Distraught daughter...what to do...

Parents Forum
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<p>Third time taking SATs. Scored 1880 (3 sections). she took a review course between 2nd and 3rd time. Sooooo</p>

<p>Should she take again in December? She was crying terribly saying she will not be able to go to her top pick schools. She needs $cholarship money or it will be a state school. We are in NY so our SUNY's are good, but she had other aspirations. </p>

<p>What do you think I should encourage her to do? Try yet again? Or just look at some other options. </p>

<p>I feel so bad for her.
thanks</p>

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<p>Hmmn. I don’t think those scores are horrible, but she must have some high picks.
If she thinks they are so bad, she could try SAT Optional Schools. Trying again may help but usually scores only go up a few points, as in 30, 40…
What are her top pick schools?</p>

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<p>no more SAT.
Maybe try the ACT once, some kids have a better experience with that one.</p>

4

<p>I don’t know the answer to your question because only you know your own daughter and the situation well enough, but the statistics on raising scores after a 3rd test aren’t very good.</p>

<p>I think if she did a prep course and you felt she prepared as well as she reasonably could… I’d call it a day as far as the SATs go.</p>

<p>She can still apply to some reach schoool – testing isn’t the only thing the look at, and of course there are some great reach schools (that met full need even) tht are test optional.</p>

<p>And in addition to the reach schools I’d start looking carefully at building a list with wider options. I think kids get so stuck on certain schools or a certain tier of schools that they miss the fact that there are SO many excellent colleges where they’d get a GREAT education and have a wonderful college experience.</p>

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<p>So sorry she’s feeling down. It’s so hard on kids that do well in their school… but those national tests are sometimes painful. I would just encourage her to have a well crafted list of schools to apply. If she can handle rejection she should apply to a couple of her “top picks” as you say. But she should also apply to some schools that match her statistically and as you say a safety or two that she would be willing to go to and you can afford. After that, as a parent, you can only support her. Rejection, whether it’s a sports team, theater, music, dance, college acceptances are really hard. I still remember my rejections after 30 some years. In the end, she won’t want to hear it, but it’s a life growth moment, and kids do have the ability to get over it eventually. She could, of course, take the test again, but I would let her make that decision, but certainly get those match schools and safety school applications moving forward.</p>

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<p>I would definitely not take the SAT again. Try the ACT. Also, I know many students who, for a variety of reasons, have high GPA’s and so-so SAT’s. Your daughter may have to re-think some of her reach schools.</p>

<p>Also, I would get applications in ASAP! Many schools have either rolling or EA deadlines between 11/1 and 12/1. I wouldn’t wait for the December test. Apply now.</p>

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<p>I don’t know, taking the SATs four times is a little excessive. If she’s already taken it three times and even tried taking a review course before the most recent time, and her scores have not improved significantly, it may be too much to expect that she’ll do a lot better the 4th time, especially with all of the pressure and mental anxiety she will now associate with the test. </p>

<p>Two options present themselves to me: 1) Try the ACT and see if she does better or 2) research top schools that are SAT optional. If she has strong academics otherwise, she can still be a candidate at these places without having to submit test scores. </p>

<p>Several LACs have moved in this direction lately, I know at my alma mater (Smith) SATs are completely optional for US students (still required for international students).</p>

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<p>A number of very good LACs are SAT optional–if she has strong GPA and other credentials why not take a look at those? Off the top if my head, Bowdoin, Middlebury, and Hamilton come to mind, and I know there are others that I’m just not remembering. Unfortunately, 1800 strikes me as pretty low for someone aspiring to top-twenty-five schools, but it may be that she is not aiming as high as that and will do just fine. Still, the test-optional schools would give her a whole new set of goals. (Need-based financial aid probably wouldn’t hinge on SAT scores, though of course merit aid at schools that give such aid would.)</p>

<p>If her school counselor isn’t able to help research, I am pretty sure you and she can do the research online and put together a list of schools where the SAT scores won’t be an issue because the schools won’t see them.</p>

<p>My sense as a parent is that if she has taken the test three times and done a review course before this last attempt, that she may just not be a good standardized-test taker and would do better to spend her energies doing stellar classwork this semester so that her midyear report shows her at her best.</p>

<p>Added: There were a number of posts while I was writing this and I think you are getting some excellent advice.</p>

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<p>I’m wondering if a more global look at the situation is needed. She probably had unrealistic expectations of herself if she was on her 3rd attempt… she might just not test that well regardless of test-prep classes.</p>

<p>I recommend starting to strategize her options based on what you have for scores, gpa, ECs <em>right now today</em> rather than push it off on some unlikely chance that she can score higher on her tests. Sure, if she can handle the stress she can try again or take the ACTs instead – but PLAN based on the scores you have TODAY.</p>

<p>Don’t feel too bad for your daughter - because it can delay her getting to a realistic place of what her options are and starting to leverage them. Of her “match” schools (financially and score-wise), can you have her start exploring those schools more? Perhaps there is an honors college within one of them, or other programs at those schools that she can get excited about.</p>

<p>A lot of families are in your situation - a bright motivated young adult - but no monies to go anywhere but a local/state college. It might seem hokey and old fashioned, but a little bit of counting one’s blessings may be in order. Health, stable family, money to attend a state school - all things that kids from many 3rd world countries and even some of your neighbors probably do <em>not</em> have.</p>

<p>Best of luck.</p>

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<p>Find an up-to-date list of test optional colleges and universities at [The</a> National Center for Fair & Open Testing | FairTest](<a href=“http://www.fairtest.org%5DThe”>http://www.fairtest.org)</p>

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<p>Is this still the list of choices? <a href=“general search question - College Search & Selection - College Confidential Forums”>general search question - College Search & Selection - College Confidential Forums;

<p>SUNY Geneseo
Marist
Boston College
Northeastern
Binghamton
Stonehill
UCONN
Boston College</p>

<p>Looks like a pretty good list to me.</p>

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<p>If kathiep’s list is accurate, you have appropriate reaches, matches and safeties…</p>

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<p>If I were you I would encourage her to be done with testing and move on to finding colleges she likes that are within her reach. I would have her focus on this rather than dwell on the test scores. As others have said if she has good grades, AP’s, etc then colleges are going to look at the whole package and not just the tests. </p>

<p>My DD stopped after taking the SAT’s two times and her scores are just a bit higher than your D’s. My DD has an excellent GPA, AP’s and AP scores and has many colleges she is interested in where her scores are above their averages.</p>

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<p>I’m not sure what to do, but here is what I think I would say.</p>

<p>All you can do is your best. So far, one of those tests is your best. If you want to try to improve your best, lets do it a bit differently. My opinion is that the critical reading is the most difficult to influence in a short time. I wouldn’t focus on that. </p>

<p>Depending on how she is scoring in math, and how she feels about extra effort, here is what I would attempt. Get the real SAT book, and take two of the math tests under simulated conditions. Go back and look at your incorrect answers, and the ones you had to skip. Focus on those. Also focus on any where you “guessed” and got it correct. While you are taking the exam, note any questions where you guessed or are uncertain. </p>

<p>After scoring yourself, work through the problems again and pay attention to why you missed them. Was it misreading the problem? Was it simply a bust from filling in the wrong circle? did you make an addition or subtraction error? My belief is that having the confidence that you can reach the right answer really helps your overall performace. If there is a type of problem that you are messing up on, pay some extra attention to those until you feel comfortable in recognizing it. To me,(and I was good at the math on these things) its not that tough to get a high score. The math required is not difficult. You just have to get comfortable with how to solve the problems. Get used to working fast, writing down everything you can know from what is given, and often the solution reveals itself. Also, (I think they teach this but I dont know for sure) if you are completely stumped when you first read the problem, flag the question and move on quickly so that you make sure to cover all the questions you DO recognize as within your skill set. I think if this is done, it could raise a math score at least 50 points, and possibly higher. </p>

<p>The writing is another area that I think can be raised…but I’m not as sure how to do it. Apparently there is some grading “rubric” or formula that is important to follow, and that heaviliy penalizes you if you stray from it. Some of the review courses seem to know what this is. I don’t, but see if you can find someone who understands it and practice following it. </p>

<p>Tne ACT route is a possiblity too. But I think one last shot at the SAT would make sense. Do the work, and don’t sign up to send it to any of the schools. If it comes out the way you want…then send it otherwise just let it sit.</p>

<p>I really feel for your daughter. Some things are beyond your(her) control Practicing and putting in extra effort on what you see are your weaknesses is within your control Its not the same as just repeating the test. If she does something like this she will have the satisfied feeling about herself, no matter what the outcome, that she has done everything possible and this was her best effort. We all can live with that going forward. The thing that troubles us all is when we look back and wonder whether what we did was our best effort. </p>

<p>It would be helpful if Xiggi would weigh in on this. I regard him as an SAT coach without peer.</p>

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<p>The good news is that your daughter: (A) is smart (an 1880 is a good score which puts her well into the top half of the college bound seniors in the USA; and (B) she kows the value of an education which is evident because she cares so much (most teenagers either don’t know or don’t care and tragically make poor decisions between the ages of 14-24 that effect them for the rest of their lives); (C) she has ambition which may from time to time mean thaqt she experiences set backs, but - at the end of the day - will serve her well; and, (D) she has a great mom to help her put things in perspective and carry on.</p>

<p>There are a lot of very strong schools that will welcome an 1880 plus all of her other attributes.</p>

<p>When she gets to her college, she will make life long friends and get a great education. then, she will realize that not scoring a 2300 is not a big deal.</p>

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<p>You have BC listed twice…did you mean Boston U? Because I think she’d have a good chance there if she has a strong gpa. In my experience, the scores on these tests, even with private tutoring (as both my kids have done) don’t vary more than, at the most, 200 points. She did well enough - but trying the ACT may be a good idea. My D had similar sat scores (and she’s very, very happy at BU), but did much better on the ACT.</p>

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<p>If the list still holds - it’s a good one, at least when I look at our Naviance most kids with her scores got in though she’s on the low end of the green zone for some of them. </p>

<p>If you are still worried, try the ACT (not much time to prepare though), or add a test optional school or two.</p>

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<p>Focus on the things she can control now – getting good grades first semester and polishing those essays. She has a good list.</p>

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<p>An 1880 is not bad at all. My daughter scored about that and she got a nice merit scholarship to her school - nearly 1/2 tuition.<br>
I don’t know where she is applying but schools that dole out the merit scholarships typically use the SAT score as a criterion. If that is the case where she is applying then she can take them again. But… IF and only IF she has a really good attitude toward it. If not then skip it.</p>

<p>Oh one more thing… schools that dole out the merit, usually superscore. If she can do better in even one area then taking again may help.</p>

<p>Just saw the list that kathiep posted. I think Marist and Stonehill would be good choices. Not sure about the rest.
Also, if she has established contact at any of her schools, she should feel free to talk with her admissions counselors. That is what they are there for and she should be able to get an honest answer.</p>

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<p>Get her the red ACT book so she can familiarize hereself with the test format and let her take the ACT. My D hated SAT, but did really well on the ACT. She never seriously prepped for her ACT, but said that her SAT prep really helped. Your D has to be aware that the science section of the ACT is not testing her knowledge of HS science, it is all about being able to interpret graphs and data sets.</p>