Do colleges look at your SAT I/II percentiles?

Test Preparation
1

<p>I just wonder will the college admission people put your SAT I/II's percentile into consideration? Or, do they just look at the grade?</p>

<p>I am deciding to take either SAT II math I or II, but I find out that a 700 on math I is 85% while a 700 on math II is 58% (yes, the reciproal of 85); but I know math II look nicer than math I; pleaes tell me your suggestions.</p>

<p>And for SAT I, do colleges just look at your composite score, or do they look at your verbal and math scores separately?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

2

<p>umm reciprocal of 85 is 1/85? haha just messin</p>

<p>i think they look at the score for sat ii's..</p>

<p>they look at math and verbal, seeing if your sat corrolates to your prospective major, ie high math for engineering..</p>

<p>not for sure but it makes sence, call the school and ask, im just a kid =)</p>

3

<p>Even if they don't get your percentiles, they're going to have a pretty good idea as to where your score stands among everyone else's. They'll know that a 700 on IIC isn't quite so impressive as a 700 on IC.</p>

4

<p>Score on the II's is what matters not percentile. They are looking for proficiency in a subject which anything 700 or above easily provides. Percentile's are skewed on most II's because those taking it are high performers to begin with since generally only highly ranked schools require them. Colleges also know that the difference between a student scoring 780 and one scoring 700 isn't really anything.</p>

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<p>So, will good colleges (Harvard, Stanford...ect) be impressed more by a 800 on math IC or a 750 on math IIC?</p>

6

<p>Both except Stanford views SAT II's different from Harvard. Stanford does not require them. To Stanford they are a supplement to everything else in the file but are not considered very important.</p>

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<p>christinadwan - I would imagine that a 750 in IIC is more impressive in IC. Even though the curve is better, the test material is more difficult. Like drubsa said, those who take IIC are usually high-performing students anyway, so that's why the percentile is lower.</p>

<p>I guess it would depend on your major. If you're going into engineering/science/math then take Math IIC.</p>

8

<p>I'm pretty sure that the score is what matters and NOT the percentile. The 200-800 scale is set up according to a standard bell-shaped curve. Hence, the average is is 500 (no not the average of test takers since more smart people take the tests but rather the average if everyone took the tests). A 700 tells admissions you are at or above 2.3 percent of the population (note not people who took test). </p>

<p>The score itself is a comparison without percentiles. We talked this over in math class, so I just thought I'd share. </p>

<p>Yeah, the percentiles of SAT II's can really suck - especially math.</p>

<p>Don't worry about percentiles; worry about your score.</p>

9

<p>yeah they care about the score, I don't think the percentile holds much weight if any at all</p>

10

<p>lol. on the chinese SAT II, an 800 is in the 58th percentile lol</p>

11

<p>Damn asians :P</p>

12

<p>SAT Ones are normal curves.
SAT IIs are not and look more like a molecular speed distribution curve of particles at high temperatures.</p>

13

<p>Or maybe they just have the X=800 point close to the y axis on those IIs who knows?</p>

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<p>If SAT II's aren't bell curves, then what's the point of curving the tests...</p>

<p>I guess to make people score's look more respectable on the harder ones =P</p>

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<p>so should i take as many sat ii as possible, or only the 3 i'm good at?</p>

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<p>take the 3 you know you'll do the best on, if you take a lot, than you could get a horrible score which colleges will see</p>