<p>Hope someone can help. Many of the college books list a range of scores for verbal and math. My S exceeds the top of the math range for almost all schools but hovers at bottom or just outside of range for verbal at schools he is interested in. Do colleges go by the composite score or consider each score separately? On the new SAT he scored a 700 on the writing so he is not completely without linguistic skills. He plans to major in math or engineering.</p>
<p>I think that they do look at the scores individually, but I don't know. My thought is that with the new SAT, they will be even more inclined to look at them individually because the composite number won't have the same meaning it used to have.</p>
<p>Of course, you are better off with a high composite. But if your major choice is clear and you are very high on one side (major-related) and decent on the other , then you should not be put off from applying to any top school in your field--your chances are still good if not perhaps "great".</p>
<p>Judging by accepted posts on CC with stats.</p>
<p>When we went to MIT info session, the Dean of Admissions talked about the SAT scores separately and mentioned that they look for scores of 600 or above on the SAT-V (that was before the new SAT). A score of 700 on the Verbal would be respectable enough for someone planning to major in math or engineering.</p>
<p>So S's composite score falls well within the school's range of scores if you add
the lower number on verbal and math. Will being outside the lower range on
verbal hinder his admissions chances even if his composite score is at the
high end of the schools range? Hope this makes sense!</p>
<p>I sympathise, Cali, as my son's writing score is 100+ points lower than either his math or verbal, and he's not planning on retaking right now. (with APs, final exams, and SAT IIs in May, his plate is full)
We're going to wait and see what schools he wants to apply to for sure next year, and then perhaps encourage him to retake in October.
Since many schools take your best individual scores, he has a good chance of bringing it up by two or three questions, which can be as many as 60 points. Perhaps your son would look at the CB book over the summer, and feel like retaking?</p>
<p>As for your question about the verbal being in the lower range, I think it would depend on the school, and on your son's other qualifications.</p>
<p>Generally, though, I tend to look at the upper half of the range the schools give, and try to compare my son's scores to the upper range, because that's still only 75%. Since he's a bwrk from the suburbs, he needs to be at the top of the 75% range to be competitive, from our
experience.</p>
<p>cali, I think what you're asking is, will it hurt him at the most or at least more selective schools? If that is the question then, yes-it will hurt. A friend of mine's son had a 1300 this past year attempting to get into Wake ED, 770m-530v, from a quality college prep school. Didn't happen, and was also turned down RD. His scores would have been low range in verbal but above the 75th math. He was not a developmental admit, nor an athlete, or urm but he was a full-freight paying customer.It's tight out there ,folks and next year will be worse.</p>
<p>ASAP - we're doing the same thing. S took old SAT and got 20 points higher
on verbal than on new SAT. Got 10 points higher on Math on New SAT. So
he's about the same on 2 tests. He may retake in October but I'm wondering
if it's worth it. Knowing him he would study for the math hoping for the 800
(over his 790) and ignore the verbal. Critical reading to him has the appeal of a root canal!</p>
<p>cali -
I think the answer is that it may - but its hard to pinpoint where. Lousy answer, I know. Short of retaking, add a school or two where the verbal would not be problem would be one solution.</p>
<p>Curmudgeon that is interesting as Wake is on S's list. S's composite is a little
higher (1390) and he is an athlete and has SAT II scores of 760 and 740 so far.
Also come from very competitive school. Looks like he will have to retake and
try and bump up the verbal.</p>
<p>Another option would be to take the ACT. My Son has the same problem, except that his weak spot is writing. He hasn't received his ACT scores but on sample tests he scores much higher on the ACT.</p>
<p>cali, what I meant by not an athlete was not a D1 recruited athlete, the young man is actually a fine golfer, just not heavily recruited as such. </p>
<p>If I've read this thread correctly your S has a 600v/790 math. If Wake is a "multiple sitting then take the best component part school", and I think most are, I'd have him take the SAT 1 again. It appears to be a lot easier to get that verbal from 600 to 650 than from 700 to 750. Or so say the CC boards anyway. Good luck, my lopsided D is right there with you (also math over verbal).</p>
<p>curmudgeon I knew what you meant by "athlete". S may be recruited
athlete although don't know if it will be by Wake. But I think Wake would be a good fit regardless of the sport and we are of the "pick the school and then see if sport works" mindset. Looks like we'll be retaking in October. Hate to wait that long but with AP's and SAT II's and finals June is not an option. Good luck to your D. Do you have any suggestions on how to improve the verbal?</p>
<p>cali, do a search on our resident guru xiggi's name +sat. You'll find some threads where he outlines what we have named the "xiggi method" which in part eschews rote word memorization for repeated test takings (CB-ten reals) with in-depth review of what you missed and why you missed it. He also recommends reading, as in novels with substantial vocabulary and wordplay. </p>
<p>For D reading Newsweek along with her always present novels (she's a voracious reader) seems to be doing the trick. And if Xiggi doesn't mention it , read with a dictionary. I bought D a small but complete purse size dictionary and separate thesaurus at B+N. Seems she uses the dictionary anyway. She 's much more verbal about current events and that seems to have given her confidence on sharing opinions outside the norm in an essay setting. She felt comfortable on her ACT essay. No grade yet. Hope she wasn't too far outside the norm-LOL.</p>
<p>i'm very interested in this topic as i'm quite unbalanced as well... 790M 680R 660W</p>
<p>My son's both had lopsided SAT (Math was lower by about 100 points in each case). Same thing, verbal consistently higher than the average of most of their colleges, math generally the low side of average. I think (although I am admittedly not an adcom) they are looking for someone that can complete the basic freshman core requirements--thus enough math or verbal skill to pass the math/science or english/writing required classes.</p>
<p>We did two things to help "shore up" the lower math. My sons took the entire Calculus AB/BC math strand and they took the subsequent AP exam. It was our thought that we could show enough mastery of math to be able to pass any math/science core classes.</p>
<p>Most of the above posters seem to be lopsided by about a 100 points one way
or another. S is almost 200 points lopsided! With a 700 writing which isn't
too bad, doesn't this seem strange?</p>
<p>You might inquire as to what he finds most difficult about the V section. For instance, is it time? The passages are quite long. Maybe he should focus on learning how to skim/speed read. Or is it the grammar? Then the focus should be there. Can you check the break down of his correct and incorrect answers? I don't think his discrepancy is strange.</p>
<p>I know of someone with over a 300 point discrepancy in their scores, and they are a native English speaker. To me, that does speak of a learning disability with either speed in reading, or perhaps Irlens or Dyslexia.</p>
<p>cali,
Have your son do a couple of practice tests (just the CR parts) under test like conditions. That will provide a reasonable set of data on what kind of questions he is missing. Once you know what - then you can work on why - and then techniques. For example, summarizing the passages before reading the questions worked well for my kid. I showed him how I did it a couple of times - then the methodology clicked into place for him.</p>