<p>I'm an international student who's applying to the US this year. I've taken the SAT 3 times now, and the SAT II (Math II + Chem) once. Basically, as an international, I know that I should be aiming towards the 75th percentile of SAT scores. But my latest SAT didn't really reach that far. Here are my scores: </p>
<p>SAT I: 2110 (M:730 CR:670 W:710)
SAT II: M2: 760 C: 710
GPA: 3.9 (or something around there, got 2 B's in the Swedish system) </p>
<p>Now I've got 1 more chance to take the SAT in January, and as it seems right now I will be doing the SAT II. But I just got my SAT I scores and I'm thinking it might be better to raise them. I've got the dedication to get an 800 in the SAT II's, and I've pretty much exhausted my SAT I resources (Blue book and practice tests found online). So my question to you is, should I take the SAT II or SAT I in January. </p>
<p>Also, here are the schools I'm applying to: </p>
<p>UC Berkeley
UCLA
MIT
Stanford
Princeton
Yale
Columbia
UPenn
UChicago</p>
<p>Now that I've gotten my SAT I scores back, I think I should add a few safety schools to this list, but I'm not really sure which. I was thinking NYU and Cornell? Any tips on some good schools with a little lower SAT scores. I would appreciate it! </p>
<p>Thanks, and good luck to everyone applying! </p>
<p>NYU and Cornell are not safety schools. If you want to, then you should take SAT 1 because its on the lower side for all of these schools except UCLA and NYU for which its between the 50th and 75th percentiles. You can check out Purdue, Case Western, USC as match schools.</p>
<p>@guineagirl96 How come? I’m not in a good position for any of those schools, and since I’m an international, I should ideally be within the 75th percentile. I doubt I would be able to raise my SAT 1 score more than 100 points (I’ve hammered out dozens of practice tests, even bought the SAT online course). Do you really think that I should retake it? Wouldn’t a 750+ on two SAT II’s look better? I’m asking because I really don’t know what the schools value more. </p>
<p>@SameerHussain and @Yals79 Safety might have been the wrong word to use. </p>
<p>Huge thanks for the replies, I’ve added USC to my application since they meet full financial aid for internationals, and my SAT scores are well within range, thanks for the tip! </p>
<p>@guineagirl96 I’ll keep that in mind. But I’ve exhausted the Collegeboard resources, so the practice tests I can get my hands on will not have answers, which will be problem. Regardless, I think I’ll do the SAT 1 this January! </p>
<p>Is there any resource that I can use to confirm that my SAT 2’s are on point? Or is it just general knowledge that my SAT 1 needs to be above a certain cutoff (ideally)? </p>
<p>Alright, I’m in quite a pickle now actually. I went in to change my SAT registration, and it turns out that there are no more seats in my city for the SAT. So I have a place to take the SAT 2 (Math II and Chem) at the school I usually go to. If I want to take the SAT 1 I would have to go across the country. Now this is a real bugger because I feel that the reason I was off on my SAT 1 was because I couldn’t sleep. I already doubt that I can change my score significantly, and if I were to take the test in another city (would have to travel there, stay the night), I think that change would be even less significant. Now on the other hand, I think that I could raise my SAT 2 Math II to 800 and Chem to 750+, I enjoyed taking the SAT 2 much more than the SAT 1 (slept like a baby before the SAT 2 and barely before the SAT 1). </p>
<p>I think I’ve got about 3-4 days to make the decision, any later than that and the spots will probably be gone. So what do you think I should do? I’m really stressed about this, and it doesn’t help that schools don’t specify the importance of SAT 1 vs SAT 2. Since I’m applying for engineering, I would guess that SAT 2 would be considered more important. </p>
<p>I’m strongly leaning towards taking the SAT 2, but if you guys really think that it won’t even make much of a difference, then I’ll take a shot at the SAT 1. </p>
<p>@superlardman
See, your math score is in such a place that it doesn’t matter. (your math subject test that is)
Anything above a 750 in the subject test is great, and there is not point rewriting a 760 because a 760 is not that much different from a 780 or an 800 for that matter. A 760 is a good score and you should not retake it.
If you have the time, take Chemistry, otherwise just leave it.
Your critical reading and writing sections definitely have room for improvement, work on those.
SAT 2s are super duper overrated. They’re a “give and forget” kind of deal. </p>
<p>@kaustubh0328 I think you’re right. I really don’t want to take the SAT 1 again, nor do I want to take it in another city. But if improving my SAT 2 will have negligible returns, then I guess I’ll suck it up and just take the SAT 1. </p>
<p>@kaustubh0328 Yeah it’s pretty low. So you think I should re-take the SAT 2? I would much rather re-take the SAT 2, but according to some other posts, it seems that the SAT 1 would be more important to raise. What’s your take on this? You’re the one who suggested re-taking the SAT 1 in the first place?</p>
<p>@superlardman I told you to take SAT 1 before I knew what your intended major was. How are the grades for the chemistry classes in school? If those are good, then you can retake SAT 1, however, if those are bad, then you MAY want to consider taking SAT 2. </p>
<p>@kaustubh0328 An “A” in Chemistry is pretty solid at my school I guess. Got A’s in all my Chemistry courses. I know a 2110 is low, but how come? According to CollegeBoard I’m in the 96th percentile. Kinda weird. But anyway, what do you think I should go with. I’m real freaking tired of taking the SAT 1, and I’ve exhausted most of my resources. But I could possibly raise my score to a 2200+ if that’s what it takes. </p>
<p>@superlardman If you curriculum is hard and you have an A you SHOULD be fine.
See, the thing about the SAT is that a 2100+ is really good, but you have to be a US citizen or permanent resident.
Internationals should look for 2200+ to be honest because there’s less spots for internationals.
However, if you FEEL you maxed out completely with your SAT 1 score, don’t take it. Your increase will be marginal and it’ll be 100 dollars down the drain.
Let me expand what I mean by maxed out.
For example, lets say someone took the SAT in november 2013 and scored a 1900. that person KNOWS he can push that up if he takes it again because he wasn’t prepared the first time
On the other hand he took the ACT after 15 practice tests and got a 34. He knows taking it again is futile because he prepared so much the first time.</p>
<p>@kaustubh0328 My test scores were a bit lower than most of my practice tests (which were at about 2200+). I really don’t want to take the SAT again, but if I put like this. What would look better: 2200 SAT and my current subject test scores, or 2110 SAT and 800 math 750 Chem? </p>
<p>If I understand correctly, you’re Swedish, right? International students, especially those with an SAT score under 2200, get pretty mediocre financial aid at the schools they are admitted to, unless they get into the ivies, which are very, very hard to get into. You have a number of excellent, FREE universities at your disposal, as an EU student. It might be wiser in the long run to use those instead.</p>
<p>And if you’re hell bent on going to a US school, I would retake the SAT 1 rather than the SAT 2s.</p>
not a safety tho!</p>
</p>