<p>I've heard that numerous, numerous amounts of students easily get an 800 on the Math section of the SAT I. It nearly seems as though it's expected from top schools. </p>
<p>For my own SAT scores, I have an 800 in CR and a 740 in Math. Since my Math score isn't even near perfect - would it hurt my chances of admission? I have a total of 2340 (800 CR, 740 M, 800 WR) - but I'm contemplating taking it again since Math is considered so heavily. Or would taking it again simply be a waste of time?</p>
<p>As regards hyper selective colleges, as soon as you pass 700 on a section it’s not very relevant what the score is. The adcom then looks at the more important items, in order … course rigor, essays, recos, ECs.</p>
<p>If you really want to go for the retake, go for it. Your SAT score is very strong as-is but some schools might group by tiers of 50 points (or if they don’t, regardless you are correct that many applicants have math scores near 800) and so you’d probably be ever-so-slightly better off with at least a high-700s score. But two caveats: 1) the brutal math curve means 1-2 minor mistakes and your 4-5 hour retake was worthless, and 2) be sure you can reasonably emulate your performance on the other two sections, even if the schools you’re applying to superscore. If I were in your situation, I would ultimately not retake (don’t worry though, I’m not going to suggest something inane like “you really could be spending that time logging volunteer hours!”. It’s 5 hours at most for heaven’s sake, people).</p>
<p>I don’t think I’d be able to. The curve on the test was miss two math questions –> 740, and I’m not that strong of a mathematics student so I’m not sure if I’d be able to score higher. </p>
<p>My biggest fear was getting grouped into 50 point intervals by a college admissions committee member. And since my GPA isn’t particularly strong, I need all the help I can get from a SAT boost.</p>
<p>Focus on something other than improving a 2340. You’re way beyond the point where your stats will affect your application to selective colleges. There must be something better you can do with your time to improve your application credentials.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses everyone. I think fogcity is right - there’s no point trying to improve this part of my application - SAT scores aren’t going to really boost me at this point anyways. I was just worried about being marginalized by the waves of applicants with 800M scores.</p>
<p>I’m in exactly the reverse of your situation:
800 M, 740 CR</p>
<p>Just wanted to also let you know I’ve came to the same conclusion myself as this thread. That is that I do no think I could significantly improve my critical reading score so I’ll direct my efforts elsewhere.
Best of luck with whatever you choose!</p>
<p>Is this thread serious? Since when is 740 low?</p>
<p>740 may be below the so-called (some-called) tippy top 750 threshold, but it’s not significantly so. Above 700, with your W and CR scores, is good enough anywhere. At this point, if your other stats are commensurate, you’re academically qualified. It’s the rest of your application that will make you stand out.</p>
<p>I get what you mean though. My SAT scores were very similar, but with M even lower. I considered retaking and worried that I needed to appear more balanced. My decision was to not retake at least for that time, since it was a score from May of my junior year and I hadn’t taken SAT IIs, of which I would need at least three. I decided to compensate with my SAT II score.</p>
<p>I have the exact same scores as you, OP! I’ve been wondering the same thing. I’m really tempted to leave it alone and not retake it next year (I’m a sophomore now), but I feel like I could raise it. Of course, it’s at least as likely that I’ll make a couple of stupid mistakes and get the same score or a lower one. >.<
I definitely don’t think that it’s easier to score an 800 on the math. Statistically, more people pull it off, but it’s definitely the most irritating section because of how much a silly mistake can butcher your score!
If I manage to score 800 on the math subject test and am on the math team, does that make up for a “low” SAT math score?
I think my dilemma stems from the fact that I still have over a year left to retake… but if I were already a junior, I really wouldn’t bother. I definitely wouldn’t if I had already shown strength in math (have you taken Calc yet? the subject test?).</p>
<p>It seems as though the consensus is that I shouldn’t bother retaking to raise my 740, especially if I’m not that confident that I can accomplish raising it.</p>
<p>I find Math the most irritating section as well - a simple mistake like bubbling A/2 instead of 2A (as I did) can take you down a good 30 points.</p>
<p>I’m taking Calculus I this semester. I’ll have finished Calculus III and Differential Equations I by Senior Year Second Semester.</p>
<p>And yeah, the way the SATs are grades (you know, they use a bell curve of all test takers for the year), if you don’t answer all the questions (and correctly) in a certain section, it is almost impossible to get 800, as most ad-coms will understand. They use 700 as the threshold at which the score really doesn’t matter anymore.</p>
<p>Uhh where are you getting your information? While I think the OP is fine, there is nonetheless a significant difference in acceptance rates for 2100 applicants (700/700/700, meeting your imaginary threshold) and 2300+ applicants.</p>
<p>I’m not a ■■■■■ at all. While I understand that my score is quite high and something most students would give their left eye to have, I’m still worried that my score for math is below the 750 mark for whence SAT I scores do not have any real relevence anymore. I’m evaluating the risk-benefit ratio of taking the SAT I again to get a better score in mathematics. My high score isn’t necessarily matching up to a high composite (1540) - because my writing is an 800 as well. Since colleges don’t really look at writing, I have to take that into consideration.</p>
<p>Just because a person has decent scores but is still asking a question, doesn’t mean they’re a ■■■■■. Don’t always assume so.</p>