<p>Hey guys, so my math SAT score is 630, which for a prospective engineering applicant, is extremely low. I was wondering if this would hinder my acceptance to engineering schools at universities like USC, BU, University of Washington, University of Rochester, etc. On the bright side, I got a 99 in Algebra 2 and am taking AP Physics, Ap Stat and precalc next year. Furthermore my math and science grades have always been A's, and I plan on taking the SAT Math subject test (on a recent practice test I got a 750). Thanks!</p>
<p>If you do well in all your math classes than I think that means you could do well in engineering. Precalc is when math starts getting harder so you will have to see how you do in precalc. But if you are good at physics that is also a good sign. I wouldn’t let your SAT score prevent you from becoming an engineer. But if you are terrible at math in your math classes, that is a different story.</p>
<p>It’s really not that bad. I am not sure if the scores are the same as 2004 but I got around that and got an A in every single engineering math course that was required. Work ethic will go a long way.</p>
<p>It will limit some of your school options. Why not take it again?</p>
<p>I plan on taking it again but I always feel low on time, therefore I rush and don’t have much time to think. Because of this I think that the max I could get would probably be about 650 maybe</p>
<p>Even if your school options were limited you could go to one school, do well, then transfer into the next/dream school as the SAT is no longer of interest.</p>
<p>You are fine. Math is more practice than anything else. If you have practiced day and night, skin sweating, back breakingly long, then yes, there might be a problem. But it is more likely that your the average kid who goes to class, does his homework, and aces the test. Its a good score from that point of view. Try hard in understanding the mathematical concepts given and work with them (and practice practice and practice), thats what the sat is about. If after that, you aren’t getting very far, then I would perhaps think otherwise. But even after that, all you need is a 3.0 to get an engineering job. Also engineering is one of those majors where the material is standardized in pretty much every college you go to. Your state school might be even better or just as good as those more “prestigious colleges”, although the salary may fluctuate a little bit, your ability will define the money you get much more. So I wouldn’t worry too much.</p>
<p>All the advice you’re getting is sound, but it comes with a caveat, you won’t get into a highly ranked engineering program with that SAT score. Knowing that, you have to decide whether that matters. I’m inclined to believe that it’s FAR more about WHAT you do in school as opposed to where you go to school. If you are dead set on a selective school, USC being the most selective of the ones you named, you have to understand that it’s a game.</p>
<p>The SAT is not a measure of math knowledge practical to an engineer. Rather than studying math, you need to study how to take the test. </p>
<p>What selective schools care about is how YOUR score will effect their ranking. If your score pulls their average own and people are beating down the doors to get in, you won’t have a chance.</p>
<p>In the end, it’s actually your HS GPA and rigor of course work that are predictive of collegiate success.</p>
<p>What state do you live in?</p>
<p>Thanks for your input eyemgh, I know it’s extremely competitive everywhere. And I’m from New York</p>
<p>There are lots of good schools in New York and beyond. Start your search here: [Accredited</a> Program Search](<a href=“http://main.abet.org/aps/Accreditedprogramsearch.aspx]Accredited”>http://main.abet.org/aps/Accreditedprogramsearch.aspx)</p>
<p>If you have time, there’s no reason not to retake the SAT (or to take a diagnostic test to see if ACT is a better fit and study and take that). If you want to go to a selective school, you’ll need high scores, not just on math, but everything. If you don’t, a high score will make their stats look better, so the rest will likely throw more money at you. Either way, it’s a win-win.</p>
<p>Don’t just take it though, prep, just a little every day, say 30 minutes, and then pound out as many practice tests as you can stomach, going over every wrong answer in excruciating detail. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>I scored a 640 on Math on the old 1970s SATs. (Not sure - the scales may be different now). I worked hard and did well in engineering at Clarkson, a fine but not tippy top engineering school.</p>
<p>colorado_mom always has sage advice. There are lots of good schools where the OP would be very competitive and receive a good education.</p>
<p>In the context of his/her original post however, that math SAT would be well below the 50th percentile for engineers at every program mentioned. At U or R the math 25th percentile of all students, not just engineers, was 630. At USC, the 25th percentile of all students was 660. UW doesn’t admit directly into engineering. It’s competitive after students are admitted.</p>
<p>The point isn’t that an SAT math score of 630 will severely cripple an engineering applicant or portend a poor future. It’s that it will narrow the field of choices a LITTLE. It will however, be a tough admit at the schools mentioned above.</p>
<p>I got around a 600 in math SAT and I can confidently say that I am of the top percentile of my class</p>
<p>Please don’t sell yourself short. You can do it! I know plenty of kids who test well and bomb out in college. If you work hard and believe in yourself, you can do anything!</p>
<p>Just make sure you do apply to some “safety” schools, but again, not selling yourself short. Unfortunately, those tippy top schools just look at the numbers and don’t give many deserving students a chance to even enter their ranks and give it a try. I think it really stinks, and I know many students, like my son, who were rejected as undergrads and won’t even apply for grad school at schools that they really want to go to and could probably even gain admittance based on their undergrad experience. So, if you don’t get in your dream school for undergrad, don’t cross it off as a possible grad school option.</p>
<p>Try the ACT, some kids find it easier.
As a backup, WPI is the only test-optional engineering school. Here’s why they chose to provide that option (note that about 90% do submit test scores) :
[Undergraduate</a> Admissions: Flex Path Information - WPI](<a href=“http://www.wpi.edu/admissions/undergraduate/apply/policy-qa.html]Undergraduate”>http://www.wpi.edu/admissions/undergraduate/apply/policy-qa.html)</p>