Advise please- 35 on ACT need to take SAT?

Parents Forum
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<p>S received 35 composite on ACT (36 r, 36 e, 34 s, 32 m). Does he need to take SAT? S thinks some colleges prefer SAT. What do you think?</p>

2

<p>Are you serious? She’s fine.</p>

3

<p>No, all the colleges are now fine with the ACT. Really. Congrats to your son!</p>

4

<p>No need to take the SAT.</p>

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<p>I vote NO! (and congrats!) With that score, please don’t waste any more of your money on standardized testing.</p>

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<p>There is one thing we don’t know here. Was it the ACT with writing? If not he may have to retake something either way. Many colleges require the SAT or the ACT with writing.
If it was the ACT with writing I agree with the previous posts that the SAT isn’t necessary.</p>

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<p>My D also received a very high score on the ACT and so did not take the SAT…then she was named a NMSF and had to schedule and take the SAT during her very busy Senior year…I would take the SAT now (junior year) if there is any chance your son will be a NMSF.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the responses. MemphisGuy, it was the ACT plus writing, writing score was 10 out of 12, combined english writing is 34.</p>

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<p>Katie, PSAT scores most likely will not qualify him for NMSF. Thank you for pointing that out.</p>

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<p>I think your son is good to go since he has the writing. No need to spend that Saturday “trying” a different test! Congrats to him on the great score.</p>

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<p>Here is another reason for not taking SAT I. Cornell requires SAT IIs for some of its schools, like A&S. Cornell also does not participate in score choice. If your kid were to take SAT I and not do as well, he would then need to send in his SAT I scores along with his SAT II scores, he wouldn’t be able to just send in SAT IIs.</p>

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<p>No need to take it. ACT with writing and not going for NMSF.</p>

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<p>Wait?! If you take SAT I and SAT II, you have to send both to non score choice schools?! I thought you could just send ACT and SAT II’s.</p>

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<p>The only reason to take SAT’s is if you are applying to schools requiring SAT II scores (and then I’d take the Math II and the Literature). What I found interesting is that a lot of top tier schools accept the ACT with writing as finite, but if you take the SAT I you have to submit SAT II scores as well. </p>

<p>Our GC’s have been pretty clear over the last four years to say that MOST ALL SCHOOLS WILL FOCUS ON HIGHEST SCORES ONLY, even if you send both and all.</p>

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<p>Isn’t a bit late to ask this? Or is your son a junior?</p>

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<p>S is a Junior.</p>

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<p>I’m betting that her son is a junior…and I now see the post above me!</p>

<p>My daughter had the same issue after taking the ACT and getting a 35 in the spring of her sophomore year. Her PSAT this fall was a bit under the NMSF cutoff from last year, and she has already taken 2 SAT2s. So, she is done with standardized testing for now.</p>

<p>ctmom…congrats…and I would not certainly not bother with the SAT…</p>

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<p>I agree: stop while you’re ahead. The only other reason to shoot for a higher score on either SAT or ACT is to get a Presidential Scholar nomination (pretty much need 2400 or 36 in heavily populated states), but there’s no money involved and so I would think it’s not worth it. </p>

<p>Your son can get into any college with a 35 - I think only about 200 kids in the nation score better than that in a given year. And if he takes the SAT and does less well, non-score-choice schools will want to see those scores.</p>

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<p>Okay, wait - not trying to divert this thread, but you HAVE to take the SAT to be a NMSF? My son took the ACT as a sophomore and got a 36. This fall did well on the PSAT (I’d assume he’d be a NMSF) but has no intention of taking the SAT, particularly since he’s already applied to college (yes, as a junior) and been accepted EA at his top 4 schools (including MIT and Caltech). Does he need to take the SAT to qualify for NM scholarship money? Thanks!</p>

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<p>^ marciemi, yes. It is the “pre”-SAT after all, so College Board’s gotta make another fee out of the deal. :wink: See PDF of requirements for advancing to finalist applicable to this year’s seniors who made semi-finalist based on their junior year PSAT. <a href=“http://www.nationalmerit.org/Merit_R&I_Leaflet.pdf[/url]”>http://www.nationalmerit.org/Merit_R&I_Leaflet.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>When your son is officially recognized as a semi-finalist next Sept. (I assume you already know his score is more than sufficient to qualify in your state), he will need to complete these various steps to become finalist. Then, scholarship money is either $2,500 from the NM corp (if he is tapped for that, not all finalists are), any National Merit monies the college he selects may award and/or any private National Merit scholarships for which he may qualify, including because of your family/community affiliation with a corporate sponsor.
[National</a> Merit Scholarship Corporation - NMSP](<a href=“http://www.nationalmerit.org/nmsp.php]National”>http://www.nationalmerit.org/nmsp.php)</p>

<p>I don’t believe Cal Tech or MIT sponsor NM scholarship awards. See the list in the annual report (and also consult the college web sites). <a href=“http://www.nationalmerit.org/annual_report.pdf[/url]”>http://www.nationalmerit.org/annual_report.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;