt;
Princeton: <a href=“http://registrar.princeton.edu/university_enrollment_sta/common_cds2011.pdf”>http://registrar.princeton.edu/university_enrollment_sta/common_cds2011.pdf&lt;/a&gt;
Stanford: <a href=“Stanford Common Data Set | University Communications”>Stanford Common Data Set | University Communications;
MIT: <a href=“MIT Institutional Research”>MIT Institutional Research;

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<p>Thanks for the links! </p>

<p>-NP</p>

8

<p>Keep in mind what those subject scores mean. An 800 on Math II is the 85th percentile and a 700 on US history is only 64th percentile. When competing with caliber of students taking these exams, you need high scores.</p>

9

<p>^^^ An 750 on the Chinese exam is in the 24th percentile. That doesn’t mean a 750 isn’t impressive. An 800 on Math 2 is excellent and so is a 770. Getting obsessed with percentiles is playing a pointless game.</p>

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A 750 in Chinese, if you are one of the 14% of non-heritage/native speakers who took the test, is impressive. It’s less impressive for the 86% who are heritage-speakers.</p>

11

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<p>FWIW: When ivy league colleges look at your SAT Subject Test scores they DO NOT look at what they mean. Instead, they take the top 2 scores, regardless of percentile, and plug them into the Academic Index: <a href=“http://www.collegeconfidential.com/academic_index.htm”>http://www.collegeconfidential.com/academic_index.htm&lt;/a&gt;. </p>

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<p>Based on playing with the AI formula, looks like an 800/700 is no different than a 750/750. Am I wrong?</p>

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<p>Just get perfect scores and everything will be alright. Aim for 800 on everything. It isn’t that hard. just get a Barron’s book and memorize it all.</p>