SAT scores (MIT specifically)

[joshma]

<p>Hey guys, sorry to interrupt a night of anguish/eager-anticipation, but can anyone share their opinions on how MIT interprets SAT scores?</p>

<p>I got a CR:740/M:770/W:800 on my SATs, which was rather ironic since I'm relatively weak at writing. (I got one wrong on the math.)</p>

<p>Things have come up, and I have to decide between taking the SATs in June (can't do it in May) or to miss academic team nationals. Is it worth retaking it? I definitely think I can do better in CR and Math, especially since the one wrong in math was one silly mistake. Part of me wants to yell at myself for being over-achieving, that the score is fine and it won't make a difference. The other part, however, is worrying that I might be hurting myself by not taking action, and that despite my good score many other MIT applicants will be as strong if not stronger.</p>

<p>I've read in various places that about a 750, it's all the same, while in other places I've read that 7XX is the same as a 800. Any comments?</p>

[fiona_1]

<p>It’s OK. Chillax… Those scores are great! Just as long as you fall into the ballpark, SATs will never be a make-or-break factor. Don’t bother retaking, save the 70 bucks or so. :)</p>

[pbr]

<p>Without a doubt, do the academic team nationals. No question.</p>

[kb09026]

<p>Your scores are absolutely fine - I’m fairly certain that MIT sees all scores beginning with a 7 (or 8) in the same light, so CHILL! And good luck!</p>

[Millancad]

<p>Your scores are excellent and in all likelihood you won’t go up significantly on retake. Go to academic team nationals. Are you talking about the NAQT ones in Chicago? I’m really excited for them, even though I’m JV so I probably won’t get play time.</p>

[static75]

<p>you cracked 1500 (out of 1600) retaking that will just look ridiculous. scores are great - time to work on your ECs now!</p>

[molliebatmit]

<p>From Matt McGann, [here](<a href=“http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/standardized_test_requirements/whats_the_big_deal_about_402.shtml]here[/url]:”>http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/standardized_test_requirements/whats_the_big_deal_about_402.shtml):</a>

Let me tell you one more story that I often relay. I was doing a regional reception in a city a few years back, and afterwards a student – we’ll call her Artemis – comes up to me and tells me that she has a 760 on the Math SAT. As I was about to tell her that her score was just fine, she keeps talking, to inform me that she was going to take the test again, since “clearly” her score was “too low.” I was like, “What!!!” I “ordered” Artemis to not take the Math SAT again, and instead to have a picnic on that Saturday. Because to us, a 760 math is the same as any higher score she could receive on the retest.

</p>

<p>From Ben Jones, on CC [here](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/3208924-post46.html]here[/url]:”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/3208924-post46.html):</a>

In most cases we do not distinguish between a 2400 and a 2250. The exception would be a breakdown of 800/800/650 with the 650 being in math; obviously we’ll consider if the 150 point difference is entirely in one of the three scores. But we don’t distinguish between a 750 and an 800 on any single test. Period.

If I were you, I wouldn’t re-take. If you don’t get in, it won’t be because of your test scores.</p>

[SYNCHROTRON]

<p>Save money!</p>

<p>Those scores are OK</p>

[lilyrobin]

<p>Those scores are more than OK, they’re great! DON’T retake them. Honestly, if you do and colleges see that you did, I think they might think you’re a little nuts! Those are excellent scores, for any school, including MIT. It doesn’t get much better than that.</p>

[goldenratiophi]

<p>Absolutely not worth it.</p>

[joshma]

<p>well it seems like there are many contrasting opinions out there… xD thanks everyone</p>

[Mikalye]

<p>I disagree, I do not see any contrasting opinions. From where I sit, absolutely everyone on the board who knows anything about MIT applications directly is saying that you do not need to resit them. You have two admissions officers in blogs saying “do not resit”, and there is not a single commentator here saying anything different. I have been an MIT EC for some time and I can assure you that your scores are fine.</p>

<p>Scores exist in part to validate the other evidence in the application that answers the question “If this candidate was admitted, could they do the work?” That is a necessary question. Anyone not capable of doing the work at MIT excludes themselves from admission.</p>

<p>However, MIT each year receives enough academically qualified applications to fill the class many times over. Therefore, in determining admission, MIT looks for what in the application causes the student to stand out. Scores just cannot do that. A 740 on the Math says “I can do math pretty well”, a 770 says “I can do math pretty well”, and an 800 says “I can do math pretty well, and on the version of the test that I got, I guessed right on the ones I did not know.” There really is no difference at all in how they are perceived.</p>

<p>Whereas the academic team nationals is an experience you probably shouldn’t miss.</p>

[effervescentlove]

<p>I conjecture your scores are absolutely amazing but not the greatest that one can get. MIT folks will definitely be impressed by it but there are many other facets of your application that hold equal importance viz. your school grades and ranks, extra curricular activities. So if you have been good at all that then there not a slightest need of worrying, you must have made a competitive application. Wish you good luck. (Even I am awaiting the decision as a student from India!)</p>

[Stealthbreed]

<p>your SAT score is great… don’t retake it! waste of money/waste of time. MIT isn’t gonna distinguish between the scores you got and SLIGHTLY HIGHER scores…</p>

[jamesford]

<p>If you didn’t have to pick between nationals and the SAT, I would’ve advised retaking it. 2310 is solid, but if you can improve, why not? However, you have something more fun to do that I assume you’re passionate about, so do that.</p>

[h3rrokitty]

<p>Academic Team Nationals for sure. Retaking for the last 200 points on the SAT is always a point of contention. There is always October, November, and even December of your senior year, yeah? The last time I took it was a personal choice: I wanted to break 2300 and I was disappointed in my essay score, I could of cared less what MIT thought.</p>