<p>Hi-- First time poster. My son just got his SAT scores( first time taking them) and did great on CR-770 but got 670 on Math. His ACT math score was 34 and we were expecting a higher score on SAT math.</p>
<p>Any ideas why when he thought he did better? </p>
<p>Also a question on Stanford. He is taking Math I subject test in June and was going to study for the Math II this summer and take it in Oct. So would it be better for him to retake the SAT I and get a better math I score, or just plan on taking Math II in October? On Stanford's web site it highly recommends the SAT Math II.</p>
<p>if your son is completing precalc now, he might consider Math 2 in June instead of Math 1. The Math 2 scaling is much more generous. Depending on the test, a student can miss ~8 and still receive an ‘800’. Miss one in Math 1 = 770, miss two = 740…</p>
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<p>Could be any or a combination of reasons.</p>
<p>SAT M covers only algebra I & Geom, plus ~4 Alg II problems. If your son is advanced in math, its possible he just forgot all those early Alg I rules. (When posted, the score report will show the types of problems that he missed.) ACT math includes trig (which is typically precalc), so some of the material is more current.</p>
<p>Could have done poorly on the Grid-Ins – plug and check can’t be done with grid-ins.</p>
<p>SAT M includes a lot more ‘reasoning’ or logic (or whatever term) than the ACT-M. Even with CB’s most “difficult” problems, there is an easy way to solve if one can immediately visualize a way to rearrange the problem, etc. If one can visualize a way to solve, then a difficult problem can be solved in ~30 seconds; otherwise, the solution could take minutes. Every SAT test has a rate problem or two (‘a train leaves Chicago while another one leaves NY’), and these can take forever to solve if one doesn’t remember the average rate of speed formula (see Xiggi method for test prep). The problems in ACT-M are typically more straightforward, so the ACT folks require more time constraints.</p>
<p>A comment about Stanford…word on the street is that more Subject Tests are better.</p>
<p>My daughter had almost the same results. Her math skills don’t seem to work for the SAT system - regular or sat2. Her ACT 34 relieved us and her.</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, she was waitlisted at Stanford this year. I don’t think it was the SAT scores. Just too many good applicants.</p>
<p>Student are admitted at Stanford without SAT Subject Tests. It would be a mistake to consider Stanford a school obsessed with test scores, as it may very well be the school that uses the most comprehensive model of holistic review.</p>
<p>It’s not unusual for students to earn different scores on the ACT and SAT -and that is if the scales are in fact comparable. </p>
<p>In addition to the tests presenting slightly different patterns, some students encounter difficulties with … intelligent guessing at the end of a section as well as careless mistakes in the very first questions. It does not take many penalties and small mistakes to see a score inching from close to 800 to around 700. </p>
<p>The most common reaction of a student checking his (or her) answers is … “How could I have missed that!”</p>
<p>^^So true, xiggi. Nearly every year on cc, some kids with strong overall scores admit to missing the first math problem, which by definition is an “Easy” problem.</p>
<p>On Stanford-- My son is a Junior and will probably apply to Stanford Early Action. However he only has one more opportunity to take either the SAT over again in October and improve his math score or study for the SAT II Math 2 test for October.</p>
<p>Is it better to apply with-- A) a 670 math (May), get a 720 Math subject test 1 (best guess for June) and a 700 Math subject test 2 (October best guess) OR
B) 670 math (May), 720 math subject test I (June) and retake SAT and get a 740 in Math in October and not do SAT Math 2 subject test?</p>
<p>Best wishes to him. I will note for the record that not taking precalculus until senior year suggests that he had better have a very strong humanities background to be competitive for Stanford.</p>
<p>And my son got rejected from Stanford with great scores, great grades, and terrible essays. His original common ap essay was okay, but he hated all the extra Stanford essay - start early on them!</p>
<p>As to your original question, if the ACT scores are good, I wouldn’t obsess too much over the SAT scores. Most universities say they will take whichever scores make the student look better.</p>
<p>Probably because the curve on the SAT I Math is pretty horrific and it’s really easy to make stupid errors on their questions. </p>
<p>I got 670 on the Math(770 Reading, so hey, same score!) the first time around and then got 800 the second time and the only difference was focus. The colleges I was applying to would take the best of each section so, knowing that I had reading in the bag, I saved my limited concentration for the math sections and voila.</p>
<p>If we just submit ACT score of 32 to Stanford and no SAT or SAT II scores will that be sufficient? Or will Stanford wonder why there aren’t any SAT Scores?</p>
<p>Yep–and it was just a little over a year ago too… The 800 was in math the second time around and my reading plummetted from a 770 to a 690 and I laughed because College Board claims that that type of fluctuation doesn’t/shouldn’t happen, but it definetly does! </p>
<p>Then again, all my standardized test scores for college were all over the place and inconsistent, which is, again, due to a concentration issue and my mood on the day. I would’ve loved to see my adcom’s reaction to them. </p>
<p>Lucky for me my colleges just took the 800 and 770 and my is that a shiny combined number. I believe Stanford does that. So it wouldn’t hurt to just take another go at the SAT (though as other parents have mentioned, the ACT should be fine too.)</p>