<p>Hi Everyone. Newbie here in big trouble. My Decemer SAT score was: Reading: 400 Math: 380 Writing: 410. I'm a senior in high school. What kind of colleges can I get into with my scores? Is communty college my only choice?</p>
<p>I wouldn’t be too optimistic, to say the least. Did you do any significant preparation before taking the exam? If not, I’d suggest taking it again, if possible (considering you’re a senior), and making it up to the average percentile at least. (Total score of 1500).</p>
<p>I took the Princeton Prep class…I really don’t know what happened. I guess I’m just incredibly dumb.</p>
<p>Not incredibly dumb, only insufficiently educated and/or misguided. The SAT is not a measure of intelligence. It is a measure of your capability in critical reading, mathematical operations, and writing; all of which are skills that can be obtained through meticulous practice. In my opinion, I think you just need to work harder. You may have been taking that prep class in the morning, but making no individual effort. Gloss over the stickied threads in this forum, all of them contain valuable information that can guide the process of preparation. Get the Official SAT Study Guide, and go through it bit by bit, you’re bound to improve. I do concede that some people just can’t get past a certain score range, but that only applies when you’ve passed the 1900/2000 mark. From 600-1900~, it all depends on your own individual effort, and no innate ability whatsoever.</p>
<p>SirWanksalot, Thank you for the insight. I’ll start studying today.
I’ll probably take a gap year to bring my scores to an acceptable level before applying to colleges. I seriously didn’t imagine that I would do this awful. Thank you again.</p>
<p>I would recommend going to a community college and transferring to a 4 year university. If you do well in the community college, you will have many prestigious universities willing to accept you. If you insist on not going to a community college, there are many universities that will still accept you even with your scores (and there are test optional schools as well). I know you’re a senior and many application deadlines have passed but there are still a few schools that have late/extended deadlines (I actually applied (and got accepted) to a college I applied to in either January/February last year).</p>
<p>What SirWanksalot says seems really optimistic and politically correct, but you will more than likely frustrate yourself. I really don’t want to bring in yet another debate of SAT vs. intelligence, but I will say this - studies have been done, and I’m making my recommendations based on the results of such studies.</p>
<p>^ What have the results of these studies reached, and do you have any sources?</p>
<p>Have you explored test optional schools?</p>
<p>Go to community for a year or two and then transfer to a real university to finish out your years. When you transfer, they don’t look at your SAT.</p>
<p>
I’m not going to hijack this thread and turn it into another SAT and intelligence debate. You can google “SAT and intelligence” or “SAT and IQ,” paying attention to psychologists that actually have done such studies and not people who are spouting their opinions. I’m not going to say any more about this topic in this thread.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your kind replies. My family’s income is below the poverty line. Thus, SAT-optional (liberal arts)colleges are practically unaffordable for me.</p>
<p>I was hoping to go to a local state uni but that’s out of the question with my current score and my parents aren’t too supportive with the community college plan either. So all I can do for now is to study my butt off for next year…ouch :(</p>
<p>Nothing’s unaffordable with loans. And many local state universities would not be “out of the question” with those scores - at least try. The community college option is a tried and true method used by many students - and it’s cheaper. It’s your future, not your parents’.</p>