<p>I am currently a junior at a small (235-student) private school in Milwaukee. I scored a 36 on my ACT and am ranked 2nd or 3rd in my class among about 70 students (3.9/4.2 unweighted/weighted GPA). My only major extracurriculars are football, basketball, and baseball (I'll have 7 varsity letters by the end of this year).</p>
<p>I am taking my SAT II's May 3rd (Mathematics Level 2 and Physics). I should have no problem with the Math, as I'm currently in AP Calculus, but the Physics worries me: my physics class only deals with mechanical physics, yet the SAT II contains other facets of physics. I've been studying about 2 hours a night for the last few nights from a SAT II prep book, but I am sure that I won't score very well on the Physics SAT II. My question is, how much will this damage my chances of getting into MIT? How much weight does a perfect 36 ACT score carry vs. a probable low SAT II score?</p>
<p>Thanks for all the input, I really appreciate it.</p>
<p>Have you taken biology or chemistry or anything that can replace physics? That may be worth looking into.</p>
<p>So here's the thing with SAT's and SAT II's. MIT only looks at these scores to see if you're capable of handling the workload. (ie, a 800 isn't going to help you more than a 700) My SAT II's were all in the 600's, not really normal for an MIT applicant, but certainly neither bad nor a deal-breaker. So it depends what you mean with "low"... if you think you're going to get a 300, there will be some problems and I wouldn't take that SAT II. If you think you're going to get a 600, well, that's OK. You can always explain your situation on the application.</p>
<p>Slight correction to PiperXP: Depending on the test's grading curve, an 800 might be a lot better than a 700. On some SAT IIs, a 700 will put you in the top 5th of test-takers, on others, it'll put you in the bottom 5th.</p>
<p>To the OP: My high school physics class wasn't much good - my teacher was a brilliant guy, with a PhD, who cared about teaching, but he wasn't that good at communicating the information. So I took the molecular bio test instead (and got a 700, which put me at about the 75th %ile). If you're really worried about the physics test, consider taking a different test, even if you're planning to major in physics as an undergrad.</p>
<p>All your stats, together, are used to see whether you're qualified to handle the MIT GIRs. One outlier bad stat, while you want to avoid it if possible, isn't likely to hurt you much, amongst a sea of good numbers, because it's clearly an outlier. Several bad stats is a different story - you need to show somehow that you can do the work. The SAT IIs are achievement tests, so people who had better high school classes had an advantage, and MIT knows this. But you do have to prove <em>somehow</em> that you can do the work.</p>
<p>The other point to be aware of is that, on the application, MIT asks for your highest math and science SAT-II scores. It makes sense to take two or more non-math SAT-II tests in the sciences, so you can then choose your highest scores to report. Of course, the official College Board report will still include all tests taken.</p>
<p>Most say that, as long as you score in the range of 700 or better on any one test, you will be competitive.</p>
<p>I think MIT would be a lot more lenient if you aren't in AP physics right now. Unless you're Gauss, it's pretty hard to solve problems you haven't seen before. And getting 600-something on an SATII without AP physics doesn't suggest you couldn't handle the MIT courseload. </p>
<p>You can always take SATII's in Nov. or Dec. if you think you would be more prepared by then.</p>
<p>Just so you guys know (not that you'll care), but I got my scores back: 800 on the Math and 710 on the Physics. I might be wrong but I don't think that Physics score will hurt me, will it?</p>
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I might be wrong but I don't think that Physics score will hurt me, will it?
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<p>Nah, I wouldn't expect so. It's similar to what my score was on Bio-M back in the day.</p>
<p>I suggest if you get less than 700, retake in the fall after reviewing the rest of the physics you need to know. I feel that careful preparation pays off for the SAT II, and especially for Math and Physics, 800's are not difficult to get if you are careful and have reviewed the material.</p>
<p>Edit: Didn't see your score posting. Pretty good, especially considering you didn't even cover half of physics! I still suggest you study it over the summer and retake it in the fall. MIT may accept 700+ as all the same, but many schools are much more numbers oriented, and it seems like an 800 in physics would be a cinch for you after some studying.</p>
<p>i didnt take AP physic because it wasnt offered..i took the physics SAT and i got a 590..and i still got into MIT..however, my math section on the SAT and my Level 1 were on the 700s..i think MIT looks more for a stronger performance on math..hence the reason you take a math diagnostic test to be assigned to a physics class at MIT</p>
<p>I think that when you score above a 700 it definitely shows that you know the subject well. The difference between score when you get up high is only by a couple of questions and they do realize that people don't know everything. Hopefully admissions realizes that SATIIs are more or less luck of the draw when it comes to subject matter.</p>
<p>SAT II's are not luck of the draw, especially for Math/Physics. If you prepare carefully, you really can know everything that they are going to ask on those exams. Sure, sometimes people make careless arithmetic mistakes, but you shouldn't use "people don't know everything" in the context of elementary exams ("well people don't know everything... " is an excuse you use in upper level classes / grad classes at MIT when you get destroyed on an exam).</p>
<p>A non-science person with one SAT2 (math-750) must take a SAT2 science test if she wants to apply for economic major at MIT ? Anyone ?</p>
<p>@differential: It's the same deal for chem and bio. Assuming you've taken an AP class, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to walk in the test knowing every question. Of course, like you said, anyone can make 1-2 stupid mistakes.</p>
<p>compaq, yes, all applicants must take an SAT 2 science and an SAT II math regardless of major for MIT. and keep in mind that it's still an "institute of TECHNOLOGY", and that different majors are not held to different standards in admissions - that is, people in all majors have to show some sort of liking for/ability in science, so that the admissions people can tell they will get through the GIRs.</p>
<p>Just because you have taken an AP Bio ensure anything. There might be multiple questions on a section that you never really focused on. While yes for math it isn't luck of the draw because it is concept driven.<br>
But for Bio and then Humanities they are fact based. If you don't really know an answer there is no methodical way to figure it out. There is no way someone can study everything.</p>
<p>A lot of biology can be figured out methodically... in fact, that's the emphasis of biology classes at MIT.</p>
<p>lalaloo6, thank you</p>