<p>Yes, so I wasn't really thinking about applying to Stanford until just last week when I decided "Why not?"</p>
<p>I have not taken the SAT Subject tests for any subject yet. I signed up to take them in June but had a rugby tryout and missed, then took Math II and Lit in October but felt terrible and canceled the scores.</p>
<p>Question: Is not sending in SAT II scores essentially guaranteeing rejection? I may be able to take them standby this weekend but there's no guarantee so would I be better off not paying to apply w/o Subject test scores? If I did get to take them, I'd end up taking Lit and Latin and would expect scores in the 750 range.</p>
<p>BTW here's the rest of my stats:
9/270 at a competitive Jesuit high school in Dallas
97/100 weighted GPA (weight is 5/100 added to honors and AP courses)
800 CR, 800 Writing, 750 Math
National Merit Semifinalist and National Hispanic Scholar
3 5s on APs thus far: US & World History and English Lit
Taking 6 AP tests this spring: Latin Lit, English Language, Calc BC, Bio, US Government, Macroeconomics
ECs: 3 Varsity Rugby Letters, JV Captain Junior Year; 3 yrs JV swimming; National Hispanic Institute--Participant (top 2 in state at extemporaneous speaking, elected Lt. Governor at LDZ Youth Legislative Session, MVP of Collegiate World Series college app seminar), Coach/Volunteer CounselorMain Junior Classical League--State Officer,Top 10 National finishers, State championship in Open Certamen, Local Club President; Quiz Bowl--team captain 2 yrs, regionals qualifier 2 yrs--going for 3rd; National Honor Society--Treasurer; Medical Society member; School Ambassador</p>
<p>I've been told I've got pretty good stats and plus I'm considered to be an underrepresented minority so that's a good shot. But without the SAT IIs would I be no chance?</p>
<p>You'd certainly have a chance, but highly recommended is a not so subtle hint. You're at a disadvantage.</p>
<p>On a side note, MVP of a college app seminar? A lot of the other accomplishments speak for themselves, you're pretty amazing, but unless a lot of colleges are really familiar with that, it looks a little weird.</p>
<p>At worst, it looks like you didn't care to put the time in and meet the guidelines expected from applicants. It does sound somewhat close to required.</p>
<p>But I'm pretty sure that isn't the case for you, it's just a lack of time in the first place.</p>
<p>It's not a positive, for sure - my sense is that the 'highly recommended' is more for the benefit of the financially disadvantaged students who may lack good counseling, rather than for middle-class and up students who are well informed and have access to lots of resources. I don't remember if Stanford accepts Jan testing, but if they do, recommend you register immediately.</p>
<p>To the OP: I wouldn't worry. The subject tests are recommended, yes, but not having them does not significantly decrease your chances. More weight is simply put on the other parts of your application, which, I'll add, are very strong. You have a good chance.</p>
<p>well, it's too late to worry about it - if your standby for Dec testing works out, great. I'm not quite so optimistic as kyledavid about their (lack of) importance (that approach is more like 'SAT II-optional' than 'highly recommended'), but you do have a super profile, so hopefully that will get you over the top without the tests.</p>
<p>I think they are pretty much required -- 95% of accepted students have taken SAT IIs...
That said, with your very high SAT I scores, great ECs, and the URM status, you just might get in without. Not much you can do about it now anyway...</p>
<p>
[quote]
I think they are pretty much required -- 95% of accepted students have taken SAT IIs...
[/quote]
</p>
<p>What's the source on that? </p>
<p>If Stanford wanted them that much, it would require them. But it doesn't. As I see it, it's just another factor that Stanford will suggest to its applicants for distinguishing them, as applicants are constantly looking for new ways to seem unique. But if an adcom is viewing an applicant's file and sees he/she doesn't have any SAT IIs, I really doubt they're going to think much less of him/her, especially if the resume is strong. (Even if the person does have SAT IIs, I doubt they're really high on the 'importance' scale, though that really depends on the context.)</p>
<p>I read it somewhere on the Stanford website. They considered to require them, but decided against it because they were afraid that they'd loose some of the students from the 5% they accepted without.</p>
<p>"If I highly recommended that you don't go on that plane, what would you do?"</p>
<p>Haha...with that being said, I doubt not having SAT II's will hurt you, though it might put you at a disadvantage compared to an applicant who does, only because those scores validate the extent of your knowledge.</p>
<p>^nngmm, that seems highly dubious. I doubt Stanford was really so worried they'd lose a minuscule 5% that they opted not to require SATIIs. I'm sure they get a surplus of applicants that are stronger than the 5% accepted without SATIIs, if they wanted to, they could just throw those applications out. A dime a dozen to any of those top schools.
It just sounds funny.</p>
<p>rence, it's not really funny - it's exactly what would expect: all the selective colleges are looking to expand their applicant pools since they know that roughly 75% of the class comes from the top 25% of the income distribution, and something like 5% comes from the bottom 50% income groups. </p>
<p>The reason Stanford wouldn't want to make the SAT II required is because this group is often extremely poorly advised by way of the college app process, and would find it hard to meet very rigid requirements.</p>
<p>What constitutes "terrible" SAT II scores for Stanford? Like terrible to the point it'd be better not to report SAT II scores even if one has taken them?</p>
<p>And would it make a difference if you submitted not two, but just one SAT II?</p>
<p>Well I can now add Coke Scholarship Semi-Finalist to the resume, so that might help.</p>
<p>I can only hope it will help offset the fact that about half of my grades in junior and senior year have been Bs. They're all in AP or Honors courses and I still have a 97 GPA and Top 3% class rank so I hope it helps.</p>
<p>We'll see if I can get in on standby...my counselor said the test was completely booked though.</p>