R:650 W:790 M:800 good enough for ivys?

Test Preparation
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<p>Hi, I'm a HS senior.</p>

<p>I got R: 650 W: 790 M: 800 on SAT (overall, 2240)
SAT IIs (Math: 790 Chem: 770)
TOEFL: 112 (Reading 29/30)</p>

<p>I know it's an above average SAT score even for ivy schools.
However, what I'm concerned about is my reading score. It's significantly lower than scores from other sections. (By the way, I'm an international student)</p>

<p>Some people told me that colleges may be lenient about my SAT reading score since english is not my first language (or they might look at my toefl reading score instead).
But I doubt that they'll be lenient about it just b/c i'm an international student. There are many international students w/ perfect reading scores.</p>

<p>And also, I put "interested field of study" or major mainly as Engineering or Applied Mathematics.
Since I took BC Calc sophomore year and got 5 on AP, I'm hoping they put more weight on my math/science grades and scores. (I took math courses 4 years in HS)</p>

<p>Can anyone tell me what colleges would think about my low reading score?
Does the fact that I put my major as math/science compensates for my relatively low reading score?</p>

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<p>Of course, by now you should know that there are a lot of wonderful schools out there that are not in the Ivy League. Also, you undoubtedly are aware that there are no SAT or ACT scores that will assure you get into any of the highly competitive colleges. You might also know that you might have expand your options if you got that Critical Reading score up.</p>

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<p>Yes, of course I know that. In fact, I applied to many non-ivy league schools including Stanford, Berkeley, Northwestern, Johns Hopkins and etc. </p>

<p>I also know that there are no “set” SAT score that colleges use to admit or reject their applicants.
But what I was curious about was whether colleges may be lenient about relatively low reading score if the applicant is an international student and had put math/science as his major. </p>

<p>I know this question is still tricky and not many people may be able to give definite answer to this. However, I still wanted hear from people who had similar experience or have heard of someone who were in similar situation as mine. That’s all.</p>

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<p>I don’t think your scores will be a huge problem unless you want to study something like literature at Princeton or Yale. You have a composite of 1450 which is above average for most of the IVYs!
You definitely have a shot for sciences major. Don’t worry too much! You are absolutely fine if you are opting for math/science major.
BTW, how are the scores of your SAT II?</p>

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<p>@Confidential 2015
Thanks for the comment!
Besides, I got SAT IIs (Math: 790 Chem: 770)
I couldn’t take satII Physics test since our school offered only AP Physics C: Mechanics
(sat ii physics test covers both mechanics and electromagnetisms)</p>

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<p>Your SAT II scores are absolutely fine for IVY league colleges. What about your GPA? Also, what about ECs???</p>

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<p>In general, yes, but you are also competing with all of the other internationals.</p>

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<p>For tech-eng schools, yes; for Ivies, no. With the exception of Brown, they all require that students takes course in the liberal arts, which includes English, history…and they already receive a gazillion apps from high scoring math-science geeks.</p>

<p>The low CR WILL be noticed. The high W will also be noticed. How an adcom balances your scores against the rest of the international applicants, no one really knows.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the comment bluebayou, that really helped.</p>

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<p>My GPA is 3.91 unweighted out of 4.00</p>

<p>My school gives really petty boost for APs (+0.2)
(A on AP class counts as 4.2, B as 3.2)
With this weighting, it’s 3.94</p>

<p>And for ECs, I would say they’re not super impressive but not bad overall. At least it shows that I’m a well-rounded student</p>

<p>3 years of Soccer (1-JV 2-Varsity)
2 years of Basketball (2-JV)
3 years of National Honors Society
2 years of Orchestra (played trumpet)
2 years of Concert Choir
1 year of Chamber Choir
1 year of International Club
2 years of Boy’s Dorm Prefect
7 years of Voluntary Work at Camp with Austistic Childeren (since 2004)</p>

<p>And math courses I took throughout HS may be a little boost since not many students take courses beyond BC Calc
9: Precalculus Honors
10: BC Calculus
11: Differential Equations
12: Multivariable Calculus</p>

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<p>I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who dislikes the Critical Reading section. :slight_smile: Your other two scores, GPA, and extracurriculars seem to make up for it though.</p>

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<p>^^try the ACT. It’s version of CR appears to be ‘easier’, as long as you can read fast.</p>

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<p>short answer: yes, your scores are good enough to be competitive for the Ivies</p>

<p>the ivies also routinely say no to students with your credentials, too; for example, Brown says no to ~80% of all valedictorians and those who scored 800 on the SAT verbal, and no to 75% of those who scored 800 on the SAT Math
<a href=“Undergraduate Admission | Brown University”>Undergraduate Admission | Brown University;

<p>in other words, credentials like yours are competitive but are not determinative</p>

<p>that said, good luck and love thy safeties!!!</p>

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<p>I was about to type this same thing. I had a 620 CR in the beginning of Junior year, and then I tried the ACT a couple of months ago and I got a 32 on Reading, which is much better. But, after I spent the summer cramming vocabulary I was scoring 700+ on the CR, so it might be because of that, not too sure.</p>