<p>I’m not trying to be rude, but I agree with the other comments. A 1650, especially considering the math score, just shows you overestimated yourself. Ivy league schools are for the best students in the world. These kids would not get a 1650 without tutors or review books. Those tools just help them get from the natural 2100 range to the 2300 range. It’s also naive to say that books from barnes and noble alone will get you from a 1650 to 2100.</p>
<p>Look, OP has a point… My IQ is 158, on the scale where 140 is genius, even if it was on the other scale, which it isn’t, that’s only two points off. Yet without any practice, I only managed a 182 on the PSAT (earlier this year, rising junior here), so smart people can do badly on tests (and in class), don’t judge the OP’s intelligence based on this…</p>
<p>I know people that went from 1500 to 2200. My high school valedictorian last year got like 1500 on the PSAT, she was upset, studied and got her 2200 and is at brown now, so idk maybe it depends on the person. I got a 10 on the essay. That is what I meant when I said I’m good at writing. I probably could have gotten a 6 if my conclusion was better. I don’t expect to get into an ivy league. Even people with stellar SATs scores whonare valedictorians and are jack of all trades don’t get into these schools sometimes. I just don’t understand why everyone is making the assumption thar ALL ivy league applicants got 2100 their first time. I know people who didn’t and that are brilliant.</p>
<p>Idk if it’s realistic to shoot for Ivies but maybe the 2nd tier would be good if you got like a 1850-2100. Good luck!</p>
<p>Okay I will focus off ivy league then and settle for BU or nyu or something.</p>
<p>If you’re looking into prelaw but you have low stats you should seriously consider this program. It might not be as reputable as you’d like, but it could really take you far…
<a href=“http://www.shimer.edu/academicprograms/ba-to-jd-program.cfm”>http://www.shimer.edu/academicprograms/ba-to-jd-program.cfm</a></p>
<p>You don’t “settle” for BU or NYU; those are great schools! Now although your SAT score isn’t great, doesn’t mean you should be so discouraged. People on this site may over inflate the importance of the SAT. Every year the SAT is losing importance. More an more schools are moving to SAT optional policies. I strongly suggest Bates college, Bowdoin, Conn College, Franklin and Marshall, etc. There are great schools that place minimal importance on standardized tests. </p>
<p>Also as a side note, liberal arts colleges usually have lower scores than Ivies. This is b/c 30,000 people apply to “insert random ivy” and the SAT is simply used as a filter. If you increase your score to a reasonable 1900, you’re in the running for liberal arts and you won’t be immediately disqualified from ivies. </p>
<p>Don’t be too hard on yourself. Your transcript and EC’s hold the most importance. At this point you should just try to ensure that your SAT isn’t a liability. </p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>@Alyssaz: Just a key point–make sure you look up the policy of the schools you are applying to. Many schools, such as Univ. of Penn and Yale, do NOT accept score choice, meaning you MUST send ALL of your SAT Scores. Be careful of that. You MUST. (Non-negotiable). </p>
<p>@sdg144: I think you are underreporting the value of an SAT/ACT score. While the transcript (HS grades) are always most important, these top universities (Ivys) are first and foremost academic universities. Before ECs are factored in, they need to make sure whoever is going to their school can do the work and not flunk out. That being said, the SAT/ACT is a big part of academic ability in terms of college applications. I’m not ranking anything, I’m not saying EC’s aren’t important…but just remember—every school you are applying to is first and foremost, an ACADEMIC university. Thus, anything that embodies academia (grades, test scores, science research papers, etc.) have weight in the sense that these schools must find people who can do the work!</p>
<p>Your best bet would be to work on Math and Writing. Both are formulaic in nature and incredibly easy once you learn the concepts; CR tests inherent reasoning skills, analytical ability, and of course, reading comprehension level. This usually doesn’t change much amongst people, and if it does change, it is almost always due to increase in sentence completion questions that are correct. You have your work cut out for you but a 2100 should be attainable with proper practice.</p>
<p>I did a practice test online for ACT and I got a 31 idk if thats good, thhats without the essay art. Idk how ACT works. Do colleges like that? Did i do good for ACT. I live in new england and it has never been emphasized over here, so maybe I shouls do act instead. Idk if I sent my score reports in though for SAT! Thanks sdg144 for being motivational lol I will look into liberal arts, but are liberal arts the same or different education. Ik its laid back kind of curriculum. Hardworking 21 thank you for reminding me the restrictions on score choice. I totally forgot some of them don’t accept it! Thank you cooldude987 for your motivational words also lol. Math I need to familiarize concepts and writing I just need to practice grammar so your deff right on that</p>
<p>A 31 is a whole lot better than the SAT scores you just got back. A lot depends on the subject area scores that make up your composite score, of course, but a 31 is like scoring over 2000 on the SAT. See this table (and realize that it is converting to SAT ranges with CR and Math only, no Writing): [ACT-SAT</a> Concordance](<a href=“http://www.act.org/aap/concordance/]ACT-SAT”>The ACT Test for Students | ACT).</p>
<p>Maybe you should be focusing on the ACT. Everybody accepts is, just as willingly as they accept SAT scores. Buy the red book.</p>
<p>To be honest you most likely wont recover from a 1650. In my first test I got 1880 this went up to a 2070 and finally a 2120 on my final attempt. In between each test I studied loads. I still think that first 1880 kills my application to descent universities. And no you won’t get 2100+ by buying a book from Barnes and Noble. I was in the position as you when you for my SAT’s in fact I was doing a British curriculum. I had never studied from an American point of view in my life!</p>
<p>31 is amazing for the ACT. An Ivy usually wants like 34+, but 31 is concordant with a 1380 on the 1600 scale-approximately 690 in Math and Critical Reading.
I believe all colleges take the ACT now in lieu of the SAT, so your scores should not limit you from any university.</p>
<p>1500 to 2200… Did this person fall asleep during the SAT the first time ?!</p>
<p>Oh and you don’t settle for NYU or BU with a 1650. Unless you are a minority, a recruited athlete of amazing in every way.</p>
<p>well i will just send in my ACT score then in September idk. I have to retake the SAT because I didnt do well on it and I sent it in to my colleges already so even if i do get 1900 lets say, if i send in my score of 31-32 of ACT I hope that will make up for it because I found the ACT much much easier. But hopefully my ACT score will make up for it</p>
<p>okay so lets say my first score is 1650, I go up to 1900 because I really dont like SAT. and then I send in a 31 for ACT, what will it look like from there? I really shouldnt have sent that SAT score ***f.</p>
<p>A 31 on the ACT and a 1900 on the SAT will not get you anywhere close to the Ivies.</p>
<p>whatever, I wont apply to any ivy leagues then, its not the end of the world.</p>
<p>Its possible to improve by 300+ points, even at the high end. Look at my scores:</p>
<p>[A3</a> | Flickr - Photo Sharing!](<a href=“2400 | APChemistry | Flickr”>2400 | APChemistry | Flickr)</p>