Superscore or Composite?

Colleges & Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>I know that Harvard superscores your SATs when reviewing your application, but what about after they accept students and release admissions data? In other words, when Harvard says that the average accepted SAT score is ~2237, are students' superscores or composite scores considered in this figure?</p>

2

<p>See: C9 Data: [The</a> Office of the Provost | Common Data Set](<a href=“http://www.provost.harvard.edu/institutional_research/common_data_set.php]The”>http://www.provost.harvard.edu/institutional_research/common_data_set.php)</p>

3

<p>@gibby: thanks for the post, but I went to C9 and it didn’t really answer my question. It says “Include information for ALL enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first-year (freshman) students who submitted test scores. Do not include partial test scores (e.g., mathematics scores but not critical reading for a category of students) or combine other standardized test results (such as TOEFL) in this item. Do not convert SAT scores to ACT scores and vice versa.” However, this doesn’t address whether or not the college can pick out highest section scores from the same standardized test when reporting averages.</p>

4

<p>For the SAT, Harvard reports the highest individual section score of admitted students under the 25th and 75th percentiles. But those scores ARE NOT superscored. For example, while 75% of admitted students may have had one individual section score of 790CR, 800M and 790W, 75% of admitted students DID NOT have a 2380 SAT.</p>

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<p>I see. Thank you for your insight.</p>

6

<p>Prospector, your question attracted my curiosity. </p>

<p>According to a Harvard Crimson survey, linked below, “Freshmen [Class of 2017] reported an average composite SAT score of 2237. The reported average subject score was consistent across the three sections, with an average of 748 in the math section, 746 on writing, and 744 on critical reading.”</p>

<p>[The</a> Harvard Crimson | Class of 2017](<a href=“http://features.thecrimson.com/2013/frosh-survey/admissions.html]The”>The Harvard Crimson | Class of 2017)</p>

<p>It would be a great coincidence if the number 2237 just happened to pop up in your post and in this survey, so I guess it is what you are referring to.</p>

<p>Since the average individual section scores match up with the average composite score, I am concluding they are computed the same way…either superscore or highest single sitting score. I would guess superscore, but that is only a guess.</p>

<p>Also, according to the Harvard Common Data set for 2011-12…the latest I could find… far fewer than 75% of Harvard freshman had one individual section score of 790CR, 800M, 790W. The percentage is more like 25%. </p>

<p><a href=“http://www.provost.harvard.edu/institutional_research/CDS_2011-2012_Final.pdf[/url]”>http://www.provost.harvard.edu/institutional_research/CDS_2011-2012_Final.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

7

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<p>^^ That’s correct; my apologies for that error in post #4. Thanks for catching it.</p>

<p>The 25th percentile means that 75% of students had that score or better.
The 75th percentile means that 25% of students had that score or better.</p>