<p>Take it from someone who has experience with this: depending on what area you want to improve your scores, it is almost impossible if you score within certain regions. For example between 300-400 and 600-800 (the extremes, more so in the high range) it is incredibly hard to move your score. This is a stats phenomenon called 'regression toward the mean' which suggests that statistically, scores that are extreme (yes, mid 600s is considered very high by most people and the test is also designed with this principle in mind) will not change much upon retesting. Unless you were really sick or something, it's statistically unlikely that your scores will change much. I studied tirelessly (and made myself miserable) so that I could take the test again. A combo of the stress I had put on myself and the unpredictability of the test made my CR and M scores both go down 10 pts though my W score did go up past 770 (which considering that that's where it started is rare, each score bracket up it becomes logarithmically harder not to regress to the mean; I also convinced myself writing didn't matter). ETS takes Regression Toward the Mean into account when they give you your score report: that's why there are score ranges. My point is just that you shouldn't knock yourself out studying (espec. for verbal): enjoy your break. If you are going to study, a lesser known but very good book is the <i> Rocket Review</i>. Good luck and don't torture yourself.
About ED II, unless you're head over heals w/Swat then it doesn't hold much benefit as you would find out RD not so long after and ED HAS been awful this year. At RD they have to accept more students. Just my opinions. Cheers, N.</p>
<p>lol
Thanks for the info, I remember that theory from stats. Its not the verbal section that I do bad on, its the writing. I always got 10+ on the essay, but its the multiple choice that kills me and I have no. And im sorry but I didnt get what you were trying to say about ED 2 and regular decision.</p>
<p>I was one of the lucky ones, I guess... I re-took the SATs and did 150 points better. Of course, the writing section was still impossibly low, but the other ones are really good. </p>
<p>Yeah, I wish I didn't apply anywhere ED. The normal applicant would probably have a better chance in the RD pool... Maybe not me, because some of my grades are a little weird... Ugh. AP Physics was a BAD decision.</p>
<p>i feel you brillar
i was proud of myself for being the first kid in my school to take precalculus as a sophomore and i even got the highest grade, 74%. Only 3 people passed and she flunked everybody else. I was so mad, I would have straight A's, but she killed it.</p>
<p>Jmarin, what I mean is this:
I. If you are applying ED II to find out a little sooner, you must completely love Swarthmore because with RD you'd find out 2 months later, tops and if in, you're bound. I understand (and bought in to) the rationale of potentially less waiting for ED, but that was November. Also, if you can swing the wait, RD will allow you to see where else you get in. Again, if you really only care about Swat, this past point makes little difference.
II. I, like Brillar, regret applying ED. This year the candidate pools have been so large and ED fills few spots. I mean obviously you could be outright rejected under any admission plan, but atleast RD there are more openings to fill. If I hadn't applied ED to Hav., I might well have gotten in in the spring. I also know little about ED II and if it's looked upon differently than ED I.</p>
<p>BTW: Above I meant to write 'head over heels' not 'heals'! My gaffe.
Brillar, who KNOWS on what grounds they tendered their rejections. It could be a couple of lower grades in hard classes, but who knows, this process is ******* mercurial.</p>
<p>My 'lower' grades weren't a part of my Swat application- this has been a very recent senior year thing.</p>
<p>AP Physics= Hardest class in my school. I should end up with a B (hopefully, this last test was BRUTAL, probably 3/4 of the class failed) at least, but it's only getting harder. I'm probably going to have my Physics teacher write another rec for me- so colleges don't think I'm slacking.</p>
<p>Yeah, really, I'm not applying anywhere EDII. I can wait two months so I have CHOICES and I'm not fighting for survival in the ED applicant pool.</p>
<p>Frog: Ahaha, heals. I hate how CC only lets you edit for a short time. I hate not being able to correct the typos that I make.</p>
<p>It's also AP Physics, which is most likely hard anywhere---I'm sure schools will cut you slack. As for ED II, I'm all about the choices (okay, and my dream school doesn't offer it), but I can't say I can easily tolerate the additional two months. It will be worth it.</p>
<p>Whenever you feel comfortable releasing the name of your dream school (when you get in?), tell me. I definitely can understand keeping it a secret for now. I wish I had kept Swat a secret...</p>
<p>AP Physics is basically the hardest class at our school. I was so dumb for taking it, because I'm not much of a 'math' person. I only took it because I sort of like physics- the problems are like little logic puzzles and they're kind of fun to solve. That's the only reason I took it, because I'm going to be a Spanish or English teacher, not an engineer. When I originally signed up for the class, last February... science was still a possibility. I wish we didn't have class registration so early at my school.</p>
<p>Choices=Great.</p>
<p>i know it sucks that we cant edit after a while, I also decided to stick it out the two months to see what other options I have. Hopefully I have a good choice of things, but I can only hope.</p>
<p>Brillar, I will totally tell you...eventually. I am a humanities person too. I think it's always good (both for admission and personal edification) to extend into an academic realm in which you feel less comfortable. I actually graduated last year (I'm interning this year), but I attended a really small school with relatively weak sciences. Although I supplemented school science, I know that in college I will make myself take chem again (and kick myself for it the whole while) and it will be really hard. But worth it. An aside, I like physics for the same reason.</p>
<p>so froghorn, what do you plan to major in?</p>
<p>AP Physics is really hard at my school too. I'm not taking it, actually – I'm still in Honors Physics, which I didn't take last year because I was taking AP Chem (double period) and couldn't fit it in. I don't know how it is at other schools, but at mine for all the main AP sciences, the Honors level course for that science is a prerequisite. Most of the people in AP Physics this year were the star students of Honors Physics and are some of the smartest people I know – and apparently almost none of them have good grades. They all love physics, too.</p>
<p>At my school when there are scheduling conflicts, prerequisites go out the window. Like my sophomore year chemistry didnt fit, so they were like, "Oh its ok, You can take AP Bio this year and Chemistry next year." It sucked because I was lonely, all of the other kids were seniors. :/</p>
<p>I think I want to jointly major in philosophy and medieval (or possibly American) history with a minor in German, or if possible, a double minor in German and French or German and Latin. Ideally I'll get into ********************** and they have a major that is specifically tailored to be a LAC approach to prelaw with the exact facets of said type of major I find interesting</p>
<p>I don't know how I managed to disappear for a few days! Maybe because I distracted myself from college apps by eating and hanging out with family instead of perusing the internet. Did someone say she had her apps all in already??? That's crazy!! I wish I did...I have six Dec 31/Jan 1/Jan 2 schools to finish this week.</p>
<p>And to the person who said that the common app doesn't let you edit it after you've submitted, not true! I don't remember precisely how, but if you go to the FAQ on the CoA website, it'll tell you what to do. </p>
<p>I'm applying to Swarthmore, Wesleyan, Carleton, U Chicago, Reed, Yale, Pomona, Stanford, Amherst, Haverford, Macalester, and American U. That's in relative order of importance, though it changes pretty much daily.</p>
<p>Oh, and I was pretty happy with the improvement in my SAT score--from 2170 to 2250? I guess that's not that much, and CR did go down 10, but it was decent. My ex-boyfriend went from 2080 to 2280 too...but I guess there are exceptions to every rule. I feel like everyone I know who's taken the ACT gets the same score every time, certainly.</p>
<p>plus: I hate physics. so much.</p>
<p>jmarin--you got into most UCs ELC? Impressive! Few people at my school got into any better than SB or Davis. I got some of the lower-tier ones and Berkeley is my mom's alma mater, but...I'm much more attracted to LACs as a general rule. I decided not to apply to any UCs at all. Hopefully I won't regret that decision...</p>
<p>Where in Southern California are you?</p>
<p>Hey treesnogger, welcome back!</p>
<p>Hi!</p>
<p>Secular Christmas for you too then?</p>
<p>treesnogger
Oh no, Im not im southern california, im like in the middle. HAHA. Well the elc program helps a lot because that way I have my safeties in UCD or UCSB, but nothing is guaranteed in UCLA or Berkeley, so I wait those out. I also agree with you, I rather not go to a UC and most of the schools Im applying are to LACs. Also my friend who turned me to swarthmore told me that its better to apply to LACs and Privates because they are less stingy with their money and also some privates will fly you out to go see the school, once your accepted for you. Im also in the same boat that I need to finish a few more apps like the claremont schools and a few other LACs. SO yeah.</p>
<p>Ha, Tree, yeah, I'm Jewish. We went to the movies.</p>