I have taken the sat three times so far in this order: 1400 (6,6,6 essay), 1450 (6,6,7 essay), 1500(5,3,6 essay). I just got my scores for the August one today (1500). I am trying to apply to selective schools, such as Rice and Stanford, along with a few matches and safeties, of course. Now, I am very indecisive on what would benefit me the most: Do I take the SAT again on this following October and then take practice tests November? Or is three times enough and I should move on the subject tests?
Taking the SAT a 4th time may actually hurt you more than help you. I would send your top score of 1500 and maybe if you can, also the 1450 score. Although your 1500 score may not be enough for Stanford. But it will be enough for other selective schools like the top UC schools and such.
@LaurenYoohoo I still want to apply to Stanford though. So is it hopeless to submit a 1500 to Stanford?
No, it wouldn’t be hopeless. You should still apply. Stanford is strange when selecting students. I would say that it requires a lot of luck AND a competitive application. Even over qualified students get rejected so you shouldn’t feel bad IF you do get rejected. There is always hope. Stanford look for whether or not you fit in to the school’s enviorment and tone rather then if your grades are good enough. That is why Stanford is very selective.
@LaurenYoohoo got it, so you would recommend I focus on subject scores now instead?
What subject tests have you taken so far? Also are you currently a senior right now?
@LaurenYoohoo I am a senior and I have not taken any subject tests. Planning on taking math II and physics. I am going to talk to my counselor about retaking the SAT tomorrow, but I think I am going to follow your advice and not take it again. If so, I will take math II this October, and physics on November…
I would reccommend you focus on your subject test for now. Colleges see how many times you take the SAT and taking its over 3 times can have a negative impact. Also what major are you planning on applying as?
@LaurenYooho I am going for computer science. I posted it here: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/2013628-chance-me-recommend-schools-computer-science.html#latest
Yo, you are a hispanic going in to Computer Science, your chances are very high for any school but for Stanford, MIT and such it will still be difficult because not do discourage you, but there are several other seniors right now with more impressive grades. You should still apply though you have a decent chance. Also with your ethnicity you are eligible for hundreds of scholarship opportunities so I wouldn’t think about the price too much. I was also preparing for a Computer Science career, but I recently changed to pre med. If you are going to do Computer Science, I would reccomend the schools on this list.
http://www.businessinsider.com/schools-with-the-most-alumni-at-google-2015-10
Also if you aren’t living in California right now, I would highly suggest you go to college in California and plan to move there. California is the center of the computer science world right now especially with Silicon Valley and San Francisco. In California you will get the most opporunities in the computer science field. I actually live in california and there are alot of opportunities even for me a highschool senior. I was able to get internship with a software company and if i continued it, it would of lead me to getting paid.
@LaurenYoohoo thanks, I actually am from Florida but I am going to apply to UCLA and Stanford for California schools.
For UCLA admission, subject tests are essential, especially for CS (which you apparently lack?). But your score is good enough, though your GPA plays a bigger role (how you doing in that arena?).
For OOS applicants UCs are very expensive and you need to explore how to finance.
UCs are expensive for OOS students. How would you pay for that?
@LaurenYoohoo I never would have thought being hispanic gave me any real advantage in admissions. I thought it was a nice thing to be for scholarships and stuff like that.
@uclaparent9 my GPA is better than my SAT scores, 4.0 unweighted. I plan on taking subject tests in the coming test dates.
@bopper I understand UC’s are expensive, I am willing to take loans, depending on how my financial packet plays out. If for some reason I can’t afford it or the debt is extremely high, I will rely on my target schools, some like UF which I’d go for a very good price since I am in-state.
Do not take massive loans for UCs…totally not worth it. You will have fine options in your home state.
have you looked into the National Hispanic Recognition Program?
UC’s are expensive up front, but the the schools gives you a lot of money. There are a lot of grants and opportunites for you to get money. The fact that you are also hispanic gives you even more, especially because you are very accomplished. I know several UC college graduates who paid NOTHING for their tuition and in fact got free extra money from the colleges to spend on their leisure.
As a hispanic for the Ivy leagues and some of the UC schools, because hispanic are under represented in STEM careers, colleges are more willing to give you an opportunity. They do this for other miniorites like African-Americans, but not with Asian americans because then more than 80% of the schools will be asian and asians are typically over achieving(I’m asian ): so this applies to ). Thats why a lot of asians sue Ivy schools and deem it racist. This standard/law is called Affirminative Action. By law, California doesn’t follow it, but it still happens a lot. Some the Ivy leagues schools still follow this law though, so I would recommend you look in to that. Your ethnicity will help you alot, so you should use it!
I think that with 1500 on the SAT, plus an unweighted 4.0, plus being hispanic, then you are a competitive applicant at any school including Stanford. Whether you will get in I can’t predict, but I think that your chances are significantly better than 4.8%, which is the percent of applicants that Stanford accepts. I would NOT retake the SAT at this point, but instead would focus on other aspects of your applications.
I agree with others that it is not worth being full pay at $60K+ per year for an undergraduate degree in computer science. There are just too many schools with very good computer science programs and too little interest in “prestige” for employers in this field.
@DadTwoGirls I am not willing to take $60K per year. I don’t really have an estimate because it depends a lot on the school. I think for Stanford I’d be willing to take up to 20k. If it happens I get accepted into those expensive schools and I can’t afford them within my desired economic range, I will resort to my in-state schools. Thanks for the advice on the SAT. I am done with SAT, now I am doing subject tests.