<p>I got my SAT scores back today and got a 2310 composite which satisfies me, but I'm worried about the distribution: 790 CR / 720 M / 800 W (80/12). The 720 math was a bit of a shocker to me because I usually score very high on math, with an 80 on the PSAT and an 800 Math II. Will it be hard to get into a school like Caltech with such a (relatively) low math score, considering 770 is the 25th percentile? I think I can do better if I retake it, but my parents are encouraging me not to retake it. I don't think the 800 in Math II will really compensate because those are a dime a dozen. </p>
<p>More importantly, should I be reconsidering whether Caltech would be a good place for me considering my scores came out leaning pretty heavily toward the CR and Writing end of the spectrum?</p>
<p>Retake the SATI, definitely. As long as you get 750+ on it, then you are fine for Caltech--that is like cutting down the number of your mistakes from 4 to 2. Do some practice tests and check your work when taking the test.</p>
<p>I did really bad on the math...
really really bad (a 730)
but still got in!
But truly, they don't seem to accept many low-SAT-Math-scoring-people.
So I would definitely retake.</p>
<p>I got a 740 and my overall scores leaned towards CR/writing, but I also came from a math/science high school so my interest in math/science was clear in my application. I would recommend retaking the SAT if possible, especially since you got an 80 in math on the PSAT. However, a 720 is not the end of your application. Just be sure to make your passion for math/science clear in the rest of your app.</p>
<p>I got a 790 on the math portion of the March SAT I, 2050 composite, (only reason it’s so low is because I’m a sophomore and I wanted to take the SAT just to see what I should improve on)</p>
<p>It can hurt, I think. The SAT math is pretty much nonsense, but the pattern is that Caltech students have very, very uniformly high test scores all over the place.</p>
<p>I got the impression that 700+ was fine as long as math II was 800 or very close to it. The difference between a 700 and an 800 on math can be like two questions. </p>
<p>I got 800/700/760 the first time I took the SATs and the second time I got 700/800/760 (Math/Reading/Writing). It wasn’t because I lost some special knowledge of math between the two testing dates…</p>
<p>On a related note (sorry for using your thread, 112358), does Caltech honor Score Choice? I don’t want to send my SAT I scores, but Caltech requires SAT IIs. </p>
<p>My ACT is much higher than my SAT, and I’m also worried about a 720 M score…</p>
<p>If your ACT is higher, admissions is unlikely to give much thought to your SAT score, even if it gets sent. I don’t know if Caltech honors score choice, but I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t.</p>
<p>They say they require either SAT I or ACT so since its an or I’m 95% sure that they’ll only look at your highest out of the two since they only need 1 of the two.</p>
<p>My friend got in with a 670 Math, but then again he got like a 760 on the Math II (and scored somewhat high on his previous AMC’s), so it probably isn’t that big of a deal.</p>
<p>As ^ said, I got a 670 math (720 writing, 800 Crit read), 760 math II, 770 physics, 760 Bio M and 70-80 AMC scores the four years I took it. In reality, Caltech looks for good scores, but if you can demonstrate that you have a love of science, then that’s the part that really counts. Those thirty or so extra points may help a little bit, but is it worth another Saturday of boring stuffy testing, when you could be doing something you actually enjoy?</p>
<p>I don’t think SAT math really says much about how good you are at math. A 720 just says you made a few careless mistakes. I got a 780 the first time but a 710 the second. Wouldn’t they pay more attention to your math grades at school? Or on a harder test like the math IIC or ACT?</p>
<p>Update: In the end, I decided to retake. I guess it was a good decision, because I ended up with a 2400. Thanks to everyone who has weighed in with advice.</p>
I can’t believe you think your 2310 is anything short of AWESOME. Chill dude, Scores are not everything</p>