SAT scores

<p>Is it true that international students may have a lower Reading and writing score and get to renowned colleges? (like Harvard, Yale et.c.)
For example a friend of mine had 570 in reading and got into Stanford.</p>

<p>Forgot! How much do you think an international student's SAT Reading and Writing score should be to get in a college like the ones I mentioned above?</p>

<p>i think if you're SAT reading and writing are weak, ie below 600, you should definately take the TOEFL, and score well in that to show you have strong ability in english as a second language, which they will need to see if they are going to admit you.</p>

<p>However, obviously higher scores are better, and if you can, you should achieve 700+ in the SATs.</p>

<p>Well your friend might have scored 570 in CR, but I bet Stanford (or any good university) saw something else in him that made up for the score.</p>

<p>my first CR score was a 550...and stanford knew that and i was selected! so i m pretty sure that the SAT isnt of higher importance than other sections of the app</p>

<p>SAT is usually 10%-15% of college app. Yes they are lenient if your native language is not English but the fact is that you need to have a 600 atleast on your English sections for top colleges. You will always have exceptions (like the one you mentioned) but that doesn't mean that if you are a competitive candidate if have a 570 in reading as an international. Moreover, the competition is fierce for international students. People from all sorts of backgrounds are getting 700+ and it is not a rarity whatsoever. So you should get as high as possible and you should be worried about your scores if you get less than 700 IMO.</p>

<p>The SATs are always relative. for internationals, how good a score is depends on how well your fellow countrymen score. if you come from a non-English speaking country then the WR and CR averages would definitely be lower.</p>

<p>but why aim for above-average? aim for 2400! that doesn't mean you necessarily have to get 2400, but just aim for it.</p>