<p>Good point.</p>
<p>The big problem with these threads is we don’t know whether its correlation or causation between test scores and admissions rates. </p>
<p>Is it high test scores themselves that increase admissions rates or is it that high scorers are more “intelligent” (in the most vague sense of the word) and have higher grades/better ECs/better essays etc that then increase admissions rates? </p>
<p>I would love to be able to look into Harvard’s admissions data and settle this debate.</p>
<p>By the common data set, higher scores have higher admissions rates and so one should strive to have the highest scores possible.</p>
<p>PS: One reason why I think CC places such a high emphasis on test scores is because its the “easiest” to raise and posters tend to ask around this time of year “What can I do to raise my chances of getting into HYP?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?! I NEED HELP!” </p>
<p>GPA: Hard to raise first semester of senior year
ECs: Hard to show commitment first semester of senior year and more importantly, we have no idea on the opportunities in your school and so can’t make good reccomendations on what to do.
LORs: Tell you to suck up to teachers more?
Essays: Everyone’s essay are always “fantastic”</p>
<p>Test scores only require a few weekends of studying and a Saturday morning, especially SAT II’s.</p>
<p>^You can’t be serious.</p>
<p>^ About what?</p>
<p>What is this, an attempt to get CCers to bomb their tests because they “don’t matter that much?”</p>
<p>The fact of the matter is that you need a good GPA and high test scores to get into elite colleges, if you don’t have those you won’t get a 2nd look without a hook no matter how great your ECs or your personality are.</p>
<p>Conversely you can have no ECs and a bland personality but get accepted to top schools just off your grades and SAT scores.</p>
<p>I would say that the weight of a test score is undefinable. It all depends on how good the applicant is OVERALL. A lot of people with 2300s get rejected at top universities, and a lot get in with 2000s. I had a friend that was accepted to Harvard with a 2020. His essay and his ECs were great though.
Basically: If your ECs and essays suck, then you need amazing scores, and if your scores suck, then you need amazing ECs and essays. However, I would probably say that they’ll rather reject someone with good scores and average essays/ECs than someone with average scores and good essays/ECs. They want people who add diversity to the school. What does a good score say about what you’ll contribute to to the school? Squat.</p>
<p>Well, it is not that test scores do not matter, it is that on here it seems as though they are the number one criteria an applicant should worry about; which to me seems unbelievably* false.</p>
<p>*not sure if thats a word.</p>