<p>That seems really low for the Byrd! That may be the minimum, but I think winners in at least our area, have higher scores. I knew the Byrd had very specific numeric requirements, though. Are there any other common nationwide scholarships with specific numbers - other than NMS of course.</p>
<p>How did your son do on the PSAT? Will he be National Merit Semifinalist?</p>
<p>There's no reason to have him take the ACT unless he is applying to a majority of schools (midwestern State U's) which have mostly ACT-taking applicants. His SAT is equivalent to a 34 ACT composite, which is a pretty tough score to achieve. His chances of getting a better ACT than his SAT are negligible.</p>
<p>You don't need to decide on the SAT retake for now. As others have said, have him concentrate on the SAT II subject tests. Send those scores to his colleges. He may have to retake one or two of them in the fall; if so, resend the scores. If, after polishing his SAT II scores, he has the time and inclination for more testing, he may want to retake the SAT next October or November. You'll have a much better idea by then if it will impact his school and/or scholarship chances. Also, many studies have shown that the teenage mind matures by leaps and bounds in his age range. He may have a set of near-perfect scores up his sleeve.</p>
<p>"There are no schools in the country that DO increase a score because it came from one sitting. "</p>
<p>Maybe not, but as outlined in the Byrd scholarship criteria, they only accept the scores from a single sitting for this particular award. A single sitting must mean something to them.</p>
<p>Lurkness,</p>
<p>I don't think PSAT scores are sent to schools until December.</p>
<p>"Maybe not, but as outlined in the Byrd scholarship criteria, they only accept the scores from a single sitting for this particular award. A single sitting must mean something to them."</p>
<p>Yes, but the the way I read that is the best single sitting could be from the second, third... time testing. Am I wrong?</p>
<p>Dont know about PSAT. Won't get the score til December.</p>
<p>mcmom,
I think you are correct. </p>
<p>However, a poster (I think it was xiggi) used the 1600 example where the aplicant had a 700m/800v first try, and a 800m/700v second try. A claim was made that this applicant had a 1600. According to the Byrd criteria, this applicant would have a 1500.</p>
<p>Again, I find it hard to imagine that a student with a 1510 would increase both scores (m and v) significantly enough to make an overall difference. Just my humble opinion.</p>
<p>Xiggi provided examples of some cc posters whose kids may have increased their SAT scores through multiple testings. The SAT increase probably had no impact on the admissions outcomes of these particular students if memory serves me right. I have no idea if the SAT differential was enough to get any merit aid for them. Maybe it was.</p>
<p>Check with your state for the Byrd scholarship. Our state's application says nothing about one sitting, just asks for self-reported "SAT or ACT Scores." It doesn't even ask for an official score report, but says the scores may be put on the high school transcript.</p>
<p>According to this it is a federal program.</p>
<p>Maybe it is federally funded, but each state has their own selection criteria?</p>
<p>1sokkermom:</p>
<p>Are you familar with any one getting a Robert C. Byrd scholarship even if they go to a state B and their officail residence is in State A. The reason I am asking my kis has a SAT 1 in one single sitting 2300 and her GPA is 3.9 which is top 10%. So would she be eligible for Byrd scholarship in state A or state B. </p>
<p>Any help would be appreciated. I am already in touch with state people. But I would appreciate people input.</p>
<p>To Op:
My take on it. If your kid do not want to retake the SAT then kid could use that time to do something in ECs. But if kid think it is beneficial, let them choose to do it.</p>
<p>From the scattergrams I've seen, a 2290/2400 certainly isn't going to keep the OP's son out of Emory, Vanderbilt, UNC, or Rice, and it would qualify for merit money at Harvey Mudd (with a 750 Math IIC and top 10% ranking). Do you think a 2350 would increase would his chances at CMC or Pomona? </p>
<p>Maybe I've had too much of the MIT admission blogs' tainted Koolade, but I have fallen for the notion that mid-700's on each section is good enough to enter the admissions lottery based on the rest of the application. </p>
<p>The hyperselective world of top-dog scholarships and admissions to the celestial schools may have higher standards, though. If I were the cynical sort, I might suspect that the evil trolls in the dark recesses of the HYP catacombs actively encourage multiple SAT retakes so they can brag about how many 2400-vals they turn away.</p>
<p>Sorry stockmarket. No experience. I just googled it now.</p>
<p>S got NO merit scholarships ( a couple of years ago), even with qualifying stats for a few. I will however be looking for money for second child since we spent all our money on the first one...:)</p>
<p>It is not avaialble to people who are already in college. oh well</p>
<p>Allow me to repeat the same message I've been posting for several years.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The decision to retake or not is an individual one, and that is made when weighing the various circumstances. The key question to be answered is this one: "Did the score represents the candidate accurately?" It is a fact that NOT everyone can increase his or her scores, even after multiple sittings. However, the multiple sittings DO mitigate the impacts of a bad day, a bad proctor, nervousness on the first trial ... name it. Multiple sittings DO also increase the chances for a candidate to score at his NATURAL level. Add practices and specific instructions in the mix, one might even exceed that natural limit by a fraction.</p></li>
<li><p>The attitude of the student is also key. Nobody should force anyone to retake a test. In the end, only the student should judging the chances to increase a score. If the performance was lower than practice tests indicated, chances are that the student will WANT to retake. The opposite is equally true. </p></li>
<li><p>In general, there are hardly any reasons why one should fear retaking a test. The fact that State schools tend to only accept the HIGHEST scores from ONE sitting is not reallly germane to the discussion about retaking the test. The only impact rests in the inability to mix and match scores, and there are no penalties for retaking the test. </p></li>
<li><p>The ACT, because of the currently unplugged loopholes regarding the SAT Subject Tests, DOES present a strategic advantage to students who snubbed the ACT in the past. Inasmuch as I haven't changed my mind about the "integrity" of the ACT, astute students should fully explore the subtitutions currently currently allowed at schools such as Yale or Pomona. </p></li>
<li><p>When deciding to retake or not, know your audience!</p></li>
<li><p>The SAT is only a part of the puzzle.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>"The SAT increase probably had no impact on the admissions outcomes of these particular students if memory serves me right. I have no idea if the SAT differential was enough to get any merit aid for them. Maybe it was."</p>
<p>Because of privacy concerns, one has to remain within the information that was shared on the public forums. I believe that Curmudgeon has amply documented the competition and the success of his daughter for the Bellingrath at Rhodes. I also believe that the parents of the three finalists posted on CC and described the impact of stratospheric ACT/SAT scores. </p>
<p>Although this never made the Parent's pages, a few years ago, we had at least one international student who was rejected at ALL his schools and spent a year regrouping and preparing for the SAT. One year later --and a 1600 later-- the story was one of acceptances at every one of HYPS and remaining schools on his list.</p>
<p>xiggi:</p>
<p>I think that the students you mentioned probably would have been accepted in to the colleges that they chose to attend without "stratospheric ACT/SAT scores." Based on what I remember, they were superb candidates whether they had 1510 SAT scores or 1600 SAT scores. </p>
<p>I have still not seen any evidence to indicate that a well qualified student would be denied admissions or merit aid based on an SAT score of 1510 vs. an SAT score of 1600. I am still not convinced that there is that big of a difference between a 1510 and 1600, if a student is otherwise outstanding.</p>
<p>I think that the point here is that the SAT score alone will not guarantee anything. So yes, we agree that the SAT is only part of the puzzle.</p>
<p>Re: The International student 1600 story. We have no idea what else this kid did during his year off. I highly doubt that his only accomplishment was studying for the SAT test. We also have no idea what his original score was. Was it above 1500?</p>
<p>Any M/V score over a 1450 is fantastic--a 760 CR and 780 W is a GOLDEN score for a boy. Schools that are drowning in superb female applicants will be wetting their pants to get him on board--especially if he can write a couple of charming essays. Don't demonstrate anxiety by taking the test again. When you get the scores in the mail you will see that he has a diminished chance of improving those scores. </p>
<p>Congrats. He's got a ticket to ride now.... :)</p>
<p>Since this is the fall of your son's junior year, it is very possible for his scores to go up next spring or fall. He does not need to retake the SAT but can and should IF he wants to. My son's similar spring of junior year scores went up to a 2400 Dec of senior year, a prize no one can take away. He was supposed to be retaking his math SAT II, which he did not take when he should have (during precalc) and for which he did not study, teenage boys' brains don't function like ours so don't even try to understand why things happened as they did. Your son may want to see if he can do better, be at the top, if so, let him; if not, let him. He'll never know if he could have hit the perfect score unless he retakes the test, if his scores are similar he'll know that's where he is. Of course all of this becomes as meaningless in a short time after high school as the rest of his HS record. Consider yourselves lucky, all the test pressure is off and this is not a decision to lose sleep over. Finally, and most importantly, let me add my congratulations to your son for getting excellent test scores.</p>
<p>cheers-
I'd love it if we were looking at a 760/780, but its a 740/770. Still wonderful, but on the cusp for some of the schools and some of the $$. I am hoping that they will pay <em>some</em> attention to his 780 writing and factor it in, but it seems the schools are still taking a "wait and see" with that, even thought it is, IMO, just a different way of looking at the old SAT II. S. was actually the one considering a retake. Right now though he is facing a big AP Chem test tomorrow, so has no inerest in even thinking about it.</p>