<p>I took SAT 2 two days ago and I believe my scores will be around:
760 math, 660 physics, 580 bio.
What I am most upset about is Physics because I was working very hard for the last months and I was hoping for above 750(based on my practice scores!). I would like to retake the physics + biology in January 28th but I dont have good SAT 1 scores yet. Last yr I took some SAT 1s and my highest was 1240/1600 or 1810/2400 with an 8 on the essay. My plan was to take SAT 1 in January .Now I dont know what to do because my SAT 2s (phy+ bio) are low.
I been trying to analyze my situation and as I see I have these options:
1. Take SAT 1 in January 28 and have the low SAT 2
2 Take SAT 1 January 28 + take ACT in February 11th (I checked colleges still accept it! Can ACT cover up for my low SAT 2 s??)
3 Take SAT 2 (phy+ bio) in January + ACT in February instead of SAT 1
4 Take SAT 1 in January and find some other phy+ bio exams (like CLEP) to cover for my low scores??.</p>
<p>I am reluctant on taking ACT instead of SAT 1 because as I see colleges dont consider it that well and besides that I am worried I wont be able to prepare so well since ACT doesnt have so many real tests available.
Can you please advice me? I am an international, I need scholarship and competition is high.<br>
Thank you!</p>
<p>Generally, the SAT I is more important than the SAT II. If I had to focus on one test, it would be the SAT I.</p>
<p>Second, you don't have the SAT II results back yet. Sometimes a person's assessment of how they did on a standardized test is wildly off from the acutal results. The curve can vary from one test to the other and you may be wrong about how you did. (My son and virtually all his classmates, for example, thought they "failed" AP Bio. He ended up with a 4, and we were so grateful he hadn't cancelled as some did. Many years earlier, my husband was sure he had failed the Bar, which was not true.)</p>
<p>It would help to know what schools you are applying to in terms of the ACT. It is a clear benefit at some schools and less of a benefit at others. For example, Princeton clearly doesn't like the ACT. A school like U Chicago admits a number of students on the basis of the ACT alone. However, I would never hesitate to turn in both scores. One can reinforce the other. My suggestion would be to take the ACT if you can fit it in.</p>
<p>Elisa,
If you are an international, are you a first language English speaker? If not, what are your SAT I scores? If your math is good, and you are taking the TOEFL you might be able to let them stand. On the other hand, as Cami notes, you don't know your SAT II scores yet, really, do you? I suppose you are not able to wait until you get them to sign up for the other tests. </p>
<p>Have you taken any other SAT II's besides math/science? Are you planning to major in math/science/engineering? Do you need 3 SAT II's for the schools you are applying to? </p>
<p>Finally, what sorts of schools are you applying to and how competitive are your current SAT I scores for those schools?</p>
<p>I'm not a parent, but I disagree with Cami215 that SAT I's are more important than the IIs. From what I have heard from my GC and college reps/read on the forums/etc, SATIIs carry more weight than the Is. Anyone who has a basic foundation of high school education, focus, and posseses an amoutn of intelligence can score decently on the SATIs. The material on SATIIs must be studied, learned, and mastered, and the questions are much more specific.</p>
<p>Thank you for the posts!
Usually after an exam I can make out how much I score. I doubt that it will be more than +- 20 points difference between the exam and my predictions but thanks for the thoughts.<br>
I will be applying to the top schools because those are the once that give the most aid for internationals(including Princeton) + some lower ranked once.
I took Toelf already and I am waiting the results. I have not taken any other SAT 2s , I am planning to major in Science or Engineering and I need all the 3 SAT 2 to the schools where I am applying .
I been working on a project from some time and it does involve Physics and I am worried that my 660 Physics looks so bad that the adcoms might think that I havent done the project. This project I consider to be my hook.
I guess the only way to make up for my low scores is to retake and this means I can only go for ACT. If I submit high ACT scores will the schools still look at my 1810 SAT 1 score and consider that also or they will just consider the ACT? Also outside USA ACT is given without the writing section...
I feel discouraged. I have been working so hard for these exams and I messed up. I slept only 3 hours on the night before the test because of stress and in the morning of the test I got up at 5 and I studied for one hour Physics. At the exam my brain just didnt work at all, I was slow, made silly mistakes and went through the test erratically. I was able to gather my thoughts just for the Math exam which I took the last!</p>
<p>If your Math SAT I is high enough (greater than 700) I would not retake the SAT I's if you have the TOEFL. Your overall SAT score is less relevant than it would be for a first language English speaker.... and I would repeat any SAT II's that are lower than 700. Is there another non-techinical SAT II you could take? I can't imagine any school really needs all 3 as math/science ( I know, for example, that MIT doesn't). </p>
<p>If your SAT I math is less than 700, I would probably retake that and leave the SAT II's alone so long as you have 2 at or about 700 (don't worry about %iles). If you are not in a US curriculum, the more elite schools understand that you do not have the same background. I know a girl who graduated from a Lycee who is at Brown and had all her SAT's less than 700...(well, maybe one test of 5 was 700)...</p>
<p>AS far as taking the tests themselves are concerned, you seem to understand what went wrong that day. The night before the exam, study to a point and then do something to help you relax and get to sleep...taking 3 of these exams in one day is tough enough.</p>
<p>I hope you are planning to apply to a wide range of schools so that in the end you have great choices. There are a great selection of schools of varying degrees of competitiveness that give aid to internationals...but I am sure you know that already...</p>
<p>Good luck. I will be interested in hearing the advice of others on this...</p>
<p>Of course, you will get different opinions on this. And no one has a crystal ball to tell for sure. But I truly believe that it will be very difficult to get into Princeton or any "top school" with a SAT of 1240/1810, even with the TOEFL. You would need something else in your application that was enormously compelling to get around the SAT I scores. Most top schools require SAT II's but there are a few (like Chicago) that do not. </p>
<p>I would strongly second robrym's helpful suggestion that you get a range of schools, including matches and safeties. Things are just too competitive today only to apply to "top schools". There were people on this board last year who had only top schools and ended up with nothing. I know you say you are applying to some "lower schools" but make sure these are realistic choices. "What is "lower" for one person is a reach for another. Make sure all your credentials--test scores included--are in the upper quarter of the applicant pool.</p>
<p>You sound like a great and thoughtful candidate, and I wish you the best of luck.</p>
<p>Thank you Cami for your post!
From what I have been checking most schools accept ACT instead of SAT 1.I called Harvard and the admission officer clearly told me that they consider ACT equal to SAT 1 and they dont used a conversion scale. He also said if I choose on my application that I want ACT to be considered they will consider my ACT + my 3 SAT 2 without even looking at my SAT 1.So from here for me it looks like I can take in January SAT 2 (Phy+ Bio) and get my deserved scores +in Feb ACT and I can be as competitive as any other applicant with SAT 1 + SAT 2. I hope that is true.I will be calling 10 more schools today.</p>
<p>I called bunch of schools. I got the same response as Harvard told me. So I decided finally to take ACT + SAT 2. But a friend of mine who is right now at Yale and got into 5 Ivies last yr advised me to take SAT 1 + bio CLEP. Now I am really confused.:(</p>