SAT Mid-Range Percentile Strategy

Applying to College
1

<p>If given the opportunity to apply to a specific college or department within a greater university, how important is it to pick the college that matches your SAT scores? Furthermore, if one applies to a college whose scores are at least partially out of their range (percentile-wise), are their chances of admission substantially reduced, even if the amount outside of the range is negligible? Example:</p>

<p>School 'A' has the following SAT score breakdown:</p>

<p>Middle 50 Reading: 670-770
Middle 50 Math: 670 - 770
Middle 50 Writing: 670 - 770</p>

<p>But School 'A' has 2 different sub-colleges - AA and AB. </p>

<p>College AA:
Middle 50 Reading: 700 - 800
Middle 50 Math: 650 - 750
Middle 50 Writing: 700 - 800</p>

<p>College AB:
Middle 50 Reading: 650 - 750
Middle 50 Math: 700 - 800
Middle 50 Writing: 650 - 750</p>

<p>If my SAT score breakdown was 670 math, 760 reading, and 740 writing, am I barely in the conversation for College AB? Are the theoretical 24 slots below the 25th percentile reserved for URMs, recruits, and legacies?</p>

2

<p>Middle 50 = 25-75 percentile? If so, does this mean ~30 percentile for math, 50 for reading, and 70 for writing? If so, why would you be barely in the conversation?</p>

3

<p>

</p>

<p>Depends on the program. But if it was Eng then yes, your chances are greatly reduced with a low math score. (But that will be offset if you have xx chromosomes.)</p>

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</p>

<p>Sure, there are some hooked candidates in this quartile, but also students who have overcome adversity, growing up in a homeless shelter, for example, or working full time to support thier familes, and students who write the best essay ever.</p>

4

<p>The program is Cornell’s College of Human Ecology vs the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, actually. My major is offered in both schools.</p>