<p>How important is the 2400 in comparison to, let's say, a 2200?</p>
<p>Does anyone have admissions statistics regarding people with 2400 on the SAT?</p>
<p>JSYK, I didn't get 2400 :(, I got 2270, but am planning to retake in January... (wise plan or not?)</p>
<p>Would 2400 on the SAT + adequate ECs (volunteering, 5-year varsity sport player, music, poetry, some school clubs & roles etc) be enough to have a good shot at an Ivy?</p>
<p>I'm an international if thats relevant.</p>
<p>For a domestic 2400, it’s usually a 50-50 shot for the really competitive schools.</p>
<p>^ I disagree. After a point, adcoms realize that a few questions won’t mean a thing. Honestly, it’s purely logical. A 2400 is great, but adcoms usually use a ± of about 30 for the SAT. Rather than wasting your time studying for the SAT, write amazing essays, solidify your ECs, and continue your grades. People drastically overestimate the value of test scores, many of which are being proven to be less and less reliable “intelligence” indicators. All the Ivies are crapshoots, and a 2400 vs a 2300 won’t increase your chances nearly as much as strong essays and ECs will. </p>
<p>Rigor and grades are the most important part of your app, not your test score. I know people who got a 34 on the ACT or 2300 on the SAT but have 3.4/5 UW GPA at my school. </p>
<p>Moral of the story: SATs and other standardized tests are not nearly as important as the rest of the package, just justification for it. Very rarely will you get a 50/50 shot at a school like Harvard since it’s just a crapshoot that factors in things like URM status, legacies, athletics, etc.</p>
<p>I disagree that a 2400 is not that important… If you get a 2400 it shows a level of mastery of the material.</p>
<p>^ It shows that you got lucky and didn’t miss one or two questions on math. One question wrong on math, and you don’t have a 2400 anymore. A silly mistake here or there. Does that mean you don’t have a level of mastery of the material? Does that necessitate retaking the SAT? Would that bring down the fact that I have an A+ in Multivariable Calc? My point is that it is just ONE score. It is not worth taking the SAT over and over again to get. There are much better ways to spend your time.</p>
<p>A 2400 looks good, without a doubt, but the way people blow it up to be some godly score is ridiculous. It’s called the law of diminishing returns. Most Ivies just want you to get 700+ on all sections. </p>
<p>[SAT</a> Secrets - What Ivy League Schools Look For | Get Into Harvard](<a href=“http://www.hopelesstoharvard.com/ivy-league-schools/sat-secrets-what-colleges-look-for-and-how-to-prepare/]SAT”>http://www.hopelesstoharvard.com/ivy-league-schools/sat-secrets-what-colleges-look-for-and-how-to-prepare/)</p>
<p>The SAT is a somewhat important factor because it allows colleges to compare how students are academically who come from different schools and therefore don’t have comparable gpas. A 2400 can confirm that one is an academically strong candidate (if coupled with a solid transcript). Obviously it’s taken into the context of the whole app, but it gives one a leg up. If one got say a 2320 or higher, it’s may not be worth a re-take because any possible increase wouldn’t change the calculated academic index rating. However in your case, with a 2270, there’s no harm in re-taking it. Unless you think you can fill the time you would be doing on some amazing EC, it’s worth trying for the higher score because it could have enough of an influence to make you a stronger applicant. Another point is that the value of a 2400 varies depending on race. For asians, it doesn’t care much extra weight. For other ethnicities, it carries more weight. But a 2400 plus decent ECs could be ivy-caliber.</p>
<p>^ Most elite colleges claim the law of diminishing returns kicks in at about 2100+ (700+ in each category). If you don’t mind retaking, then there is no harm in it. I, however, think it is completely unnecessary. You will not be turned down because you got a 2270 and not a 2320 (taking in the point differential of 30, it’s even more ridiculous).</p>
<p>O.O, I’m Asian, does this mean I’ll be at a disadvantage if I don’t have a 2400??</p>
<p>I got 2 wrong in the maths section (genuinely don’t know how, because it is very very easy, and I did get an 800 in Math II), and, rather harshly I think, I got a 740…</p>
<p>I remember not knowing what “rancorous” meant, took a guess at that question… Bad times.</p>
<p>Anyway, I digress.</p>
<p>^ No, he meant that it just won’t look as spectacular as an African American, Native American, Hispanic, etc. with that score.</p>