<p>Hi there. 1st time posting. I'm a rising senior and I plan on applying to top engineering colleges/programs ( i.e. Columbia Fu, Cornell's, Mit, Stanford) and my sat subject test scores aren't so amazing.</p>
<p>Here are my scores:
Sophomore year:
Math I: 700
World Hist: 690
Chem:710</p>
<p>Junior Year:
Math II: 740
US history: 650
Physics: 630</p>
<p>regular SAT:
Math:710
CR: 720
W:710
=2140</p>
<p>I know that all of these schools require 1 math (preferably math II) and 1 science ( chem/physics). Although my math 2 and chem grades are decent (?) my physics test score is horrendous. Also, so is my ushist score. </p>
<p>I'm not sure what my colleges will think when they see my horrendous ushist and physics score. My physics score personally is terrifying me and makes me think that it will be the reason that I won't have a decent chance at these elite schools. </p>
<p>I would just like to know, then, how will my sat 2 grades affect my admission. Also, should I take the physics test again or should I take the SAT again before Early Decisions. Thanks again.</p>
<p>Your scores are certainly below median for those schools. I’d be more concerned about your SAT I scores at this point.</p>
<p>I’d suggest retaking both the SAT I and SAT II and not applying early. In an EA/ED applicant pool your scores are likely to put to directly into the “reject” pile. It would be wiser to strengthen your scores and apply in the regular round.</p>
<p>NB: It may still be possible to apply early as some schools accept test scores from November.</p>
<p>Your SAT II scores will hurt you with top Engineering schools that require the SAT II. Even your Math II score of 740 will be considered low. The norm is either in the 770-800 range.</p>
<p>Michigan does not require the SAT II and your SAT I is right around the mean, so you should be in good shape. Michigan is a match for you, assuming your unweighed GPA is over 3.7 and you apply EA.</p>
<p>Wisconsin is another good match. </p>
<p>Purdue and Virginia Tech are good safeties.</p>
<p>First of all, it really upsets me to see someone like yourself so worried about scores that by any measure are quite good. Your SAT’s are fine. Perhaps you should use some time this summer to review for the SAT2 Math2 and Physics and then retake those two in the Fall. This is still early enough to apply ED to your top choice.</p>
<p>If that feels like too much, then focus on the Physics. Worst case scenario, the score doesn’t knock your socks off, but at least you will have shown that you made the effort in your field of interest (if, btw, your field of interest is more of the chemistry sort, then disregard).
Don’t lose sight of the fact that you have performed very well, consistently.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your insights. They will help me alot. I think it may be best for me to take the tests again and perhaps not apply early.</p>
<p>I do have a 4.0 unweighted average (a little above 95) and I attend one of the top public schools in the nation according to US News and World Report. I have taken 4 APs (AP WORLD 2 year, AP STAT, English composition, and AP US History 1 year) so far and have received grades of As in them. Next year I am taking 5 courses: AP CALC BC, AP PHYSICS with Calc, AP Macro/Micro economics, AP Senior Literature, and Linear Algebra w/DIfferential Equations. From the start of freshmen year I have tried to take the courses that were challenging (i.e.honors and such). I feel that my grades are perhaps the best reflection of my ability to perform in College as it was extremely hard to get such high grades in most of my classes.</p>
<p>However, I know that many of these Colleges will require a lot of luck to get in and really focus on SAT subject tests. I really wish that these colleges wouldn’t put so much emphasis on them.</p>
<p>Also, I am curious to know that if I apply to such top engineering schools and if I take physics again and still do not score so well, will they look at my chem score because they do require only 1 from science?</p>
<p>hmm…I do not think that they would think this because it is one of the top three public high schools in NY. However, I believe this is why my SAT scores aren’t so high. I get anxiety before really REALLY big tests. Every1 around me hyped up the SAT and SAT IIs as so important that it just made me really anxious during the test.</p>
<p>gildo, VTech has a 65% acceptance rate and a mid 50% SAT range of 1100-1300. The OP has a 4.0 GPA (unweighed) from one of the top high schools in the nation and a 1430 SAT score. I think VTech is a safety for the OP.</p>
<p>Hopefully the OP has boat loads of cash to afford those OOS publics. Also hopefully, s/he’ll have a financial safety like Buffalo. S/he might get some good merit at RPI.</p>
<p>I definitely don’t have a boatload of cash lol. </p>
<p>BTW my counselor has compiled a list of potential colleges (Reaches/Targets/Safeties all included in no particular order)</p>
<p>Carnegie Mellon Univ
Columbia Univ
Cooper Union
Cornell Univ
Johns Hopkins Univ
Lehigh Univ
MA Inst of Tech
U of Notre Dame
Polytechnic Inst of NYU
Rensselaer Polytech Inst
Rice Univ
Stanford Univ
SUNY Stony Brook
Union Coll</p>
<p>I looked at the above posts and will consider those colleges to add to the list. Please tell me how this is looking out so far. (If you can, I would appreciate other recommendations.)</p>
<p>BTW, couldn’t my grades make up for my not-so-stellar SAT scores? </p>
<p>You have to realize that at top schools like MIT, Cooper, Cornell, CMU, Stanford you will be competing with students that have superior SATs AND comparable GPAs. And Stony Brook is a good call for a safety.</p>