Does the 2400/36 benefit exist?

Test Preparation
1

<p>There are lots of threads on CC about perfect test scores, but I was hoping we could consolidate all opinions in one place.
People who have observed results threads over the years: does getting a perfect score seem to tangibly help an application? Or do the people who get in with a perfect score seem to get in because other parts of their application look to be stellar as well?</p>

<p>Basically, it's been said that a great teacher rec or essay can "cure a sick applicant but can't raise the dead." Does the same apply for a perfect SAT or ACT score?</p>

2

<p>The higher your test scores, the better your chance of acceptance. Same for GPA, essays, ECs, LORs, etc. No single one of these being “perfect” guarantees acceptance at many schools.</p>

3

<p>Having perfect scores won’t hurt. And having perfect scores still show a tad better chance than those just a hair below.</p>

4

<p>Perfect scores aren’t everything nor extremely helpful. They definitely say something about you and speak to your aptitude but, nevertheless, they will not skew everything your way. I was waitlisted at every Ivy I applied to with a 36 ACT (3.96 gpa/top 3%). There were candidates with lower scores but far more exceptional attributes.</p>

5

<p>Well, </p>

<p>Brown: [Admission</a> Facts | Undergraduate Admission](<a href=“Undergraduate Admission | Brown University”>Undergraduate Admission | Brown University)</p>

<p>Princeton: [Admission</a> Statistics | Princeton University](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/admission/applyingforadmission/admission_statistics/]Admission”>http://www.princeton.edu/admission/applyingforadmission/admission_statistics/)</p>