I messed up and now I don't know what to do :'(

Test Preparation
1

I was planning to retake the SAT in August to improve my essay score, but I waited too long to register because I couldn’t decide if I really wanted to retake it. Now the nearest available test center is all the way in Philadelphia. I live in NYC. (I do have relatives in Philly, so it is possible for me to stay with them, but it would be huge burden on them, my father (because he has to make the arrangements to get me there), and myself. Also, I’m currently at a summer pre-college program in Syracuse, so I haven’t been preparing for the test and I’m not sure I could sufficiently prepare in the time I have left.)

I’m applying for the Questbridge National College Match, which is due in late September. I have to submit all my test scores and documents to the colleges I’m applying to by November 1, and I’m trying to have my Common App in that day as well. That means I only had August and October as my remaining SAT test dates.

I was going to take my SAT IIs in October, which leads me to my problem. If I retake the SAT I in October, I won’t have time to take SAT IIs before I have to submit my scores. The Questbridge schools I’m applying to are Yale, Columbia and UPenn. Columbia and UPenn do not mention SAT Subject Tests on their testing requirements page; Yale says that they are recommended, but not required.

My other problem is with my essay score. I scored a 1430 ERW+M and 17/24 essay last December and a 1490 ERW+M in April. Columbia and UPenn don’t require the essay, but Yale does. I’ve heard that if a college requires the essay, they won’t even look at an SAT score without the essay. That means they’ll see my 1430 and 17/24, not my 1490, my chances of acceptance will drop to almost zero. I absolutely have to retake the SAT with essay if I’m even going to bother applying to Yale at all.

A possible solution: I’ve heard that if a college requires or recommends SAT IIs, they will waive the requirement if you take the ACT. There is an ACT date in September, meaning I could take the ACT and retake the SAT in time to have my scores ready to submit to my Questbridge colleges. However, I’m not sure how I will do with the ACT (or SAT IIs, for that matter.)

What do I do now? I need to figure something out by Friday (the registration deadline), but I’m so confused and I can’t seem to reach anyone who can help me. I’m just so worried that I threw away my shot for good :frowning:

2

Why didn’t you take it with writing in April when you got the 1490?

Columbia does mention the SAT IIs (https://undergrad.admissions.columbia.edu/apply/first-year/testing); they are not required. Penn recommends two Subject Tests, but they are also not required (http://www.admissions.upenn.edu/apply/whatpennlooksfor/testing).

Many of the schools I applied to set it up so there were two options for testing:

  1. SAT and SAT IIs
  2. ACT with Writing
    But Penn, Columbia, and Yale seem to have it set up so that you NEED either the SAT or ACT, and SAT IIs are recommended/optional on top of that.

Here’s my recommendation: Take a practice ACT and see how you do. If you do extremely well, then take it in September. You can do the SAT IIs in October if you want to submit them.

If you don’t do well on the practice ACT, then go to Philadelphia in August and retake the SAT, then do the SAT IIs in October.

3

You can take Amtrak from Penn Station to Philly, so dad could put you on the train and your relatives could pick you up. Of course, that leaves the relatives with the issue of getting you to a,school which could be across town at 7 am on a Saturday when they could conceivably have other plans.

4

@glittervine I took the SAT School Day, which did not have the essay as an option.
If I do the SAT IIs in October, I won’t have the opportunity to retake the SAT I for a better essay score, meaning Yale will only consider my 1430 and 17/24 and I have no chance of getting in.
The registration deadline is Friday, so I guess I’d need to look at the material literally now if I was going to make a decision.