<p>Hy every one</p>
<p>Does Columbia consider REALLY only the best scores of your SAT results, regardless of which section?</p>
<p>For example, I get verbal: 500, maths: 800, writing 630</p>
<p>and the next time, I get:
590, 740, 620</p>
<p>will they consider just best one from each section, and totally neglect the other?</p>
<p>so then, my superscore will be: 590, 800, 630???</p>
<p>will that be so?</p>
<p>When you send colleges your score report, they will see all of your scores, but, in making a decision, officially consider your highest on each section. Of course, taking the SAT many times just to minutely increase your score may not reflect well..</p>
<p>Yes, that is how they will consider your score. And no, you need not worry about having taken the SAT too many times. Twice is perfectly acceptable, and a 90-point improvement, even in one section, is nothing to sneeze at.</p>
<p>"verbal: 500, maths: 800"</p>
<p>Anyone else perturbed by this?</p>
<p>Hey, kwu, I know 500 is low, and 590 is still low, but at least there's improvement. What do you mean by perturbed?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Hey, kwu, I know 500 is low, and 590 is still low, but at least there's improvement. What do you mean by perturbed?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>^^^ Gosh, what a bit of irony.</p>
<p>
[quote]
^^^ Gosh, what a bit of irony.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>irony? please explain. If you are simply referring to the SAT score, then I must tell you, there are loads of people whose English are not their first language got this kind of huge difference between verbal and maths, even bigger sometimes.</p>
<p>Any way, I dont see why 590 alone is a kiss of death.</p>
<p>Don't worry about it.
Many, many people who speak English as their first language
can't even score a 590.
500 to 590 is a very big improvement.
At least it correlates with your writing section.</p>
<p>Have you thought about taking the SAT a third time?
It would be very helpful to you if you spent some more time
practicing for those two sections, took the test again,
and finished with 650+ scores in CR and Writing.</p>
<p>
[quote]
At least it correlates with your writing section.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>THATS probably the kiss of death....</p>
<p>if your writing score was like 700+ it could've balanced out the 590 ....i didn't do much better than a 590 on verbal but my writing was 740.....also i hope you are applying to SEAS otherwise you have very little chance</p>
<p>to answer the original question though...yes technically they use the highest score from each section...but there is no formula...nothing is stopping them from considering your lower scores as well</p>
<p>Thanks for your response Shraf, and kwu too.</p>
<p>I think I should better notify Columbia and any other university I'm applying to that I am not a native English speaker. Can I just write down this and fax it to them? Will they consider it a kind of paranoia? Indeed, I am a little paranoid that should I make one less mistake, I could've got a 600 which sounds way better than a 590 with a 5 at the beginning.</p>
<p>Yes, I am applying to the engineering section of Columbia.</p>
<p>Besides, probably my best awards are winning Maths (Top 10) and Informatics (Top 15) at the national level, and I am still in the final selection round for the International Olympiad. In my essay, I wrote why I love engineering by describing an engineering idea I had (BitTorrent searching, downloading, and seeding only through GoogleTalk by talking with a central Gmail user that represents a server program) and done. Apart from mathematics, and computing, I also spend quite a lot of time on piano music and composition at the local city music school, which I have fun and am passionate about, but I am a late starter, unlike many who usually begin since kindergarten.</p>
<p>Academically, I think I'm consistent with the average applicant. That is, 7s on IB HL Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry. 6s on Chinese and Economics SL. Again, 5 on English SL as my weakness. GPA = a full 4.0 and top of my class.</p>
<p>I apply as a green card holder from Europe and think that I have something strong and unique on my application. If Columbia engineering school is like fully 100% SAT oriented, I wouldn't even bother applying, but because they claim that they look at the application holistically by also considering different circumstances, I give it a try. However, the most difficult thing for me is to evaluate what circumstances are valid enough to mention. For instance, they say they put an applicant within the context of his school, but how do I describe that context in my school? like comparing with other school? How on Earth do I know the performance of the other school? Secondly, my counselor told me that Universities in American don't really consider English as a second language a kind of special context since the mean of communication is English there so every one is treated equally in this respect.</p>
<p>Some expression of my confusion :p</p>
<p>btw, my SAT maths II is 800 and physics is 790. If that adds anything to my application.</p>
<p>Secondly, to kwu, I think at this moment it would be the end of my SAT atempting, because I've already done the last possible SAT in January.</p>
<p>While non-native speakers would inevitably be disadvantaged in the CR and Writing section of the SAT, the truth is that there are also a lot of non-native speakers with stellar CR and Writing scores (and nice Maths score to boot). So no, I wouldn't even fax/tell them anything about English being a second language. If anything it would only annoy the adcoms.</p>
<p>Have you taken the TOEFL? A CR score below 600 means that you aren't exempted from taking the TOEFL, IIRC.</p>
<p>I haven't taken the TOEFL yet. I was so concentrating on increasing my SAT verbal that I didn't even think about it, as I actually predicted about 630 points for my verbal when I was doing the official practice tests myself. Any way, if there's still a chance to do the TOEFL, I'll definitely do it. Nevertheless, I really don't see how a high TOEFL will help me. Since it only indicates my language proficiency, but not my reasoning. I think many people with 500 CR can get pretty decent on TOEFL, since SAT CR is more artful and delicate.</p>
<p>SO, is it REALLY helpful to take TOEFL after all then?</p>
<p>From the admission website FAQs: </p>
<p>
[quote]
To be considered for admission to Columbia, you must be comfortable with rapid and idiomatic spoken English. If your home language is not English and if your primary language of instruction has not been English for at least five years, you are required to take an English proficiency examination. Both of the examinations listed here are given all over the world, several times a year; you must take the examination no later than December of the school year in which you are applying:</p>
<ol>
<li>TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). You are urged to visit TOEFL:</a> Test of English as a Foreign Language as quickly as possible for more information on this examination. A minimum score of 600 (paper-based test), 250 (old computer-based test) or 100 (new Internet-based test) is necessary for admission to Columbia. Your score must be reported directly to Columbia by the testing service, using report code 2116 ( Columbia College) or 2111 (The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science).</li>
<li>IELTS (International English Language Testing System). You are urged to visit IELTS</a> - English for International Opportunity as quickly as possible for more information on this examination. A minimum score of 7.0 is necessary for admission to Columbia. Your score must be reported directly to Columbia Undergraduate Admissions.</li>
<li>If you have a 650 on the Critical Reasoning/Verbal section of the SAT, you are exempt from taking an English proficiency examination.
[/quote]
</li>
</ol>
<p>My point is, it is a requirement. ie. as a non-native speaker you must take the TOEFL if your CR score is below 650, lest your application may be considered incomplete and thus disadvantaged.</p>
<p>Oh well... I am a non-native speaker but I have been in a school where English is the primary mean of instruction for about five years.</p>
<p>So, in theory, I am not required to take TOEFL.</p>
<p>But for my own sake, I will contact them and see whether or not the February TOEFL will get to them in time, since it's actually quite late now.</p>
<p>Thanks for that info, tomo.</p>