Throughout the time that I spent preparing for the tests(which were not long) as well as now that I have terrific scores in them,
I have been wondering how much do they count in admisssions.
How important are the tests anyway? I mean, like if you got a kick-ass score in SAT I, then how big a boost is it for your app? Or, is it different for each college?
<p>They are important, but not that important. They, along with your GPA or class rank, are probably the two most important things on your app at maybe 99% of colleges. Having said that, a high SAT score will not usually make up for a poor GPA. The exception, unfortunately, are the Ivy and Ivy-class colleges (especially the HYPMCS), for whom every applicant has amazing scores and near perfect GPAs.</p>
<p>the higher the SAT scores, the better it is.</p>
<p>As a general rule, SATs count the most at state schools and less prestigious private universities, and the least that the elite private colleges. Berkeley, the top ranked public school, weighs SATs much more than many other schools, while Harvard/MIT/etc. expect a 1400-1600 as the norm, and as such a high score doesn't help you that much, but a lower score can hurt you a bit (obviously depending on how low).</p>
<p>But UCs count your SAT II scores twice as much as your SAT I, so if you do all right on your SAT but rock your SAT IIs, the better chances you have (especially if you're ELC).</p>
<p>Scores are very important... BUT, they are not the only factor. As long as you are in the range for the school, you should be fine. BUT, just because you're a URM with tons of ECs doesn't mean you can have a 1010 when the average is 1450(not saying that 's you, just as an example)...same thing for a person with a 1450 and horrible grades, no ECs where the average is 1250... </p>
<p>Make sense?</p>