My new SAT superscore is 1510, however when I convert it using the app I get different results. It says that is a 2190/2400 on the old SAT, but the section scores it gives me are 740 M, 720 CR, and 710 W which add up to 2170. And it says my CR+M score would be 1470/1600 which is different from the section scores too. I know they are pretty similar scores, but which one is the most important one? I’m guessing the total score out of 2400 is the one to use?
What’s the percentile for the 1510? I think that’s an important number to use when determining how competitive your score is.
@nutmeg_shippy Hi, it is my superscore and I don’t think they released percentile charts for the new SAT yet. However, the 760 M and 750 EBRW were both 99th(national and user) so I’m assuming it would be 99th percentile overall too.
As a fellow 1510er, with the exact same score breakdown as you, I’ve been using a concordance of 2190.
And it kind of makes sense. I’d probably get a 680 on my Writing section if it still existed. (1510 + imaginary 680 = 2190)
College Board did release percentile tables in https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/pdf/understanding-sat-scores-2016.pdf. A 1510 is 99th percentile (National and User).
You can’t generalize across all colleges as to which score they’ll find most important. Some colleges, for example, never looked at W. Those colleges are more likely to convert using CR+M. Others will use CR+M+W or simply look at the individual section scores. One of the confusing things is that there is no mathematical reason why the 2190 has to perfectly agree with the sum of 740/720/710. The students that got 740 M are not necessarily the same ones that got a 720 CR and a 710 W, so a concordance is going to spit out different values for the parts and the whole.
As you say, the differences are small, and I can’t imagine them being the difference between admit and deny.
@coterie @TestRekt would a 1510 then be good enough to not be the reason for rejection at any school? No hooks either
A 1510 will not get you in anywhere without any hooks. It’s the low end of Stanford and MIT’s SAT range, so you’ll need a solid academic or athletic background to back it up to get in.
I found the specific schools you mentioned in another thread:
[QUOTE=""]
Georgetown, Carnegie Mellon, and maybe Duke or UNC
[/QUOTE]
I consider a school to be a “great match” if my score is ≥ the 25th percentile. So, let’s look at your wish list:
• Georgetown’s 25th percentile is 1500. So your score would make you a strong candidate. Great match.
• CMU - not an easy admit for 1510, but it depends on the school. Its CS program is extremely hard to get into, while its less notorious programs are far easier. CMU’s 25th percentile is 2280, almost 100 points above our concordance score of 2190. We won’t get in there easily. (But I’m not super upset, I get the vibe that CS@CMU is extremely demanding, and I kind of want to have a life in college. Plus, Pittsburgh isn’t my favorite city.)
• Duke. My best friend’s favorite school. She didn’t have our stats, but she did have a decent hook. Alas, Duke’s 25th percentile is 2330, so you’d have an even tougher time getting in there than CMU. You’re on the low end of the mid-50th percentile, so your SAT score could easily be the thing that sinks your hopes for admission here.
Another thing I learned from an admissions counselor: local percentiles matter. We’re both in the 99th percentile nationally, but what if I’m compared to everyone in my northeast region? What if you’re compared against only Asian American applicants? What if I’m compared to my high-SAT-scoring school? Then, my scores don’t look so impressive.
I think Georgetown is an excellent school. You have a great shot there. I’m doing something similar, applying to Northeastern University where I’m at the 25th percentile (nu.in skews the numbers).
Good luck, SAT doppelganger.
@coterie Wow thats actually what I’ve been doing recently too haha. As an Asian male, I know my demographic usually has higher than average scores so I’ve been trying to get to the 75th percentile and I would consider that being “average” for a school in terms of test scores for this demographic. I didn’t know if even that was enough to not have my scores count against me though. After some more visits, my reach schools as of now are Georgetown, BC, CMU, and Cornell. I’m applying to business. I think my scores are good for BC and Georgetown, “meh” for Cornell(business is tough here), and below average for CMU(75th percentile is basically perfect scores lol).
My school isn’t a super competitive top hs so hopefully I’ve stood out which could help with recs and my grades/rank are good. Hopefully this will help.
Good luck to you too!
Should I try the ACT once or be done with testing? I think I hit my SAT ceiling but the ACT seems like a better fit for me in hindsight. I was really happy with my super score but its still below average for some of the reach schools I listed above. What if I did take the ACT in September but did worse, how bad would that look to colleges that require everything?
Also I saw that my superscored SAT converts to a 33 ACT which sounds a lot better than a 2190 for some reason.
[QUOTE=""]
Should I try the ACT once or be done with testing?
[/QUOTE]
I’ve skimmed a lot of material (read: College Confidential boards) on this question. The advice I’ve found is to pick a test and stick to it. The ACT is different in a weird way, so you’d have to do all the hard work and studying you did for the SATs all over again just to be at an equivalent level to where you are right now.
I strongly suggest to study even more for the SATs and take them again, or call it quits. I’m doing the latter.
[QUOTE=""]
its still below average for some of the reach schools I listed above
[/QUOTE]
I remember when my dream was to get into a reach school. Then I toured around a lot of schools, and fell in love with a school that happened to be a safe target (Northeastern). I will apply to one reach, but I hope you can find a target university you’re in love with.
It’s not all about Ivy status. It’s about fit.
[QUOTE=""]
Also I saw that my superscored SAT converts to a 33 ACT which sounds a lot better than a 2190 for some reason.
[/QUOTE]
You don’t have a 2190. You have a 1510. And I think a 1510 out of 1600 sounds really good. Not that it matters, since it isn’t how a number “sounds” to an admissions officer. It’s how the number ranks.
How many colleges have you toured?
@coterie I’ve been to 7 I think. One of my favorites so far was actually Villanova which I think is a match right now. I know prestige isn’t everything and I’m not obsessed with any one school. I’m fine with my state schools which are my safeties especially if I can get some merit scholarship. However, my reaches are some schools that I also really like. Admittedly I have not gone to Cornell and BC yet but will in the fall, but I have gone to CMU and Georgetown and I actually like them, it’s not just a prestige hunt. And I just want to put my best foot forward at those reaches and I’m still not sure if my SAT will hurt me especially at CMU.
Tepper School of Business - SAT ranges
• Math 730 - 800
• CR 670 - 760
For a school with 18% admit rate, you’ll need strong ECs, L of Rs, GPA, etc. to get in. No, your scores are not holding you back. It is still a reach unless you have 800s or a hook.
@coterie
Lol a school in which your score is above 25th percentile doesn’t mean you are a great match. Your chances of getting in are slim if you are close to 25th percentile, unless you are hooked in some way.
Also
" so you’d have to do all the hard work and studying you did for the SATs all over again just to be at an equivalent level to where you are right now"
isn’t necessarily true. Both the ACT/SAT tests similar skills (especially after the SAT redesign) and many students who perform well on one test, do similarly well on the other test, though there are exceptions.
@YoLolololol I think he might have meant the 75th percentile because the numbers he gave for Georgetown were definitely not the 25th percentile numbers. However, the numbers given for CMU were for the 25th percentile so I’m not sure.
When I said 25th percentile, of course I meant top 25th percentile.
The numbers for Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business are directly from their website.
Tepper School of Business - SAT range
• Math 730 - 800
• CR 670 - 760
https://admission.enrollment.cmu.edu/pages/undergraduate-admission-statistics
For a school with 18% admit rate, you’ll need strong ECs, L of Rs, GPA, etc. to get in. No, your scores are not holding you back. It is still a reach unless you have 800s.