<p>I have about a 4.86 weighted GPA and a 3.99 unweighted GPA (B+ sophomore year in AP Euro); have a 2330 SAT; will most likely be a NMSF/NMS; have won many regional and state awards for Science, Debate, and Latin; will be doing research in a lab this summer in Epilepsy and related Neuroscience fields, am in 6 National Honor Societies, etc.</p>
<p>But my SAT 2s have not been so great. I got a 680 Bio in freshmen year, a 630 or so Chem sophomore year, and a 680 this year in US History. I have some LDs that affect my test taking abilities (especially those first two because they were undiagnosed at that time so I didn't know how to deal with them) but I won't be disclosing them to colleges. I also was stupid and chose not to study for them (you'd think I'd have learned my lesson after the first time :/)</p>
<p>I plan to take Math II and Lit next month (or basically next week) and Spanish in October. I hope to get 750+ on all of them (or at least 730 on the Math and Lit, but definitely hoping for 750+ on Spanish).</p>
<p>But I am applying to many Ivys and Top Tier schools. How badly will my chances be diminished by those dismal SAT 2 scores?</p>
<p>(p.s. I am URM --Spanish, and some Cuban, both on father's side though I will probably only mention Spanish... and I also have Tourette's, which is the only disorder I will be disclosing. I think these would both be hooks, and might possibly make up a tiny bit for the SAT 2 scores, but I'm not sure)</p>
<p>Goodness, there’re that many National Honor Societies out there?</p>
<p>In any case, the SATII scores do make me question the legitimacy of your high GPA.</p>
<p>why would you question the legitimacy of my GPA? I took all the hardest courses possible and earned an A+ in all but a few that were As and one B+.</p>
<p>The SATIIs can serve as a reflection of your academic preparation, so if you have such high grades in school but only average standardized test scores, it makes the reader question whether your school is grade inflated, etc. Not taking the subject tests seriously can potentially devalue your GPA, especially if you come from a high school that the adcom isn’t familiar with.</p>
<p>^this (cred steal 
)</p>
<p>Btw, love your name. Learning all there is to know about calico cats for bio sat.</p>
<p>Haha, er, glad my username had unintended educational value :p! Love calico cats. The most fascinating combination of coloring.</p>
<p>Our school has 30+ kids accepted to Ivys each year, and many more to Top Tiers. It’s ranked every year between 130-180 out of the nation’s best public schools. The courses are very hard (well, honors and AP are, which I took the most amount possible of). And as for grade inflation, I think the 3.99 would prove that that had no affect on me (or if you mean in classes individually, the fact that I’m in the top 3% --no actual rankings-- would disprove that, because 97% of my grade doesn’t get grades that are so high).</p>
<p>So with all that being said, would it still be so hugely detrimental, even if I do well on the next 3 tests I take?</p>
<p>“The SATIIs can serve as a reflection of your academic preparation…”</p>
<p>To be more precise, SATIIs serve as a reflection of AP preparedness, but colleges look at them as a reflection of academic preparedness in specific subject areas. The same curriculum used on AP tests is generally used for SATIIs. This leaves IB students at a disadvantage, e.g. the IB English curriculum focuses on translated works from around the world, while the Literature subject test focuses on English and American texts only. Similarly, IB History exercises students’ ability to apply facts to concepts or arguments, delving into fewer eras in greater depth, but the subject test focuses on facts across centuries of American history.</p>
<p>It feels terrible to be reminded that I can learn so much from IB, but I won’t be able to apply them to the subject tests. And to be told that instead of recognizing my achievements in the IB program, colleges will instead become suspicious because of the discrepancy between my SAT II scores and my gpa.</p>
<p>We’re not saying you’re not smart or anything, and I’m sure your GPA was well deserved. However, college admissions officers only know so much about your school, and the truth of the matter is, if you do get good grades, but not so good test grades, they will assume you memorized your way through the subject. I’m sure this isn’t true, but admissions officers can only judge you based on what they see.</p>
<p>Yeah but my SAT was a 2330 and apart from my AP Euro AP test being a 4, all the others I took this year were 5s. Would that be able to show them that my GPA is legitimate? And also if I can get 700s on those next 3 tests? (In which case only schools that don’t allow Score Choice would even know about those SAT2 scores, thankfully).</p>
<p>This is the most unusual case. I mean, you’re SAT and GPA is decent. You’re subject tests as of now are low… But then APs are high. I think if you explain the LDs, then you have a very good chance, if not, then I think you still have a somewhat decent chance.</p>
<p>I think I’ll recommend a book here. “A is for Admission” written by a former Dartmouth admission officer. She explains all the subtle parts of the application process. Check it out if you can get your hands on it. Its a great book!</p>
<p>xrCalico23 -</p>
<p>Good classroom grades combined with standardized test scores that are lower than predicted by those grades is practically a diagnosis for dyslexia or another processing disorder. Good standardized test scores combined with classroom grades that are lower than predicted by those test scores is practically a diagnosis for ADD. Very rough screening tools I know, but nevertheless time-proven. born2dance94 stated flat-out that the first few SAT II exams were taken without proper accommodation for his/her LDs. There is every chance that this was the last straw that drove him/her into the guidance office for more formal screening.</p>
<p>born2dance94 -</p>
<p>You have great stats. Don’t sweat it about these old exams. Take the new ones, apply to your college list, and see what happens. If you make any campus visits, pop by the disability services offices and check them out. That way once you do decide where to enroll, you will know where they are located and what they are prepared to help you with.</p>
<p>@EducationOD Thanks, I’ll look into that book</p>
<p>@happymomof1 I wasn’t planning to disclose the LDs, but maybe now I will. Thanks :)</p>
<p>There are also some very good schools that do not require SAT IIs.</p>
<p>Your low test scores could undermine the legitimacy of your GPA. The best course of action from here would be to study for the next 3 you take, and try to achieve great scores on these. Also, why not retake one of your science SAT II’s? It may make you seem more well rounded. Good luck</p>
<p>Oh, and I have that book, quite useful actually.</p>
<p>No school requires more than 3 tests. Not sure why you’re taking 6.</p>
<p>@Youdon’tsay Because the first 3 weren’t that great.</p>
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<p>In that case, your guidance counselor should be well experienced and can give you better advice. </p>
<p>Your LD explanation for your SATII scores didn’t click with me: despite claiming to have LD in the original post, apparently you were able to do just fine on the PSAT in sophomore year, which was before your LD was diagnosed. My thoughts were that you simply prepared for only what you thought was important and the subject tests were just not on that list.</p>
<p>Applications are looked at holistically with consideration to many factors, so I’m sure you’ll do just fine, given that you seem to be exceptional in all the other areas.</p>