<p>To anyone who goes to Swarthmore/knows someone who goes/got accepted but didn't go:
Have you or anyone you know gotten into Swarthmore with low-ish test scores? (Say, around a 1700 on the SAT). Do you think it's impossible to get in when someone has a high class rank and a high GPA to contrast that?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>i know someone who got in with a slightly higher SAT (1800s), and she was in the top 20% of her class, she didn’t really have any amazing extra curricular activities, and her UW gpa was around a 3.8… however, the teachers who wrote her recs LOVED her, and she is an AMAZING writer</p>
<p>Alright. I guess I shouldn’t give up ALL hope.</p>
<p>kittycat,
Nothing is impossible, but a 1700 on the SAT coupled with the high class rank and GPA oftentimes leads admissions officers to think that your high school has serious grade inflation as well as not a lot of kids headed to selective colleges. The vast majority of students at Swarthmore will have excellent rank, grades and significantly higher SAT scores.</p>
<p>For example, for the latest common data set available, (2011-2012) only 2.8% of the freshmen scored between 500-599 on the Critical Reading portion, 5.5% between 500-599 on the Math, and 2.5% between 500-599 on the Writing. By contrast, 70.5% scored 700+ on the CR, 61.8% scored 700+ on the Math, and 69.2% scored 700+ on the Writing. I’m not trying to discourage you from applying, but wanted to paint a realistic portrait.</p>
<p>Of course I’m aware that it’s a long shot. I think I’m * allowed * to have a reach school!</p>
<p>If anything, what you just said made me feel better. Only one of my scores falls within the 500-599 range, and it’s the one with the highest percentage of acceptance out of the three, Math. It’s good to know that there’s still a possibilty (a slight possibility, at that) that I could get in even with the score that I’m most insecure about. </p>
<p>6/100 with similar math scores as me are getting accepted. Meanwhile, 27/100 people who get accepted have similar CR scores to me, and 28/100 people have similar Writing scores. Why can’t I be one of them?</p>
<p>Actually statistically that deduction isn’t true. Those are scores of the current population of the school, they could reject a far higher percentage of applicants with those kind of scores. (talking about specifically ur thought on the math score)</p>
<p>I am fully aware of that. I meant that if they have accepted people with my score in the past, they’ll most likely do it in the future if the applicant seems to be a good fit. That’s all I meant. I’m not at all saying that I’ll definitely get in.</p>
<p>It’s completely possible, my SAT was in the 1700s and I just got a 26 on the ACT. I did have stellar grades and graduated in the top 5% of my class. Also keep in mind that I’m a first generation college student and URM who did an interview. Just do like I did, believe with everything they’ll accept you because you’re awesome until they tell you otherwise. : )</p>
<p>getting in is one thing… failing out is another… not saying there’s a correlation but if scores that far from the standard scores for students isn’t a good sign…</p>
<p>
The thing about standardized tests is that the content is something you * should * know from your high school studies. However, not all schools are consistent in the ways they educate students. Some kid may go to a school while learning every single piece of information necessary for the SATs, while another can learn little to nothing about the content on the test. The latter would be me. That doesn’t mean I’m not smart. My grades and class rank can refute that argument. It just means my school isn’t diligent with their teaching of standardized test content. I’m not using this as an excuse by any means. Compared to a majority of my school, my 1750 is god-sent. That’s just how my school is. No, I’m not proud of it. What can I do? Nothing but attempt to teach myself what I should already know.</p>
<p>To some this may be the opposite, but for me, my standardized tests scores do not reflect my academic ability. They reflect the failure of my school district in preparing students for what they need to succeed both in high school and seeking colleges. When I’m taught something or when I read something, I hold onto it. I start struggling when I’m asked to provide information that I’ve never heard of. </p>
<p>I’m not sure if this makes sense to you as a response to your statement, but it does to me. I know that if I’m taught effectively, I can succeed. In a school like Swarthmore, I’m sure that the education I would receive would be more than satisfactory, which leaves no doubt in my mind that I could succeed.</p>
<p>i get what you’re saying and your response makes sense. you’re clearly a logical individual and fortunately standardized testing is not the be-all-end-all indicator of a person’s academic ability or intelligence. however, in terms of admissions, i do not know of anyone at swat or who was admitted to swat that had scores in that range. swattie’s don’t usually go around announcing their scores but you end up piecing together what people got…</p>
<p>if people’s scores were in your range chances are they had some kind of hook going for them as well as additional proof that they could handle swat’s academic environment. it sounds like you’re making a case for your academic abilities and overall intelligence independent of your standardized testing scores which, if convincing enough, paired with a couple of other desirables in your application, might get you something.</p>
<p>at the end of the day the SAT and the ACT are a quick and dirty way to get a sense of how a student’s academic profile and general ability compared to other students from other schools. so if you have a really high GPA from a school where 1750 is extraordinarily good what that suggests to me as an observer is that having a high GPA at your school may not be as difficult to obtain at another school with a different profile. what that information does NOT tell me, however, is what your actual ability and intelligence are. all of this is said keeping in mind that intelligence and ability are kind of impossible to quantify but that’s a different discussion.</p>
<p>anyway, these are indicators, not deciders.</p>
<p>Swarthmore is a tough school and in college, you’ll be expected to learn very different material at a very fast pace. Get those scores up and prove to them that you’re able to adapt and learn. The algebra and grammar is something that can be easily practiced!</p>
<p>I am working on getting my scores up. Once again, I know it’s a difficult feat to accomplish. I was just wondering if there was any possibility of getting in with a low score. That’s all!</p>