SAT Score Affected by Circumstances

Applying to College
1

I have a relatively low SAT score (1300/1600) compared to others who are applying to top schools. However, there were events in my life that I believe indirectly impacted my scores.

Long story short: my dad had been unemployed for nearly a year which took a great toll on his behaviour. He was eventually arrested/removed from our house for alcoholic rage/emotional abuse and my mom, sister, and I nearly had to sell our house due to lack of finances etc. But during April and May (months of standardized testing) my dad was assimulating back into our household after at least six months of me not having contacted him. Obviously this took a great toll on my mental health since this was all so sudden and overwhelming. At this point my dad was still unemployed and we basically had no money.

All of this considered, I feel like since I couldn’t afford any kind of test prep (many of my peers take these fancy classes but cost like $900 while we couldn’t even pay for groceries without food stamps) and was in a state of mental turmoil (honestly standardized testing was the least of my concerns in the midst of all of this) my test scores do not reflect my academic potential.

Everything else on my app. is good (I’m going to avoid names and specifics because I’m afraid of people identifying me since I’m very embarrassed about this whole situation). I have had 2 years of a chemistry internship at a local university known for its chem research, and another internship studying neutrinos with one of the biggest research facilities in that subject area. I started my own science club and have done outreach events with that. My art meaningful with good technique by objective standards. Working at local coffee shop. Leader of foreign exchange (the language is not a common one), really good letters of rec. and stellar essays with a unique perspectives (says English teachers, counselor, peers). 3.95 uw GPA with lots of honors/AP classes. My school is public yet super competitive.

Sorry for the rambling, but would I have a chance at any Ivys or LACS like Williams, Bowdoin, etc. having briefly explained these circumstances in regards to my SAT? Would my other accomplishments overshadow the SAT score or is it simply too low? I just cannot get my mind off of this, it’s really bringing me down.

2

First off, sorry that you had to go through such troubling circumstances. Your gpa and ecs are excellent and if you apply to a range of schools you should have choices. If you apply to Bowdoin, I would not submit your SAT score or explain why. For other schools that require scores, I would have your guidance counselor explain your situation. If you want to include something in the additional info situation, keep it brief. I don’t think I would include I couldn’t afford tutoring because the vast majority of kids applying to college don’t use expensive tutors. If you over explain, schools may question why didn’t you try the SAT again in the fall, or use resources like Khan. You say you come from a super competitive high school. If that is the case, colleges may expect a higher score on account of the curriculum you have been exposed to. Ivies are going to be very tough to get admitted to as they are for even the top scorers. I wouldn’t load your list with a lot of super high reaches unless they are test optional. Good luck

3

I agree 100% with @wisteria100 . I’m sorry you’ve had a rough time. However, it’s important to understand that there are MANY students who underperform on standardized tests for all kinds of reasons. Being blunt, colleges can’t admit students because they feel sorry for them. Almost every student has some kind of compelling reason why they didn’t do well on a test, or got a bad grade in a class, etc…

Bottom line, you need to apply to colleges where your grades and test scores are in top top quartile to ensure that you have at least one college that you can afford and would be happy to attend. Your score of 1300 isn’t bad. Make the most of what you do have, which is good grades, course rigor, and good ECs. Try some test-optional colleges if you want a quality LAC. I suggest you consider colleges such as Bates and Colby, which are not quite as competitive as Bowdoin, but still have great reputations.