<p>So, I’m going to apply regular decision to BC. I have a 30 composite on the ACT, and pretty good to great scores on the individual sections, so I’m definitely sending those in (even though I know a 30 isn’t exactly competitive for BC.)</p>
<p>My SATs are a different story. I have an SAT score that falls in a nice place in BC’s middle-50% range, but the individual sections are totally inconsistent. I got a 750 on CR, a 710 on writing, and 580 on math. Overall composite is 1330/2040, which is acceptable for BC. I’m just worried about my individual score in math. I know it is very low (I really don’t understand it! I am usually decent/good at math, but I just can’t get it right on the SAT!), and I’m wondering if sending in the 2040 composite test would hurt me my chances of admission. I can’t do score choice with a better math grade, because I got a 580 on the first SAT I took, as well (I KNOW! wth?), and my parents don’t want to pay for another test.</p>
<p>So, final question: should I send in the SAT along with my ACT, or forget the SAT altogether and just send in the ACT?</p>
<p>I would probably send the ACT only. Hopefully your uw GPA is hovering around a 3.8. If it is, and you have quality EC’s (please note: quality not quantity), and you write nice essays, you should have a decent shot. Good luck.</p>
<p>Thanks for responding! And my school uses the 100-point scale, of which I have a 92.3. Hopefully by RD deadline, I can raise that or demonstrate great scores in my senior year APs.</p>
<p>Dear gingerNY : Several points on strictly the numbers as follows. </p>
<p>BC’s middle 50% based on the college board data ranges from 1880-2150 based on SAT I three way scores. For ACTs, the middle 50% range is 29-32. (These stats are a couple of years old and consider only the ranges from first year enrolled students.)</p>
<p>Now, with a 2040 SAT I versus a 30 ACT, you are statistically in a far better position with your SAT I scores. </p>
<p>With you ACT score, you are somewhere between the 42nd and 59th percentile (as this is a wide range for a 30) and on the SAT I you are around the 55th percentile. Greater granularity of the SAT scoring system provides more ranking specificity.</p>
<p>So, statistically speaking, your SAT I tells a stronger story.</p>
<p>With your ACT composite of 30, you claim some “pretty good and great scores”. However, your composite score meant that you had some scores in the 20s. Was it the math section or something else? You need to share that range for us to give a sharper eye to the weighting and variance.</p>
<p>Dear gingerNY : One last point - if you have taken the SAT twice and scored a 580 both times, it is more than likely that you are not going to score above a 600 on the third sitting without some substantial remediation. Your profile does not call out the level of math you are currently taking, but it is rarely the case that a student in Calculus AB or Calculus BC is experiencing these types of scores.</p>
<p>How are your SAT II scores? I think that if you submit SAT I’s you also have to submit 2 SAT II scores, but if you use your ACT scores, you aren’t required to submit SAT II’s. If your SAT II’s are good, I’d probably go ahead and submit your SAT I. But if your SAT II’s aren’t great or you haven’t taken them, then perhaps you should stick with your ACT. Please correct me if I’m wrong about the requirements for SAT II’s.</p>
<p>I take regular Calculus, but my school’s math department is pretty advanced, and regular calculus here would be like AP calculus at a lot of other schools. Math is definitely not my strong suit, though, and that’s what’s been bringing me down on my scores. I got a 27 in math on the ACT, which is why I got a 30 overall. I know that’s not very good, but it doesn’t seem as bad as a 580 on the SAT.</p>
<p>I took a few SAT’s but didn’t do that well. 680 on Lit and 610 on U.S. History.</p>
<p>And unfortunately, taking any type of SAT again isn’t really an option, so I’m just trying to figure out what to do with the scores I have.</p>
<p>I guess I have a different take than scottj – well actually two different takes.</p>
<p>1) The difference between the composite ACT and composite SAT scores are not material (based on standard concordance tables, where a 30 converts into a 670 on the SAT); thus, a 30-c is the rough equivalent to a 1340. Moreover, since BC has a Core and a required math course(s), a sub-600 Math score will really standout, and not positively.</p>
<p>2) The SAT Math is the easiest for which to prep, assuming you have the time. The CR and W are excellent scores, and even getting up to 650 on math would be a BIG help, particularly with your class rank outside of the top 10%. </p>
<p>Now which to send? I agree with Runners…it depends on the Subject Test scores. If those are 700+, then definitely send all SAT scores.</p>
<p>cross-posted. Your class rank is below that which is typical for the selective colleges that you are considering, including BC. Ditto your test scores. Thus, you would need outstanding ECs & Recs to make up for the lower-than-average numbers. My suggestion is to retake the ACT. Even a point or two on the math could be huge in your case. Last day to register for the December test is tomorrow. Think about it…</p>
<p>Thanks bluebayou. Maybe I will just convince my parents to let me take the December SAT. Although, today’s the last day to sign up, so it would have to be fast haha. It’s funny, because most people do the BEST on the math section. I think what I tend to do is over-complicate the problems. Idk. Any general advice from people who scored well on the math?</p>
<p>the math on both just requires practice, practice, practice. The ACT math is more speed and less conceptual than SAT math. It has four – and only four – trig problems, of which two are always right angle trig problems. Memorize a couple of formulas +Pythag theorem = two easy points.</p>
<p>assuming you have exhausted the official Red ACT guide, pickup a standard prep book (PR or Kaplans; I also like Barron’s for ACT math/science but it will be harder, and it probably better for someone aiming for a high 30) and practice small sections against a timer, say 10 problems in 8 minutes. </p>
<p>BC is one of the few schools that (supposedly) superscores the ACT.</p>
<p>Dear gingerNY (and bluebayou) : We can try to slice the math score anyway we want but a 27 (ACT) and 580 (SAT) are the bottom quartile of the accepted class. There is just no other way to skin that cat. Honestly, I just think that 700+ scores on other SAT sections will carry more weight than a 32 on the ACT. That said, the weakest link here (math) is going to get exposed regardless of which test is submitted. The more I think about this problem to provide a constructive recommendation (accounting for bluebayou’s thoughts), the more I conclude that the submitted test does not matter. The math score creates a long-shot situation either way when taken in isolation.</p>
<p>Okay, thanks everyone. It seems like my best shot is retaking the SAT and focusing primarily on studying for math for the next four weeks, lol. Does BC take SAT score choice? Because if I can even manage a 640, I can super-score that to a 2100.</p>
<p>Okay, I’m just going to bump this with my entire stats – if anyone has an opinion on my chances, I’d love to hear it!</p>
<p>Rank: school doesn’t officially rank, but I think I’m somewhere around the top 15-18%.</p>
<p>Average: UW 92.3, I’m not sure what it is weighted.</p>
<p>APs/Honors: School has limited offerings. Honors English 11th grade, Honors French 11th grade, no APs. My school only offers two for juniors, and neither of them were my best subjects. Senior year I’m taking AP English, AP French, and AP Environmental. Hopefully if I do EDII, I can send in a transcript with great mid-term grades in these classes.</p>
<p>ACT: 30 composite</p>
<p>SAT: 2040 composite (750 CR, 710 W, 580 M – Don’t think I want to send these because Math is so awful!)</p>
<p>Lots of extra-curriculars:
Member of my school’s highly regarded theater program for four years, where I acted, directed, sang, dance, wrote scenes and songs that were chosen to be in our shows, and did production jobs.
Work experience as a waitress and another job as a paid intern at a home-goods company.
President and co-founder of the club ‘Theater For Hope’, which raises money for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation.
Member of my school’s A Capella group.
Did a leadership and a counselor training session at a YMCA camp (10th and 11th grade), and was a volunteer counselor for two weeks (11th grade).
National Honors Society
Member of various clubs like AIDS Awareness, Eco Club, STAND for Darfur</p>
<p>Essays: Really good, I think. I wrote about what it’s like to be a triplet.</p>
<p>Also:
School is HIGHLY competitive, nationally well-regarded, and gets lots of love from colleges. But not sure this can make up for stats slightly below the average BC student.
I would apply to the CAS with a planned Film Studies major.</p>
<p>I’m assuming teacher and counselor recs were great, as well.</p>
<p>Your rank is below average; 90% of BC’s class is in top 10%.</p>
<p>Your test scores are slightly below average. (Higher test scores could make up for an extremely competitive HS, but below average test scores reinforce the top quintile class rank.)</p>
<p>I’m guessing female, so your gender is a small negative applying to CAS (IMO).</p>
<p>You are from the NE, so no geographic help there.</p>