Standardized test scores question -- which scores to send?

Parents Forum
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<p>I asked this on the college admissions forum, but it has been suggested that I may get better answers here. </p>

<p>My S is applying to computer science / game design programs at the following schools: MIT, RIT, WPI, RPI, Northeastern, Drexel, and maybe a couple of others. He is applying Early Action where available, no ED.</p>

<p>His test scores are (based on a single sitting of each test):</p>

<p>ACT 35
English 34
Math 34
Reading 36
Science 35
English/Writing 31 (Essay 8)</p>

<p>SAT 2170
CR 720
Math 770
Writing 680 (Essay 8)</p>

<p>SAT Subject Tests
Biology M 780
Chemistry 740 (taken <em>before</em> his last chemistry class which he is taking now)
Math Level2 770</p>

<p>Most of his schools require only the SAT or ACT with no subject tests, or will take the ACT in lieu of both the SAT and the SAT subject tests. His ACT is stronger than his SAT, but with a slight "weakness" (if you can call it that) in Math compared to his SAT Math and his SATII Math2 scores.</p>

<p>MIT is not on the common app, the rest are. MIT requires SAT or ACT/writing plus subject tests. I'm thinking to use score choice with the SAT (if MIT allows it) to send only the SATII subject scores, and send the ACT.</p>

<p>For the common app, I don't think any of his schools require the subject scores for students submitting the ACT (S will double-check!) He has self-reported all his scores on the app, so I am thinking to officially send only the ACT scores.</p>

<p>Does that seem like a reasonable approach? Or should we also pay to send the SAT Subject scores to everyone too since they are strong. (Or is self-reporting them good enough, since they aren't required?) Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this! </p>

<p>(To some extent I think this only really matters for MIT, which is of course a high reach, and possibly for scholarship consideration at the other schools.)</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>MIT is a crapshoot whatever you send. I’d be inclined to send the ACT and be done with it. RIT, WPI, RPI, Northeastern and Drexel would be thrilled to get a student with a 35 composite on the ACT and and long as his GPA and rigor of course work supports that score he’ll be receiving some excellent financial aid offers from those schools.</p>

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<p>MIT does require at least 2 subject tests (Math 2 and a science). So we need to send at least some of the SAT scores to MIT. I had been inclined to skip the SAT scores everywhere else – just wanted to make sure that would not be a mistake. Yes, his academic rigor and grades are pretty much in line with his scores. Thanks.</p>

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<p>Right about MIT. So you have what many would consider one reach school and five safeties (some might argue that RPI is a match but from my experience with multiple RPI applicants I’d say your son’s chances are excellent). If your S applies to 2 or 3 other schools you might want to suggest he focus on a few more matches and maybe another reach. On the other hand, if he is happy with the six he is looking at I’m sure he’ll have a good choice come Spring.</p>

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<p>For those that accept the ACT in lieu of all other testing, send that only. It’s a significantly better score than the SAT (which is great, too). My D was in a similar situation and it worked out fine for her. As she did not take SAT II’s, I’ll leave that to others.</p>

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<p>Here ya go. [ACT-SAT</a> Concordance](<a href=“http://www.act.org/aap/concordance/]ACT-SAT”>The ACT Test for Students | ACT)</p>

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<p>And the one from collegeboard <a href=“http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/act-sat-concordance-tables.pdf[/url]”>http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/act-sat-concordance-tables.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Thanks, all. We know the others are probably “safety” level for him, but he’s pretty happy with all of them, so I figure it’s ok that we don’t have any at the real “match” level. We’re visiting Drexel and NJIT this weekend. In terms of merit money, he’s also a NM semi-finalist which is one reason we’re visiting those two schools. Drexel seems like a better fit on paper though, since S is interested in game design, and that’s a strength there. </p>

<p>But if anyone has any particular suggestions of match level schools he should check out, he’d be open to that. He’d like to stay in the northeast, though that is not an absolute requirement. One thing he’d like is a school with minimal commitment to a particular major/college/school at application time and freshman year. So many of the tech schools/programs expect the kids to jump right in, and while his top interest right now is game design, he also really enjoys biology and chemistry, and has expressed interest in things like materials design or drug development as well (but looks like design, making something, is a common theme for him). </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>I was thinking of some northeastern schools such as Cornell, Carnegie-Mellon and maybe Penn.</p>

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<p>CMU is on his maybe list, but I think he is leaning against. We haven’t visited as it’s a bit far. For Cornell and Penn do they have a “techy school” feel like most of the other schools on S’s list do? That seemed to be the one common thread between the schools he really liked on our visits, and those he was ho-hum about. Even Northeastern is borderline in terms of “feel”, but they did have a nice looking game design program and their excellent co-op program that is keeping them on the list at least for now. He doesn’t really have a first choice (I do, and it’s not MIT, but I’m keeping my mouth shut) and plans to put a fair bit of weight on financial packages. We’ll re-visit (or visit for the first time if he ends up applying somewhere like CMU where we haven’t visited yet) schools that are seriously in the running when he finds out who wants him. </p>

<p>Are the schools like Cornell, CMU, Penn really “better” than the places like RPI, WPI, RIT and Drexel for a kid with my kid’s interests? Or just harder to get into? :slight_smile: </p>

<p>Thanks again!</p>

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<p>Assuming his grades match his scores, he should definitely look at Carnegie Mellon. My computer nerd son ended up deferred and then rejected from MIT, but in retrospect, we think CMU was probably an even better fit. It’s true, though that you are expected to pick a school (you can apply to more than one though). Computer Science requires a minor, and it’s very easy to switch from comp sci to a straight science or straight math, though a bit harder to switch into comp sci or engineering. (You need to do well in their foundation courses.) We had no idea what CMU was like until we went to the accepted student’s weekend and were completely blown away by their presentation. (So much so that son turned down Harvard for it.)</p>

<p>I agree with others send the ACT and if MIT (or anyone else) needs subject tests those scores are fine and should be sent in.</p>

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<p>Sounds like we should take another look at CMU. We were thinking it might be a better match for him for grad school if he is still into game design, since they game program is only a graduate program. But sounds like it’s worth another look :slight_smile: Do they offer any merit money? (I know MIT does not.) Thanks!</p>

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<p>One more nitpicky question – for MIT where they require 2 subject tests, should he just send the best 2 (Biology and Math) or should he send all 3 since they might see biology as “soft”? And if he sends all 3, should he put a comment somewhere that the Chemistry was taken before AP Chem (which he is taking now)? He did have a pretty weak honors Chem class in 10th grade, but mostly self-studied for the subject test from the Princeton Review book. Because we thought there was somewhere he was looking that wanted a science other than Biology, though we haven’t come across that again now that he is actually doing his apps.</p>

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<p>I would send the 780 and 770. You also have the science score of 35 on the ACT to support his competence in the sciences. Just remember that even if he had an 800 on all three Subject Tests admission is no sure thing at a school like MIT.</p>

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<p>We really don’t expect him to get accepted at MIT (though if we didn’t think it were possible, he probably wouldn’t bother to apply). His “numbers” are fine, but I don’t think he has that extra “something” to set him apart from the pack. He laughed when he got a letter from MIT encouraging him to apply. It basically said, your PSAT scores suggest that we wouldn’t totally laugh our @sses off if you applied here :wink: (I think the actual wording was more like “people with PSAT scores in your score range get accepted with greater frequency than people with lower scores” --shocking, no?)</p>

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<p>I’d send all three scores - or at least biology and math. You are right that the gaming major is a grad thing at CMU, but I suspect there are ways for undergrads to get involved. They aren’t known for being generous, but they do have some merit scholarships. (CMU SCS will want the chemistry and math and you can send the bio as a bonus.)</p>

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<p>Maybe CMU was why he took the chemistry in the first place. After figuring out that he “needed” it and self-studying, we couldn’t find anyone who actually wanted it. :slight_smile: Maybe he’ll apply to CMU SCS just to use that score he worked so hard for. ;-)</p>

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<p>CMU makes life easy by requiring you to send everything. Nothing to think/decide about :)</p>