<p>Hey CCers.
I have been wondering ,as I am a Canadian and don't really know the "Standardized testing" atmosphere in the states, so my question:</p>
<p>if your family income is low i mean like <$25-30k or even lower, does that kind of indicate to the admissions officer of why you may have had low sat reasoning scores? but good/great subject test scores?
Have you guys seen people with low SAT scores, but pretty great GPA/extra curriculars get into ivys and etc?</p>
<p>I read somewhere that, by having a low income it indicates to the admissions officer that you probably weren't able to afford tutoring/prep-classes. true?
and how do adcoms really view this? </p>
<p>That’s absolutely not the case. I‘m in almost the exact same situation as n00bpwner, except for even lower family income (below 2k), and I’m a Canadian as well. Despite all that, I still managed to get a 2250+. Silverturtle was right, all you need is really the blue book(if you want more practice, other prep books are available at equally equitable price), and a decent vocabulary list. It’s true that most people choose to go to prep classes and all that, the effectiveness of which I do not deny. It’s just that low-income is not a adequate excuse for low SAT score at all.</p>
<p>Like the above poster said, low income isn’t going to make up for a truly BAD SAT score. If you’re prepared for the difficulty of ivy league schools, you should be able to get a decent score without any sort of expensive prep.</p>
<p>You are talking about low scores that are low in terms of Ivy standards, correct? (i.e 1800-1900s scores and not actual low 1200s scores.)</p>
<p>Low scores don’t necessarily indicate someone is from a low income family, I think most colleges in the USA get that. Adcoms for all Ivys don’t know your family income background when considering your admission since they are need-blind, so they can’t automatically assume everyone with a low SAT score is low income. Schools like Ivys that have tons of money are more concerned with the person being a good overall student rather than being rich and having a super high SAT score.</p>
<p>However I definitely agree with amarkov, being low income definitely doesn’t give an excuse for a person to have a very low SAT score. If you are naturally intelligent or good at studying, then you would most likely be able to prep for the SATs adequately with just prep books and find yourself free SAT sessions offered at schools, libraries or the local community; you wouldn’t need to take intensive & expensive $2,000 SAT classes.</p>
<p>I’m from a low-income family, had a 1900s score, have decent extracurricularss & good GPA, and got into Penn. But I know a number of friends who are definitely not low income and had scores in the 1800s range who got into Penn as well.</p>
<p>How would they know your income is that low though? For the Ivies, the financial office is separate from the admissions office. Unless, you listed your income on your application, I don’t think they’ll know.</p>
<p>Most of the students with scores below the 25-75% ranges at Ivies are hooked. They’re URM (Native American, black, or Hispanic) or legacy (that’s just a boost though, not a hook) or recruited athletes or development candidates (someone close to them donated millions. It’s very rare). Low income and special circumstances can explain a score to some extent, as all Ivies do have holistic admissions and will take into account the background of applicants, but if one has lower SAT scores, one’s better off being hooked than low income.</p>
<p>That’s true, except the score that will get you considered is MUCH lower than the score that will actually get you accepted if you have nothing else going for you.</p>
<p>Jahaba,
You’ve got a good sense of humor lol.</p>
<p>But I really don’t think income should be an excuse. As long as the kid went to school, had exposure to literature and mathematics, and could afford or borrow a used blue book, they are capable of a high SAT score.</p>
<p>I don’t believe that the CB releases subject test scores vs income data; however, SAT scores are highly correlated to reported income. I would propose that the cost of test prep books is but a tiny part of the story of this correlation. If admissions officers had access to income data, it is hard to believe that they would not consider more than just the $15 cost of the Blue Book.</p>
<p>I think being low income and going to a low income school can explain a score that is lower than others who don’t have those challenges.</p>
<p>But, if you’re low income, but you go to a private school or a top public, I don’t think you’re going to get extra consideration.</p>
<p>Besides, top schools are “need blind” so they’re not going to always know who is “low income” or not unless there are other tell tale signs…like a low income school.</p>
<p>I resent the implication that students from more well-to-do backgrounds do well only because of expensive tutors/etcs. Doesn’t that imply that they are somehow really, in reality, just a bunch of stupider than stupids, who would have zippo scores if not for some massive amount of extra assistance which is practically feeding them the answers during the standardized exam (because of course those students are to stupid to know any of the answers themselves?)</p>
These days, a lot of cities are on Google street view. I would not put it past adcoms to check out the financial status of applicants by checking their address.</p>