<p>Thanks Birdie for taking the time to write that post. A lot of what you wrote makes sense. Here is my theory (and of course I will be challenged on it, but that is okay because that is the purpose of a theory, right?) </p>
<p>Being an IB student almost half of my life; I have been taught to never accept an answer as truth; but to always question it and analyze everything. Anyone who has taken TOK can probably relate. Our grades (again, I speak from my 7 years of IB experience and my school only) are based on how we arrived at the answers in ADDITION to answering the question correctly. In other words, we are evaluated on how we think and process information. We do not take multiple choice tests and the tests we do take, we have to provide the answer AND how we came about it. If you provide the correct answer but they don't like how you arrived at it - you get points taken away. I suppose they do this to encourage "thinking" versus memorizing and "guessing". The IBO being international couldn't give a carp about preparing students for the SAT test. On the other hand, my theory is that an AP class will better prepare you for taking the SAT, given the fact that the same company makes both tests. I presume the purpose of taking an AP class is to prepare one for the AP exam (I am taking my first AP class so I can relate to this a little bit). One of the purposes of IB is to become a "better thinker" but not necessarily better test taker. </p>
<p>However, I would agree that people can be coached properly to a certain extent (if they have the resources) to do better on an SAT test. </p>
<p>My dad went to a very exclusive private school and then on to a prep school. He also scored very high on the SAT and went on to an exclusive LAC. His secondary schools' primary goal was to teach him material in order to do well on the SAT because of course private schools can use that as a marketing tool (high SAT scores and high acceptance rates to top schools = high tuition and attracting more students). Even with is A+ education and top SAT scores; he is not what I would consider a successful person. Although of course you have to take into consideration other characteristics of a person such as motivation and passion. I guess this is a good example of high SAT score + excellent education does not equal success in life AFTER formal schooling. Again, this is just my experience and my theory. I like what you wrote and it makes perfect sense to me.</p>
<p>Worldshopper.. This is what best describes my daugher. (as told to me by the same doctor ).....My d recognizes the one wrinkle or exception that makes the "right" answer possibly "wrong" -- then she mentally eliminates every option. Or she reads a passage and sees something in it that others miss -- teachers are always delighted with her profound observations, but on a standardized test, my d thinking doesn't lead to the more prosaic answer the test-designers had in mind." </p>
<p>The following example was given by a specialist in gifted education and I find it to be the best way to explain how she thinks. It illustrates the proclivity of a person to think in different and unexpected ways.</p>
<p>The tester holds up his index finger and asks what's this? The choices on the tester's answer list are finger, index finger, number one, pointer. the child responds "a digit." And gets marked wrong.</p>
<p>This example demonstrates my daughter in a nutshell. </p>
<p>Have you taken the ACT? My d did much better on the ACT. The issue on the ACT has to do with time management. She found the ACT to be more like an AP test or SAT II. Just knowledge...right or wrong answers. </p>
<p>You are quite a fire cracker..( I mean this in a positive way) and I have confidence that you will find a way to be accepted to the college of your dreams. I wish you the best.....</p>
<p>Thanks Birdie for the info. I especially like the index finger example. I am taking the ACT in December, so we will see.. So, what happened with you daughter, where is she now? Is she happy and doing well?</p>
<p>Hmm, not to interrupt your discussion, but I believe I win, I know someone who got a 1080/2400..... :| I just didn't know how to respond to that.</p>
<p>i got a 2230/2400. 800 M 720 C 710 W. How does it compare to most of the students who apply to the following unis :
MIT
Stanford
Princeton
Northwestern
UPenn
UCBerkely
Cornell
Yale ?</p>
<p>Rishabh16: Great SAT scores, congratulations but...</p>
<p>Asking how you compare to other students admitted to these schools is like giving us the square footage of your home and asking us how much it is worth without telling us the location, condition and special amenities such as grantite countertops, landcaping, etc.</p>
<p>We live in a socitety obsessed with numbers and size - the bigger the better as demonstrated by our need to drive big vehicles, make big money, live in big homes, eat big meals and have "big" SATs scores. </p>
<p>If I told someone I lived in a 8,000 square foot home - they would be in awe and they would be so impressed with the size of my home - even if it was just a shack and had no furniture in it because my parents mortgage payment was too high, they couldn't afford any furniture. But nobody cares about the "furniture" in my house - it is just the size of it that impresses them. In other words, if your house is huge, it "must" be nice inside. </p>
<p>So, Rishabh16 -- what kind of furniture do you have in your home? What are it's special amenities that makes it unique from the other homes in your neighborhood? </p>
<p>Do people buy homes primarily for their size or are they also interested in its location, uniqueness, charm and quality of construction?</p>
<p>Oh, don't they have minimum standards regarding GPA and SAT scores? </p>
<p>Funny about our society; how athletes (although talented) only have to meet certain requirements related to gpa and SATs. Why not also have requirements for eligibility tied to community service? Just a thought.</p>
<p>I know, lol, you want to hear one even worse? A girl from my school got recruited by Columbia with like an 1100 SAT, on the old scale, but still.... :</p>
<p>She must be a really good basketball player. Talents come in all forms but the talents that make the school money are more highly prized (athletics). Someone talented say in community service offers a lot of good qualities to the community, school and mankind for years after college but sadly being talented in cs does not make any money for the school like a good athlete. Furthermore, an athlete's talent is basically only good for the 4 years they are there while the person talented in cs will have talent that will serve the community for many years. </p>
<p>Btw: I didn't use this example because I have tons of cs, because I don't.</p>
<p>actually talented athletes help the school for longer than 4 years. If an athlete becomes well known that helps the school recruit other athletes which makes the school more visible and makes them more money... also many academic recruits come to a school b/c they like a certain sport and the school is good at the sport and others just want to go to a school that is very proud of their teams. Community service is nice but what athletics do to a lot of schools just cant be ignored.</p>
<p>I was just using cs as an example, probably should have used something else. Yea, cs is probably more of a commitment than a talent unless of course you are Mother Theresa. </p>
<p>Attending a school because I am proud of their team is not high on my list.</p>
<p>In the top 2 percentile of my class (150) students. Top 3 of my class in Computer Science. Have done many projects in collaboration with my college Computer Science department to help the college.</p>
<p>Ive been captain of my college football team (during my junior and senior years). We we state level champions, also part of the basketball and chess teams of my college.</p>
<p>Been class representative of my class in both junior and senior years. Im the Secretary of the Rotaract club of my college, and I was on the Board of Directors last year as well. Taken active part in social service, organised many events for underpriveliged children, organised career fairs for muncipal students etc etc. Ive been Editor for the club since i joined it.</p>
<p>Im Editor of my college magazine. Regularly write articles for it and for newspapers in my city. Did an internship with Hindustan Times in the summer.</p>
<p>Leader of the Math and Science clubs. Won the Inter collegiate Math n Science quizzes. (113 colleges).</p>
<p>Selected from amongst all the colleges of my city (there were 20 other selected people) to be part of the Materials Camp -ASM International 'India chapter' held at IIT Bombay.</p>
<p>Presently doing a project in Solid State Physics at TIFR (tata Institute of Fundamental Research)</p>
<p>Selected by Cathay Pacific as one of the 3 delegates from India to represent India at the CXIWE-2005 (Cathay International Wilderness Experience Program) held in South Africa.</p>
<p>There are a few other things to add anyway ..</p>