<p>I will offer you a bit of proof as to the importance of the SAT.</p>
<p>One of your target schools is MIT, a school that accepts about 1500 kids.</p>
<p>If you look at there SAT ranges, you will see for 25th percentile & 75th percentile this info:</p>
<p>Math: 730-800
Verbal: 680-760</p>
<p>What does this mean? It means that only 375 kids are accepted w/ a math score under 730 and only 375 kids are accepted w/ a verbal score under 680.</p>
<p>These scores -- a 720 math and 670 verbal (right under the 25th percentile) -- are close to the avg scores of an applicant applying to MIT.</p>
<p>As MIT gets about 10,000 applicants, we can infer that 5000 kids will be applying with those scores for 375 spots. This yields an acceptance rate of about 7.5% for these SAT scores, which may even be an exaggeration for many of those 375 students that scored low on one end may have scored high in the other section.</p>
<p>The bottom line is that SAT scores matter. You have great accomplishments, but even if you had a higher SAT score you would be far from a shoo-in (shoo-ins at MIT are just about impossible to find). </p>
<p>You have done many great things, but I would try to use those accomplishments to benefit your application, not merely compensate for your SAT score.</p>
<p>But btw, you still have a good chance -- but a higher SAT score will hardly hurt. :)</p>
<p>ok, that kind of "sells" me on the SAT topic!! But I just had one q...i took the ACT, and if I did really well on that, would it compensate for my SAT scores?</p>
<p>Ya, colleges will take the best ACT/SAT mark...I think it might help you since there is a science section under ACT; as long as you dont get burned out by their time restraints...</p>
<p>SAT score is played up a lot on this board, so don't let all of these naysayers get to you. If you do well on your SAT IIs, I think it would do a good bit to counteract your comparatively low SAT score.</p>
<p>I actually think your GPA/Class Rank will hurt you more than your SAT score. Most of these schools are looking for top 10 (or better), not top 10 percent. My biggest advice is to work hard senior fall to get a 4.0 to bring up your cumulative GPA and rank for the midyear report.</p>
<p>I don't feel like I can really say what your chances are since you are an average applicant in terms of scores and GPA but a superb student in terms of awards and research. It's all going to depend on how much weight colleges give to your achievements outside of the classroom.</p>
<p>well....i got a 4.0 this semester....but i don't know my overall GPA. The GPA and class rank I gave was after 10th grade, I actually don't know my true rank yet. So, I'm pretty sure it is higher than I said...but then again, it probably isn't the highest these schools are looking for</p>
<p>SAT scores aren't everything. seems to me that you have a good chance. I always thought the higher end universities really liked people who pursued their passions and were unique. Good Luck.</p>
<p>All of you who think stats aren't the be all and end all should PM Newbyreborn, who was the poster child for this arguement prior to April 1.</p>
<p>I think colleges actually promote this thinking to get a lot of kids to apply who they then reject making them highly selective. Last year a Harvard adcom gave a speech at my daughter's school making a huge point of Harvard's "holistic" approach and assuring that numbers were not everything. There and then several with 1400 and under on the SATs decided to apply. No mystery, all were rejected. The only kids who got into Harvard from her school during the last 5 years (57 applied) with under 1520/ top 5% were the daughter of a movie star (1480) and the son of a billionaire (1470).</p>
<p>Knowing a quite a few people (including my brother) who got into HYPSM, let me just say this: Most of them did not have more than 5 or 6 ECs, HOWEVER, they showed a lot of focus and interest in those particular ECs. What I'm saying is, it's not the quantity that matters, because those schools don't give a crap about quantity. It's the quality of your ECs that will get you into HYPSM.</p>
<p>well... i was looking into Rice university. Have you guys heard any selection "criteria" they're looking for. Anything similar to what zagat was saying about Harvard's "holistic" approach?</p>
<p>"The problem is, many Intel and Siemens finalists and winners also have 4.0/1600/val/5s in 10 APs. That's your competition. Your scores are a good 100 points below average at most of your schools. That may just be too much." - Zagat</p>
<p>Yup, and looking at your SAT I score, if you were to break even on verbal and get an 800 on math (which, with all your science honors one would expect an accompanying score in math) and an 800 on Math IIC, that's close to what Zagat's target score reference and you would significantly increase your chances. Also, a good ACT score can make up for your SAT I. So I hope you fared well... best of luck,</p>