<p>My senior has barely started her essays and just wants to have this whole process over.
She is applying to three schools that require SAT IIs. This past summer she took English Lit and earned a 770, but only got a 700 on Math II. Should she retake the Math SAT II for Dartmouth, Princeton, and Wesleyan, or is her current score in the right range? I haven't seen anything on SAT II ranges for individual colleges. Can you superscore SAT IIs? I do think she could improve the score, but it would require practice, which she doesn't want to do.</p>
<p>If she is taking math this semester then I do recommend taking the math test again, in order to have a “better” shot at D and P. But the bigger question is -are her SAT scores also in the 730-750 + range? For a Non-hooked student HS GPA/ rigor of the classes and SAT scores are the first “filter” used by admissions committees before serious consideration is given to an application.</p>
<p>700 is probably fine for Wes, but for Ivies, 750+ is always better.</p>
<p>I really do not know how people make the statements they do about “what is good enough” for a particular school. You did not even mention your daughters scores or GPA and people are telling you she needs to retake the math II. She probably has the same chance of getting in as every other selective applicant. If she has great ECs and recs and is trully passionate about learning than she will find herself in the school she belongs.</p>
<p>Well, she earned a 790 and a 710 on the math section of the SAT the two times she has taken it. The second sitting resulted in the lower score. 2340 superscore.
She does have a strong gpa and ECs, although it is hard to compare with some of the kids on this site.</p>
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<p>It’s simple, really. An 800 looks better than a 710. Higher is always better, all other things being equal.</p>
<p>The vast majority of unhooked matriculants to an D & P will have 750+ on most, if not all of their tests – not to mention several 800’s. Thus, it’s always better to have the stats of a matriculant; otherwise, the adcom will look at the app and say, ‘hmmm, if I admit this (below average) kid, my published averages will go down’.</p>
<p>Of course, the 2340 is extremely impressive and minimizes the need for a retake of a subject test particularly if she’s not interested, IMO.</p>
<p>According to College Board stats, a 700 on the Math level 2 test is in the 63rd percentile, but this is a self-selecting group of about 160,000 who took that test, which contains more advanced math than what is on the SAT 1. Presumably the kids who took this subject test did so because they thought they were strong in math, and/or their college requires it. Whether to retake for Princeton and Dartmouth could depend on whether your daughter is planning a major in a field that requires strong quantitative skills, like math, science, engineering, finance, economics, etc. Our experience was that even perfect math scores were not sufficient for an unhooked kid with stellar credentials who applied to Princeton with a quantitative major (hooked kids, and maybe full-pay kids this year, have it easier). Nonquantitative majors may not need a 750+ math level 2 score (but if this is the case, she should try for a high score in a different subject area).</p>
<p>or, look at it another way: by demonstrating strength across disciplines, a 750+ on Math 2 can help a prospective humanities/lit/language major stand out from the other lit majors. Dartmouth requires math & science courses as part of its liberal arts distribution requirement, for example.</p>
<p>Of course, the OP’s SAT score already demonstrates strength across disciplines.</p>
<p>Retake…</p>
<p>But if you haven’t gotten a good jump on the essays, wouldn’t the time be better spent doing essays? D got into Dartmouth with SAT Subject test scores of 710, 710 and 720. Anything in the 700s will at least keep you in the pool.</p>
<p>I agree with ellemenope. S got into an Ivy with SAT subject tests of 750 (but that was writing, old system), 720, 670, 670. I think you can over-stress them to the detriment of other factors which can make a much bigger impression.</p>
<p>how bout SAT II scores of 800 Math IIC, 750 World History, 720 Biology (retook in Oct), 700 physics (retook in October) 700 USH ? </p>
<p>which ones should i submit? thanks</p>
<p>To the OP: It sounds as though Math is not your daughter’s greatest strength. The three colleges you mention all require only two SAT Subject Tests. Princeton explicitly says that if you submit more than two, they will give the greatest weight to your two highest scores. The other schools probably do the same or simply ignore the lower scores.</p>
<p>Is there another subject in which your daughter would be likely to do better than she did in Math? It might make more sense to take a different Subject Test rather than trying to study to improve her Math II score.</p>
<p>As for you, Tom Jones, I think you’re fine for any college that simply requires two SAT Subject Tests without specifying the subjects. Top students often use the criterion of “750 or higher on everything” as the answer to the question “Are my scores good enough?” You have an 800 and a 750. You’re fine.</p>
<p>I got an 800 on Chinese with listening, but that doesn’t really count, I assume?
This is my first time taking the SAT Bio M test and I got an 720.
I will most likely be applying as a social studies major. Thus, should I still retake the test?
I’m a junior by the way, so I technically still have a little bit of time.</p>
<p>I believe top colleges don’t favor, say, a 760 over a 740. It doesn’t work like that. The math 700 is fine.</p>
<p>Highly selective schools are looking at the whole picture for each kid, and the whole picture for their campus as a whole.</p>
<p>A talented musician might get in with a math SAT in the 600’s, for instance. A gifted mathematician might get in with a similar score in English/writing. Etc.</p>
<p>I think it really depends on what else the student can offer to the campus mix.</p>
<p>I would not retake. Your relationship with your daughter is important. If she doesn’t want to, all the more reason. She can finish her essays and be done with it all. She will end up at the best place for her and it will all work out.</p>
Hello, I’m so sorry for bumping an ancient post, but I really need advice! I have a 680 on Literature and 710 on Math 2. Should I submit these scores to colleges (including Ivy Leagues)?
If it would help, my GPA is a 95.84 weighted, my SAT 1 is a 2220. I also have stellar extracurriculars, essays, and recs. I’m hoping and praying that my SAT 2s are okay enough… :’(
SAT 2s don’t count as much as you might be thinking, so you shouldn’t worry that much if SAT 2 is your prime concern.
But at a glance, your scores are quite low compared to those of other average students in Ivy League (most of them hit above 750, and 800 on especially Math 2).
Thank you so much for responding. Yes, that’s exactly my concern- that I would be looked unfavorably upon because of my low subject tests… Would I be better off not even submitting the subject tests at all?
Brown - required
Cornell - required for some
Dartmouth - recommended
Harvard - strongly recommended
Princeton - strongly recommended
Yale - recommended
UPenn - recommended
I recommend submitting those scores to all schools since they all recommend/require submitting.