<p>HvePassion, who told you the students from prestigious boarding schools go to the local test cram centers? (Which are not prep schools, by the way.)</p>
<p>Did the employees of the test prep center tell you this? Where do their loyalties lie? With you, or with their employers? Nevertheless, I will go out on a limb and say you should try to improve the math score, to 700 if possible. There are many ways to do this. Have you tried Khan Academy? It’s online, it’s free, and you can track your progress. They offer SAT test prep–for free.</p>
<p>HOWEVER, the amount of test prep you are reporting is counterproductive. The top US universities look for students who have grades, test scores, AND free time, in which they do other things. If you spend 5 hours cramming every day, your application won’t stand out in any way from the rest of the pack. The admissions officers will conclude that you either don’t have much energy or curiosity, OR that you are working at capacity right now.</p>
<p>I’ve now had two children go through college interviews. None of the interviewers have spoken about testing. Really, what is there to say? And I don’t think applicants are writing about their test scores on their application essays. A recommendation which focused solely on test scores would be quite dull.</p>