<p>WesDad:</p>
<p>I’ve seen those numbers from Amherst before. I’m not sure how characteristic they are, though. (1) Amherst only admits about 850 kids, total, and only about 700 RD. (2) A huge percentage of Amherst’s enrollees have to be athletes. (3) Amherst is ultra-selective, so that numbers in general probably mean less there than almost anywhere else besides HYPS.</p>
<p>That said, in terms of numbers of kids, there is a pretty meaningful difference between a 790 CR score and a 770 one, or 780-760 M. In the class of 2007 SAT figures, there were about 9,200 kids with 790 or better for CR, and 16,600 with 770 or better. For math, the spread is 17,200 (780+) and 28,900 (760+). In other words, almost twice as many kids in the applicant pool may be at or above the 75% level for enrolled students as for accepted students. And, at the 25% level, there are as many students nationally with 670-680 CR as there are 750+ (about 30,000), and there are almost as many students with 660 M (25,700) as there are with 760+ (see above). I think the practical difference represented by those 200 points is not insignificant.</p>