Is a 1400 good?

I got a 660 on CR/W and 740 on M. Its a 206 SI which is probably good for commended. I was really excited to see these scores, especially the math. My total was a 99th percentile score. All of this made me happy until I saw how many other people were scoring high. I understand that there is self selection bias on CC but I haven’t even seen one “bad” score while in past years there were plenty well under 200. Also, the conversion tables on Collegeboard put a composite of 1400 at an equivalent of a 2060 which seems low to me. I can understand my low SI due to my CR/W being far lower and it was doubled, but why is the old PSAT equivalent low too? Is this a good score? I took this cold so do you think I could get a 1500 with some studying in March?

bump

That’s an excellent score. I agree on college confidential it seems that everyone scored in the top 99%. Hmm. What colleges are you looking at?

@amy989 I don’t have a really solid list right now but I’m thinking of JHU and Penn for reaches, Bucknell and Lehigh for matches, and some state schools with merit aid for safeties.

The score itself is good, you’ll get commended for sure. I heard 1390 was the cutoff for the 99th percentile, so there were only about 35000 people who scored 1390 or higher. Sorry to say, but you’re probably on the lower end of the 99% percentile, so whether you make national merit really depends on how rigorous your state’s cutoff lines are. If you improve on where you are weak, I’m sure you won’t have trouble scoring 1500 on the new SAT.

You might also want to consider Tulane, Penn State, Northeastern, BU & NYU. The IVY’s are reach for everyone - best if you have someone support your application - like a coach or even a professor. But you should still apply because you never know.

@amy989 I was going to apply to Penn state as a safety. Don’t really like NEU and NYU is too expensive. Is my reaches too much of a reach? Any reach suggestions?

I don’t think your reaches are too much of a reach. You should have no issues with Penn State but apply by the priority deadline. Also, I suggest you show a lot of interest because with your stats they might think they are a safety school and deny you for that reason. It happens. We had one student from my D’s high school accepted to Harvard & Stanford but denied from his safety schools - I suspect because he showed no interest. Would you consider Drexel and Binghamton as safety too?

I have looked into Drexel and was really hoping for NMF for full tuition but won’t get it. I’ll still look into Drexel if I have a chance at a significant scholarship. I don’t really know anything about Binghamton but I’ll check it out.

My D got $30,000 from Drexel and her stats are pretty close to yours although she took the ACT not the SAT.

@amy989 I have a ~96-97% UW, ~100% W, 4.0 UW on 4.0 scale, 2nd in class rank, and assuming I get about the same SAT, do I have a chance at a scholarship that big? That leaves about 10k tuition and room/board, etc.

Got into an Ivy with a 1410. (I had a near perfect math score though and applied as an engineering major)

Yes I think you do especially if the rest of your application is as good as your scores. In my D case, she had excellent recommendations from teachers she knew well and a counselor who also knew her very well. She’s a very outgoing person and I think that came across nicely on her application. She had lots of EC’s as well and her essays were well written. She also got a scholarship from Tulane - $20,000. Basically if you can come across as well rounded in your application I think you will have an excellent chance of a merit scholarship.

Do you have identical threads going? I thought I’d replied but now don’t see my reply.

@amy989 Thank you! I don’t know much about Tulane but it was much higher ranked. Lets say my recs are great and my essays are pretty good, how high could I really go and still get merit? My matches were Lehigh and Bucknell which both offer 100% need met FA. However, I would still like to get some merit just incase the NPCs were off. Lehigh is ranked around Tulane and Bucknell is a little higher but in the LACs rankings. I know rankings aren’t a good way to decide things but they are all pretty close.

@lostaccount Nope this is my only one. There was probably a lot of “Is a ___ a good score?” or similar threads the day results came out.

I think you have an excellent chance at merit at Tulane and the other colleges. But I suggest you apply early action wherever possible and show lots of interest in each school so they know there is a good chance your will attend if they admit you.

My S scored a 2210 and has a 1430 composite PAST and was commended. He was on the lower end. There were 2 scores higher than his from our school who were also commended. He took it cold. Took the SAT cold as well and scored the exact same. Later, he wished he has studied and perhaps scored better. So, yes. Do study.

@thelma2 I’m confused, did your son take the PSAT this year and the old SAT? Or are you just including the CR+M from the old PSAT? Either way, I do plan to study and my goal is to break 1450, or maybe even 1500.

Sorry for the confusion. My son took the PSAT as a Jr cold and made a 2210, 1430 composit and that was only good enough to be NM commended and on the lower end at that. They were recognized fall 2015 (Sr. year) When he took the SAT (June of 2015) he made the exact same score. At the time, he was fine with it but looking back, he regrets not having studied to do better. If you study, I bet you could reach 1500. Go for it.

OP - Those are great scores. Do you know which major(s) interest you?