Advice re: Harvard Act vs SAT

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>35 ACT
Rank #1
4.0 GPA/4.4 WGPA</p>

<p>Do I need the SAT too?</p>

2

<p>Not SAT but you need two SAT2s along with the ACT. However, things have been changing each year on this point and it is worth watching the Harvard announcement for the coming year. If you call the Office they may know next year’s policy already and be able to tell you.</p>

<p>A 35 is a terrific score. The ACT is different in that the top 3 scores (34, 35, 36) are much harder to achieve than the top scores in the SATs.</p>

3

<p>Thank you so much for your reply. Do you think the same policy applies to most of the Ivies?</p>

4

<p><a href=“https://schoolforms.commonapp.org/CommonApp/MemberRequirements.aspx[/url]”>https://schoolforms.commonapp.org/CommonApp/MemberRequirements.aspx&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

5

<p>Thank you gibby. That link was very helpful!</p>

6

<p>No, the Ivy colleges have different policies regarding standardized testing - so be sure to carefully read the requirements for each school.
Example: This year Harvard accepts SAT or ACT, but regardless of which one you submit (Harvard only requres one or either), you must also take and submit the results of any two SAT subject tests. You may not use SAT subject test in a language that’s your native tongue to fulfill this requirement. If spanish is your first language, you may not submit SAT Spanish subject test as one of the two (ditto french, etc).
For Yale: ACT plus Writing only OR SAT I plus two SAT Subject tests - so it’s different from Havard in that Yale would accept ACT plus Writing only as fulfilling their standardized testing requirement. But if you want to use SAT I, you must also submit two SAT subject tests.</p>

<p>ACT has come a long way and it’s now accepted by all colleges in place of SAT I (reasoning test) or in place of both SAT I and SAT Subject tests (formerly SAT II)</p>

7

<p>OP–were you asking whether Harvard requires the SAT in addition to the ACT, or whether there is a preference for the SAT? I assumed you were asking the latter (you wouldn’t have needed to post your stats for the former)–is this great ACT score (coupled with great gpa) sufficient, or do Harvard and other highly-selective schools want to see an SAT score?</p>

8

<p>More students in the US now sit for the ACT than the SAT. In the Ivies they are completely neutral as to which you submit (NB: with the issue of the subject tests noted above–but check about the 2013 admitting class because the requirements change year to year (and college to college).</p>

<p>No need to that the SAT reasoning test with an ACT score of 35.</p>

<p>MY D took the ACT and (two subject tests) and is going to a top NESCAC… my son is at Harvard.</p>

9

<p>bcisaidso…yes, you are correct, I was asking if there was a preference for the SAT. Thanks everyone for the replies. Based on the advice here, I will register (late!) for 2 subject tests.</p>