<p>hi!
I've done well in school. Not phenomenally, but all As and Bs in the most rigorous course load you can take at my school and i have a 3.85 gpa (i think that might be weighted, but i really have no clue)
but when i took the SATs originally, i got an 1800 and i was really disappointed. I was aiming for higher than 2000.
i've taken a few practice tests since then but i just can't get above a 2000 and its really frustrating me.
I'm planning to apply to some top tier schools, maybe not ivy leagues, but places like georgetown, william and mary, northwestern, etc. but i'm worried that my lows SAT scores are going bring me down.
what do you think?</p>
<p>If you can’t raise your SAT score, try the ACT. Many students find the ACT much easier, and, at the very least, you won’t have to submit any bad scores you get on the collegeboard score report. Also, try taking a prep course if you can afford one (there are tons out there- some through collegeboard, others through Princeton Review, Kaplan, etc.). Even though the course itself might not be super helpful, at least you’ll have explanations for everything. Oh yeah, and make sure you understand WHY you missed the questions you missed, not just what you missed- especially on CR. Just understanding what the CB is asking for in each question gets you halfway there.</p>
<p>And yes, an SAT score of ~1800 will most definitely hurt your chances at any of those schools, if not discount them entirely (which depends on if you are a recruited athlete, URM, etc.). If you want a reasonable shot at top 20 schools, you need a score of at least 2100+ on the SAT and/or 32+ on the ACT. Just be realistic- if this is out of your reach, then you’re probably not ready for these schools anyway. I mean, it is theoretically possible to get in with a 1900 or 2000 without hooks, but I’ve never heard of anybody doing it (from my school, at least, tons of 2200+ people get into top schools, but hardly anybody ever gets in with 2000-2100, and nobody ever gets in with sub-2000)</p>