<p>To the op. I think that you should discount many of the comments which you are getting here. More ill-intentioned pack mentality knee-jerk sermonizing than I have seen in a while. Do not allow yourself to be bullied.</p>
<p>bbccpp,</p>
<p>Some of the posts here have been a little over the top, but they were made in response to an original post that was over the top. The original poster displayed a stunning lack of perspective concerning his original score, and an even greater failure to recognize that his second score was actually, in overall terms, an IMPROVED result, due to superscoring.</p>
<p>The continued insistence on re-taking the SAT suggests that the original poster hasn’t yet absorbed the message that many are trying to communicate to him, which is that re-taking the test, no matter how well he does, may harm him more than help him, in that admissions committee members might scratch their heads and wonder what’s wrong with someone with a 2370 superscore who re-takes the test.</p>
<p>As well, the original poster’s own self-admissions about his personal weaknesses, while admirable in their honesty, suggest that he may not fit well in a school that will knock him around pretty good and on a regular basis. The very top schools are difficult and require resilience, a characteristic this poster admits he just doesn’t have. Thus, those that advise a different path than the Ivies make a good point, even if not always expressing it in a courteous way.</p>
<p>Harvard and all the other Ivy League schools could fill a class with kids scoring 2400 on their SAT. Obviously, they don’t want to do that. Having a solid score is important, but what is more important is the person you are - what you’ve accomplished, what your dreams are, what you can contribute to your class and your school. EVERYONE who applies there has good grades and good SAT’s. They want more.</p>
<p>^^ Not technically correct. There were 360 SAT perfect scores of 2400 in 2012. Even with superscoring the number probably does not go up enough to fill even half a class at Harvard, let alone all the Ivy League schools (not to mention how many of those kids had C’s on their transcripts or underwhelming extracurriculars).</p>
<p>There were 700+ ACT scores of 36 in 2012, but even so, according to Brown’s website 143 ACT 36’ers applied of which they admitted only 41 (28.7%) with 15 choosing to attend. So no, they really can’t fill their classes with perfect scorers, but the rest of post makes good sense.</p>
<p>Btw, for those of you pining away for a perfect score, Brown’s ACT data clearly shows that this is not the golden ticket. Stanford rejected 70% of all perfect 2400’s two years ago as did Princeton. Probably, around the same for the other Ivies as well.</p>
<p>In reality, while all applicant files are read completely, because of the shear numbers, admissions officers have become masters of skimming. What you are looking for is something that puts your file into the slow read category where they are looking for reasons to accept you, rather than the skim pile where the mindset is more of looking for more reasons to deny you. Obviously, something like unusually high test scores or certain URM status might immediately cause them to slow down but there are a whole host of other achievements or personal circumstances etc. that can land you in the extra scrutiny department. These other factors have been discussed countless times before in this forum so there is no need to rehash.</p>
<p>Naturally, if your application is one that jumps out at people during the first pass, your odds of admission are much greater than 5-6%. On the other hand, the vast majority of applicants are not in this category so their chances are still at somewhat around 5-6% (actually less after the superstars and hooked candidates are pulled out but that is splitting hairs).</p>
<p>Hi guys, also just saying, if you’re planning on post graduate studies, it doesn’t really matter too much whether you go to the ivies, so that’s that. I mean, I have a pretty good sat score (retook it), good ecs, and good grades and everything. I can only hope i get into the ivies, but if i did, i couldn’t and wouldn’t go there. It’s not that my family can’t afford it, it’s just no use putting it that much money if you’re also doing post-graduate studies.</p>
<p>Normally, the Ivies give the best financial aid for undergraduate studies and they are for the most part grade-deflated, except Cornell. Ivies are a good springboard to grad school.</p>
<p>UC Berkeley Engineering, Carnegie Mellon, MIT, and Cal Tech are probably more cutthroat than the Ivies and could potentially reduce chances at grad school.</p>
<p>2320? What are you expecting the college admissions people to think? You should be ashamed of yourself, considering all of the perfect scorers out there. Time to prepare yourself for a life of below-minimum wage pay and hard labor.</p>
<p>I got 2130 and got in. 710 in SATII lit and 790 in WH.</p>
<p>Are you hooked though? You can’t just say “oh SAT doesn’t matter I got a 2000 and got in” and not stipulate that you are in fact African American, or a recruited athlete, or legacy, etc.</p>
<p>Here’s whats up: tests scores, GPA, and other academic credentials are more of a barrier you have to surpass. They won’t necessarily distinguish you all that much except for perhaps a miniscule boost if you achieve PERFECT scores. EVERYONE has amazing academics - if you can get above a 2200 SAT (or above a 33 ACT), near 700 averages on the SAT II’s, and above a 3.8 UW, then you are academically competitive. So you are fine! But realize that having these good scores won’t really work for or against you - everyone has the same credentials, and many kids with perfect scores/GPAs get turned away.</p>
<p>It would be in your best interest to stop retaking now and focus on writing amazing essays that really show you off, work on improving relationships even further with those writing your recs, and working on the details of your application. Amazing EC’s are what will distinguish you - not better scores. If you surpass the aforementioned academic barriers and have truly deep, unique EC experiences in 2-4 areas, then you have a real shot (obviously no guarantees - this is the Ivy League we are talking about).</p>
<p>Just came across this absurd post. Honestly one of the saddest things I’ve ever read in my life. People like you don’t deserve to get into an ivy, or any college for that matter. Do you value anything in life? Do you have friends? Or do you constantly obsess over SAT scores and GPA. Everyone who applies works hard. It’s the essence of hard work that makes many yearn to attend these institutions, myself included. I have a 95.27 GPA, 2100 SAT at one of the most competitive public schools in NJ. My dream school has always been, and still is, Princeton University. I’ll be criticized for my sub par stats on this pathetic forum, but I realize something so few on here do. It’s not about the test scores, the GPA, the class rank. It’s about how you live your life, what you cherish and what you value. I am a first generation applicant who grew up on a family farm. I’ve devoted a good amount of my life to the farm in addition to helping out my father with his plumbing business, which he started when he was in his late 20’s. I’ve played baseball my entire life and won two varsity letters on a team that ranked 5th in the state. Have I joined ******** clubs or gotten my parents to secure me prestigious internships. No. I’ve poured my heart and soul into what I love, what I sincerely care about. The system is ****ed; the types of people like this sad human being will always be accepted to college. Lets boost our SAT scores and climb the rankings! I want to believe the contrary, and I will continue to as I work through the application process. But whatever may transpire, I know it’s not where you go but what you do. Value your life and help others, we all end up dead some day anyways.</p>
<p>I just came across this now and found it pretty interesting. At the time the you (the OP) posted this I think you was a junior, so if I’m right by now you should know where your going… Hopefully all worked out for you.</p>
<p>My school, unlike yours, is not competitive and while top students take many AP classes, students don’t really study or do well on the SAT. Our highest SAT scores were 2200, 2140, 2120 (my score, I am also the salutatorian) and 2100 (the valedictorian). These were the 4 highest scores we had. </p>
<p>I originally got an 1860 which I got up to a 2030 and then 2080. My superscore is a 2120… I took it a third time because while my other scores went above 700, my writing went down 10 pts to a 590. I have never learned grammar rules in a formal setting so once I learned them I managed to increase my score to 680.</p>
<p>My school doesn’t really emphasize the importance these scores could hold since most students either go to a mediocre school, local school, community college or SUNY/CUNY school, which aren’t as hard to get into.</p>
<p>I did a LOT of research about college to narrow down my choices to schools I would like. Most people in my school have never even heard of the majority of the schools I applied to, though most people on CC would probably know them:
Haverford (will attend), Wesleyan, St. Lawrence, Gettysburg, Brandeis, Cornell, Tufts, Williams, SUNY’s Geneseo, Binghamton and Stony Brook. The only schools most people really knew were the SUNYs. </p>
<p>I ended up getting into some very good colleges, obviously not all I applied to, but Im really happy with where I ended up. Haverford was in my top 3.</p>
<p>I ended up getting into Princeton this year with a 2100 superscored SAT (non hooked white kid as well), so… Trust me, you’d be able to get in to any school with a 2320. It just depends on how you package yourself. Is your story interesting enough? Have you taken advantage of every single opportunity? In reality, SATs are really just a benchmark. Once you are in the range, they don’t matter anymore. Schools like Harvard want students with character and they will scrutinize every facet of your application to perfectly pick their class.</p>
<p>You won’t get denied anywhere because of your 2320 (and really a 2370 superscored), but it won’t get you in either. </p>
<p>is it necessary to give APs to be considered for harvard? m an international student and my school doesn’t offer any AP classes. I have got a 2400 in sat, 800 each in SATII maths level 2, biologyE and world history and i intend major in economics. what r my chances at yale and MIT??? plzzzzzzz help.</p>
So I took the SAT sophomore year - 2370. Took it again junior year - 2370. All perfect, but 1 mistake on math both times. 240 on PSAT. And yet I’m taking March SAT again for the 2400, which isn’t really that difficult to attain.
Props to the OP - I respect that drive.
Mastery does not occur at one specific instance; rather, it is the continued pursuit of perfection that so distinguishes it.
Also - OP - where did you end up going to college?
@grindboy. Welcome to College Confidential! Please don’t resurrect old threads; only use them for reference.
FWIW: Most students once accepted to college, do not return to College Confidential. So, if you want to know where the OP ended up, send them a Private Message (PM).
Congratulations on your great scores, @grindboy, but for any future applicants reading this, you’d be much better off not taking the SAT over and over again when you do just fine the first time. @grindboy would ideally have stopped after his 2370 as a sophomore. This kind of thing raises red flags–admissions committees wonder about students who seem so focused on their scores. Assuming a student’s scores are in the range of those for accepted students at a particular college, that student would be much better off spending his or her Saturdays on courses, extracurricular activities, etc., rather than wasting money and time on needlessly repetitive SAT (or ACT) test taking.
@grindboy and others reading this. One of the reasons Admissions officers wonder about students retaking a 2370 SAT (again and again) trying to achieve a perfect score, is that they worry how that student would do on their campus competing against the best and brightest at their school. If the student didn’t achieve a perfect score in all their classes, what would they do? What they suck it up? Would they have a nervous breakdown because they can’t retake the test? Would they attack the professor in a fit of rage for giving them a less than perfect grade? Or, would they attack the students who received better grades than them? Mastery DOES NOT require a perfect score. Retaking a 2370 is a HUGE, HUGE red flag in the Admissions process. I’m in full agreement with @planner. It’s a waste of money and calls into question an applicant’s sanity.