<p>Hi! So upon getting my second SAT score this morning, I was pretty disappointed. I got a 2060 (700C/620M/740W), something that I didn't anticipate. I did better in writing this time, but only by 20 points because I screwed up my essay. So with score choice, I have a 2120. Now with what I believe will be great essays, GPA, teacher recs, and extracurriculars, would you say that this is a big detriment to my application? I know that the SAT isn't as super important as many make it sound, but I still feel a little worried about mine. I know that this has probably been asked way too many times, but what is the normal SAT score for a student at Columbia and are there many students with scores like mine?</p>
<p>I’d like to slightly rephrase my question! So, I know that the official websites like collegeboard say that the average SAT score is a 2050-2320(?), so please don’t roll your eyes and point to a link. I want to know from more of a student’s perspective, not just a vague number handed to me on a website. Thanks again!</p>
<p>A 2120 or 2060 definitely won’t automatically remove you from the running. A bit more information is needed however to understand whether this score will have a dramatic effect on your admission chances</p>
<p>1) If you are an unhooked applicant (no URM, no first generation, no socioeconomic disadvantage, etc.), then I would say you would need very, very strong essays, recs, and ec’s to be admitted.</p>
<p>2) On the other hand, if say you come from a socioeconomically disadvantaged background, the fact that your SAT score isn’t very high for Columbia can be, sort of, for lack of better word, “overlooked.” The reason is that admission officers realize that many times, wealthy applicants have had a lot more opportunities (maybe better education systems since youth, SAT prep classes, etc.), whereas many times underpriviledged applicants have had to work (thus taking time away from SAT prep), forced into underfunded or subpar innercity schools, etc.</p>
<p>3) And I think that the average SAT score posted shouldn’t be considered too much, in the end, the higher the SAT score, the better. Everyone also has their individual cases; many unhooked applicants who get into Columbia comprise the higher side of the SAT spectrum, whereas many times recruited athletes, big donors, etc. get in with SAT scores below the average at Columbia.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I don’t have much of a hook other than being Jewish and having divorced parents–nothing really to excuse my lower score, and I’m pretty sure that those are the tiniest hooks you can have haha! Hopefully I’ll be able to piece together those ecs, recs, and such in an impressive way, then, if I can’t nail the test in October. Thank you so much for your reply. It was definitely helpful!</p>
<p>i’d say being jewish is not a hook for a school like columbia where half the people are jewish lol. but yeah, if i were you i’d take the SAT again - can’t hurt. that being said, i saw a bunch of people who were admitted with scores like yours and some lower. you can never be sure how it’s going to go. like i always say: they’re admitting <em>people</em> not test scores, so they look at you as an individual while considering your test score as a factor, not the other way around.</p>
<p>also, if you want to see what a “typical” score is like, look up the Class of 2015 official stats thread; it lists everybody’s SAT/ACT scores and their EC’s and gpa.</p>
<p>First off, don’t use score choice. Columbia requires you to send them all your SAT scores, but they’ll super-score them. I assume the 2120 is your super score. If so, don’t worry too much. A 2100 isn’t that low, and Columbia is generally more lenient than other schools (especially Harvard and Yale) when it comes to SAT scores. A 2100 is on the lower end of the spectrum for Columbia, but it’s not actually unusual. If you had a 2000, I’d be worried, but a 2100 won’t disqualify you. You just have to make sure that you’re a compelling applicant in other ways.</p>