<p>Hey all, prospective Yale 2015 SCEA'er here. Will try to be brief :)</p>
<p>Are two SAT II's also required for Yale SCEA? Perhaps more importantly, does Yale give the same weight to SAT I's and II's for early applications, considering that we would potentially have to have all of these ready by June or October? Do they expect as much? Conversely, do they thus put an even higher premium on excellent SAT II scores given these added difficulties?</p>
<p>On a side note, when is the latest one can take SAT's to have them arrive at Yale's doorstep on time? October? November?</p>
<p>Alrighty… I dont know the answers to all your questions, but Ill try</p>
<p>Are two SAT II’s also required for Yale SCEA? YES</p>
<p>Perhaps more importantly, does Yale give the same weight to SAT I’s and II’s for early applications, considering that we would potentially have to have all of these ready by June or October? To be honest, I dont know about this one. I know that there is a higher percentage chance of you being admitted EA versus RD because of the smaller number of applicants and the fact that the admissions committee will commend you for being ready earlier than most people.</p>
<p>Conversely, do they thus put an even higher premium on excellent SAT II scores given these added difficulties? The emphasis on the SAT IIs, from what I have been told, is little. The SAT IIs are used as a way to boost your application. So, if your score is very good, it will help you out. However, if they are not that good, it wont be looked at for your application. </p>
<p>On a side note, when is the latest one can take SAT’s to have them arrive at Yale’s doorstep on time? You can take the SATs until the month of November if you are going to apply SCEA to Yale. However, its not the best idea to be taking the SAT I or II in November because you have no chances to up your scores if necessary. As well, if you take them in November, you have to choose “rush shipping” of your scores to Yale and the Clearinghouse (if you are an athlete)</p>
May I just point out that you can omit the subject tests entirely if you take the ACT with writing? Just a thought.</p>
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One would think your best performance on a subject test would be in June while the material is still fresh (assuming the tests you are taking align with the coursework you have just completed). Why should they extend extra consideration for this difference?</p>
<p>Most people take SAT IIs in June anyway. Most people who apply SCEA have all their SAT scores well in hand before they apply. No one is going to get cut a break in that pool.</p>
<p>There’s no predicate for the notion that bad SAT IIs won’t hurt you, either at the SCEA stage or the RD stage.</p>
<p>I believe colleges generally tell applicants not to use “Rush Shipping” for SAT reporting, since (a) it costs a lot of money, and (b) it doesn’t get the scores there any faster. Most of them get the scores electronically from CB, and they get them as soon as they are available.</p>
<p>JHS are you sure about the rush shipping not getting there faster? I mean, that is kind of the point of paying more money for it… much like paying Fed Ex $20 for a package that would only require $2 in postage… you want it there faster. </p>
<p>Also, for that lack of predicate… Im just going by what I was told by Yale. If that is not true at other places, I do apologize for misinforming anyone</p>
<p>And Ive heard a lot about the ACT plus writing… and I do think it omits the SAT IIs necessity, but I think a lot of people take them anyways in case their ACT score isnt very high (ie they take the SAT I and II and the ACT, then send the best looking scores)</p>
<p>Yes, but Rush reporting is only relevant to schools that receive scores by mail. Yale gets it via e-mail so they receive the scores at the same time no matter what the option. </p>
<p>SAT/SAT2 scores as a whole are important but once they’re high enough they won’t be a deal maker/breaker. I don’t think you need to fret if your score is 700+ but 750+ is on the safer side. After that just worry about the rest of your app. Good luck!</p>
<p>690 is probably below the median for admitted students. They won’t be like “omg this kid’s a moron” but Math II has a great curve and if you study some more, you can definitely get that up. Read in the SAT Subject test sections, and work through the Barron’s SAT Math 2. With a graphing calculator, you should be able to pull off 750+.</p>
<p>Spanish is great but I know that it’s generally not preferred if you take a SAT 2 in your native language. If you’re a non-native speaker, then terrific. </p>
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<p>They will definitely look at them and if you have a good score it will only help. If you send in ACT scores, then SAT2’s aren’t mandatory. That doesn’t mean they’re ignored :P</p>
<p>Here is Yale’s policy on reporting standardized test scores. The second paragraph, in particular, is worth reading carefully:</p>
<p>"Yale requires results from all of the SAT I and SAT II tests or all of the ACT tests you have taken. If you choose to fulfill our testing requirement with SAT scores, then it is not necessary to send any scores from the ACT, even if you have taken the ACT. And if you choose to fulfill the requirement using the ACT, you do not need to send us any SAT scores, unless you wish.</p>
<p>“However, and this is important, if you elect to use the SAT scores, you must report all scores from all SAT exams (both SAT I and SAT II) that you have taken. If you elect to use ACT scores, you must report all scores from all ACT exams you have taken. And if you choose to use a combination of SAT and ACT results, we require that you report all scores from both agencies.” [Instructions</a> for Reporting Your Scores | Application to Yale College | Freshmen | Office of Undergraduate Admissions](<a href=“Home | Yale College Undergraduate Admissions”>Home | Yale College Undergraduate Admissions)</p>
<p>By the way, the ACTs can be a very efficient way to go, and it still surprises me that they’re not as commonly chosen in some parts of the U.S. as the SATs.</p>
<p>That’s what happened w/ me, 690 the second time I took it, lower before that, it’s ironic and annoying because I was in calc at the time but I’d forgotten how to do matrices and other stuff we learned in Algebra 2 and trig! OTOH, I sent them 4 tests, Chines b/c I was a native speaker, Math II, USH, and Chem so I’m not sure how much the Math score mattered…</p>
<p>ACT plus writing (took twice): 34 and 36 composite. Happy with the 36, but not the 34 but would need to send both if I am reading rules correctly</p>
<p>SAT I (only one sitting): 790 math, 800 writing, 740 reading
SAT II: 800 Lit, 800 Math II, 770 USH</p>
<p>So, what should she do? She loves her second ACT and two thirds of her SAT! She would like to try for a 2400 (second sitting or super score), but with the “report all scores” rules, there is a risk to a second SAT sitting. I do like that Yale asks for all scores, but it makes these decisions more complicated!</p>
<p>I am inclined to advise her to send them all. There is a consistency and the 2330 single sitting is fine. Also that 800 Lit SATII is attractive given the curve on that exam.</p>
<p>Please advise. We are new at this and she wants to present herself in the best possible light.</p>
<p>She should not retake; she will look obsessive, and obsessiveness is not a quality valued by elite colleges. These are wonderful scores. Send them all.</p>
<p>Send all the scores and forget further testing. She has passed the point of diminishing returns in respect to testing and would do well to turn her attention to other things. Indeed, as wjb says, more sittings might hurt.</p>
<p>I also agree that the Lit score looks to be a bit more of a differentiator than other tests. But I would expect a decision about her will come down to non-quantitative factors like essays, extracurricular achievements, and recommendations.</p>