<p>I was wondering what most colleges are requiring in regards to grades and SAT scores. I mean do I need to take the ACT and the SAT II's for most MT colleges? And for SAT I scores, for the most competitive academically (like NYU and UMich) what is good enough? My mom keeps bugging me to retake the SAT but with a combined score of 2170 out of 2400 (1470 out of 1600 on the old scale) is that really neccessary? Any insight would be extremely helpful especially from those of you involved with the actual acceptance procedure. Thanks a lot!</p>
<p>When you ask what most colleges require for grades and SAT scores....that is too general as each college has a different range of stats for accepted students. As far as which tests are required, you must check with each college. This is often posted on their websites. Most colleges require the SAT OR The ACT but not both. Many of the BFA programs do not require SAT II's but you must check with each one. NYU highly recommended them when my D applied and they may even be requiring them now but I would have to check. My D took them because she applied to NYU. </p>
<p>As far as a 2170 or 1470 on the old SAT exam....in my opinion, that is a very solid score for either NYU or UMich and if you were my child, I would not expect you to retake the test. It is up to you but that score is good enough for either of those two schools. Based on the old scale, the mid SAT range (25%-75%) for accepted students for NYU are: V 630-710, M600-710, Combined 1310-1440, and for UMichigan are: V 590-690, M630-730, Combined 1210-1400. For either school, your SAT score is better than more than 75% of accepted students. On JUST the SAT aspect, that puts these two schools into a safer academic range for you but of course many other factors go into the academic admission. The SAT part for you, however, is fine. I would devote your energies now to the other aspects of your admissions process. And yes, take SATII's for NYU. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>PS...the mid GPA of accepted students to Michigan is:
Avg. GPA 3.8, mid GPA 3.60-3.90</p>
<p>For NYU: Avg. 3.63</p>
<p>Both schools will prefer you to have taken the most demanding courses available at your high school.</p>
<p>In terms of class rank:</p>
<p>For NYU: Accepted Students:
72% were in top 10% of class, 93% in top quarter, 100% in top half. </p>
<p>For UMich: Accepted Students:
69% in top 10% of class, 93% in top 25%, 99% in top 50%.</p>
<p>Your SAT score is just fine. As a matter of principle, UM music school requires a B or better average in academic courses (they recalculate the GPA). LSA academic requirements for admission are much different. You should also know that, although test scores are looked at, the primary single piece of academic information used by Michigan (and many other schools) in admissions is GPA. They consider that the best predictor of success in college--which it probably is. Whether that is the most appropriate metric is another story, but that's the way it is now.</p>
<p>Let's also remember that even though we are talking stats and numbers, and these are considered in admissions, selective schools do not just admit by numbers alone but by the entire application. Yes, you need to have stats in range but they are going to examine many aspects of an application.</p>
<p>Also, in terms of GPA, remember that schools like NYU and UMich will want to see the strength of the course load....the most challenging curriculum taken. Your grades will be looked at in the context of what courses were taken and also the school profile.</p>
<p>Thanks sonsdad and soozievt for the imput. I understand that each school has different academic standards but, from what I understand, NYU and UMich are two of the most competetive, academically. Is that true? And also, (sorry for another general question) do some colleges do weighted GPA or is it mostly unweighted?</p>
<p>danimal88: I have sent you a PM about what I understand to be the procedure for evaluating academic performance at UM.</p>
<p>Danimal....of the BFA programs, yes, NYU and UMich are two of the most selective academically. I don't know your list but I'd say of all the BFA programs my own kid applied to, these were the two most academically selective. Remember that NYU OUTSIDE of the BFA program, is a college that has a 29% admit rate so that is pretty selective. UMich is also selective though has a higher admit rate (again outside of the BFA program admissions). </p>
<p>As far as weighted and unweighted GPA goes...when schools state their avg. GPA of admitted students, they are talking UNWEIGHTED because that is a GPA that all students have, whereas not all high schools have weighted grades (ours did not for my kids but have since implemented them due to a policy initiative that my older D wrote and had the school board pass, coincidentally). So, they are going by UNweighted GPAs. UMich also recalculates the GPA and just goes by academic core classes. </p>
<p>BUT the weighted GPA is not for naught. For instance, if your school has weighted GPA, and you have taken a challenging courseload, then your class rank has benefitted (not the case when my kids went to our UNweighted GPA school). So, already it helps you there. Further, selective colleges WILL be examining the difficulty of the curriculum you have chosen in high school. They do want to see you taking a demanding courseload. Your grades are also examined in that context. I think they'd rather see a B+ in an AP class than an A in an easier tracked core class. So, it counts in THAT way. Therefore, if you HAVE taken the harder classes at your school, this will be a plus in admissions at NYU or UMich...they want to see that. It also helped your class rank if your school has weighted GPA. The colleges will see both your weighted and unweighted GPA on your transcript. The unweighted one, however, is what is often referred to in admissions because that is more consistant between schools. Also, your school sends a profile of your school with your transcript and your transcript will be interpretted within the context of YOUR school. Remember that not everyone has a weighted GPA if their school doesn't have that system and even for those who do have one, it is calculated differently from school to school. If I were examining your "stats" and chances of admission, I would ask you for your UNweighted GPA but I'd also want to see your transcript and curriculum taken and the school profile. Also the class rank. </p>
<p>Remember that your current SAT scores are fine for the two schools you mentioned. But these schools will care about your academic record...GPA, courseload, rank, SAT2 scores (at NYU), essays, extracurriculars, achievements, recs, etc. You do have to examine the stats of admitted students and make sure yours are in the ballpark but once they are in that ballpark, it is all these other factors that will be taken into account as it is not simply a numbers game.</p>