This discussion was created from comments split from: Should I retake a 1540?.
Same situation here. Question is should we report both SAT and ACT sores or can just
go with ACT ?
My son has ACT - 35 ( M-33, S-36, E-36 and R - 35)
SAT - 1540 (780 - M and 760 - EBRW) he is planning on applying to Ivies and for BME major
Sorry, I’am kind of new to post questions here. I did not realized I was hijacking the original question on the other thread
I think that it is highly unlikely that you get a different admission decision between the three options. SAT only, ACT only, or both.
If you want a “scientific basis” for the opinions presented above, this table will tell you that SAT 1540 is considered the most direct equivalent of ACT 35.
https://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/ACT-SAT-Concordance-Tables.pdf
Great scores. I don’t think which option you choose will make a difference. At the margin, if your son is indicating a STEM preference, I might go with the SAT because of the relatively higher math score vs the ACT. Conversely, if he is humanities focused, I might choose the ACT. Submitting both of course is another option, especially if the above scores are not super scored.
IMO would submit SAT over ACT due to the Math score which is important as a prospective engineering major (Science is more of a reading section than actual science like the SAT Subject Tests.) However, a strong SAT Subject Test or AP test score can counteract this.
I would not submit both scores, as they’re basically the same and it costs more to submit both.
If he decides to submit the SAT only, I would consider deleting his ACT score so that he doesn’t have to submit them to schools like Georgetown that requires ALL test dates b/c once it’s deleted it’s as if it never existed.
Scroll down to “Sending Scores” on this page: https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/help.html#scores
Keep in mind that it takes a few weeks for this to occur, as ACT has to send you back the form and you have to send it to them.
Hope that helps! Good luck with admissions!
Before you pay to send official scores, check to see if each school allows self-reported scores. That can save some $.
I think Dartmouth and Princeton are the only Ivies that require official scores, but do double check all schools that your S is applying to.
Please do not delete the ACT score, even if Georgetown is on the list that score will suffice.
The scores are exactly equivalent per the official concordance tables - https://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/ACT-SAT-Concordance-Tables.pdf
I would agree that sending the SAT is probably better as an engineering applicant, based on the individual component scores. A M780 concords to a M35 and probably influences engineering admission decisions more than EBRW/S/R/E
I see no value in deleting an identical ACT score.
Thank you all.
I would send BOTH scores. Nothing to shy away from here. You proved you can do well on both tests. Flaunt that. Whether you did slightly better ONE day on math proved very little. If your grades equal these tests then nothing to be concerned about. I think people are over thinking here. Colleges like to see you challenged yourself and did well. Especially this year when many won’t have anything to report. You have 2 great scores. Let them fly.
will agree again with @Knowsstuff it shows total consistency and that’s +++++!
@Mwfan1921 Last year, Cornell required official test scores from the ACT/SAT and SAT Subject Tests. Penn required official SAT Subject Test scores and would only accept self-reported ACT/SAT scores.
OP make sure to contact the Admissions Office if unsure b/c the info either isn’t there or is unclear on Admissions websites sometimes regarding SAT Subject Tests.