<p>“Seriously? There are texts following questions, and I think that someone who grew up in an English speaking country is expected to have no difficulty understanding those texts. And you don’t have to be an American to undersand the ‘patterns of thinking’ behind those questions. Just get familiar with the test. I don’t say it"s easy but you don’t have to be a genius to do that.”</p>
<p>Seriously. I am an international student, too. I have taken the SAT I once and have done well on it, including the CR section. I know what the exam is all about. I have studied in Europe and I have also attended a fairly difficult American international school with all my teachers and curriculum being American. There IS a perceptible difference in the US system of asking questions and in the European one.</p>
<p>I never said that you cannot learn these differences and apply them while taking the test. I say that these differences exist, admissions officers know them and DO take them into account. </p>
<p>Someone asked about a mediocre international score. There really is no definite answer. Harvard does state that most of the students are with scores in the range of six to eight hundred. Don’t expect a 3x600 to get you in though. If you have a 600-650 on the CR section (assuming it’s the weakest one for internationals), then you’d better have a 100+ TOEFL and 700+ Math and Writing SAT sections to compensate for the CR gap. I think 2100 is the very lowest you should be at, unless you have some stellar EC activity with a good deal of international/national recognition to pique Harvard’s interest.</p>
<p>In the end, I am just an applicant, so don’t take my word for 100% valid. If anything, all these Ivy’s are barely predictable when it comes down to acceptances…</p>