the perfect enough score

<p>Aznoachiever,</p>

<p>"ursprache" would actually go "Ursprache" I know the capitalization is weird.
My nationalities are German and Dutch but I attend school in Germany.
My SAT were the following</p>

<p>Math 660
Cr. 600
Wr. 660 essay 11 Math I 750 Math II 790 Phys 760 US Hist 640
and I still wait for the nov sat scores. What do you guys think of these scores? I have just applied SCEA to Yale. My ECs mainly focus on music, tutoring, and political activity. I have even sent in a CD from one of my orchestras. In addition, I enclosed a theoretical paper (23 pages) about the modern day jet engine I once wrote. Both supps are above average, as I sought advice from a college counselor. My SATs add up to 1920 and I am a little worried that they taint an application I have put much effort in.
What do you think about these scores?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

<p>Here's a multi-response thread:</p>

<p>Boijia is completely right. When Preplexitudinous compares an 800 vs 700 to a 600 vs 700, this really isn't true. When scores are in the 700+ range, the curve is much more harsh. I mean, 1 wrong can be the difference btwn an 800 and a 770. Two wrong could be a 750. However, this harshness fades once you get below 700 b/c at that point, each question is usually worth 10 points, not 20 or 30. This is why there are so few 2300s. </p>

<p>Also CITATION X, your theory that the minority population of Yale makes its 1490 average SAT more like a 1540 is flawed. As I said before, minority populations very often include Asians, who typically score higher than any other racial group. They are probably included in the minority percentages, even though they aren't considered minorities in the college admissions process. You're also assuming that all non-asian minority students scored below HYPS average. I'm sure that there are some minorities at HYPS who scored above-average for those schools. Many people just assume, "oh you only got in b/c you are a URM." </p>

<p>Taggart, when it comes to the issue of modesty, I'm not trying to say what a horrible person you are. You're right that beyond this thread, I don't know you or what you do. I am not trying to be Mr. Psychologist and scrutinize your persona. However, I'm still sticking by my conviction that modesty is a very important virtue. I really think you should start being a bit more modest yourself if you plan on attending H, Y, P, or S. If there are as many people w/2300s as you have been saying at these schools, you should start to come down to earth a bit.</p>

<p>JSimons, although I am a big believer that there is more to the admissions process than SAT scores, your SATI scores are low by HYPS standards. You seem to be a very talented musician and your SATIIs are excellent. You are also an international student which helps you. You seem quite unique comapred to the other applicants. Nonetheless, you should still try to break 2000 on the SATI, which is very plausible. I myself scored a 1940 on my first try, but brought it up to a 2030 on my second try. I didn't take any prep-classes, just used The Princeton Review's SAT book (which really helps w/the Math).</p>

<p>=P I base my achievements on my own expectations or goals. I don't really care what other people got or how common it is. My standards are high enough.</p>

<p>Taggart, you're contradicting youself. Now you're saying that you don't care about what other people got. I don't think someone who believes a 2300 is needed for HYPS would not care about how other people did. After all, "the other people" are your competition for spots at these schools, or any school for that matter. To say that your standards are high enough is quite a blatant and unnecessary statement of arrogance. After all, you said it yourself, "The Ivies want the top students." No one's standards are truly "good enough" because no one is perfect. No one gets a 100% of the questions correct on every test. No one can honestly say they have never experienced failure at some point in their life. There is a reason we have spell-check on our computers and % error calculations in our scientific research. People pay auditors 6-figure, or even 7-figure salaries to fix the mistakes of even the top accountants. Human nature prevents us from achieving perfection, so our goal is to come as close to it as we possibly can. Some come closer than others, but no human being's idea of "the universal standard" will ever be sufficient.</p>

<p>Taggart, you're contradicting youself. Now you're saying that you don't care about what other people got. I don't think someone who believes a 2300 is needed for HYPS would not care about how other people did. After all, "the other people" are your competition for spots at these schools, or any school for that matter. To say that your standards are high enough is quite a blatant and unnecessary statement of arrogance. After all, you said it yourself, "The Ivies want the top students." No one's standards are truly "good enough" because no one is perfect. No one gets a 100% of the questions correct on every test. No one can honestly say they have never experienced failure at some point in their life. There is a reason we have spell-check on our computers and % error calculations in our scientific research. People pay auditors 6-figure, or even 7-figure salaries to fix the mistakes of even the top accountants. Human nature prevents us from achieving perfection, so our goal is to come as close to it as we possibly can. Some come closer than others, but no human being's idea of "the universal standard" will ever be sufficient.</p>

<p>I'm just a parent, but I must say, I am impressed (in a positive way) by your gift for communication and your high level of confidence. You would be a great addition to any university, in my opinion.</p>

<p>I believe this discussion is missing a major point and just going around in circles!</p>

<p>I agree a 2100+ score will put you in running at HYSP.
However, as your score increases, so will your chances.
Higher the score, better your chances.</p>

<p>So, do you need 2300+ at HYSP?
Yes, if you want to get in!
No, if you believe you bring perfect package sans SAT scores.</p>

<p>Look at the colleges average SAT scores. These colleges subject scores are 700-800. That means that you should get ~2100-~2400. Colleges do not rely soley on SAT scores but how much weight do they give them and is this fair? visit: <a href="http://thesatdebate.blogspot.com/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://thesatdebate.blogspot.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>It is not a contradiction because I don't work via active competition. I strive for perfection and do the best that I can do. Others may surpass me here as an end result, but that won't be through lack of effort on my part but a lack of ability. For personal satisfaction, no, I don't care what other people received or how common something is. If it impresses me, that's good enough. You don't "think" someone like that exists -- well, I'm a living proof, though of course, I'd have hell trying to prove it.</p>

<p>It's like when my mother yelled at me about sharing information on which SAT teachers, books, and other prep material were good. She thought I was stupid for doing it and was lessening my chances by helping the competition, wheras I told her plainly that if I were to get into an Ivy, it wouldn't be because I "cheated" my way in. If other people are willing to work as hard as I do, then they deserve every chance and every method of help possible. Each according to his ability.</p>

<p>Again, why are no one's standards truly good enough? We may not each be perfect, but if perfection is the goal (though my non-2400 score was a lapse) the standard is synonomous with perfection. My standards are in fact good enough -- it's living up to them that's the hard part. Of course I've experienced failure. Of course I've experienced disappointment. It's my perfectionist beliefs that makes it all the more unbearable.</p>

<p>And of course, I'm done talking about myself. I could (and may have) done so for pages. My views on this topic is expressed away and anything else would be off topic. Send me a PM if you want to talk about anything else.</p>

<p>Taggart, if your done talking about yourself, then I'm done debating you (At least for now. I enjoy the challenge ;)). Now, let's digress from this side-issue and return to the original topic of this thread. Hope1988, you are right that a 2100 would put you in range for HYPS. One can even be accepted with this, especially since 1/4 of these schools scored below it. In spite of this, Hope1998, the other part of your argument is completely wrong.
You said that you need a 2300 to get in if you don't have "the complete package." HYPS are looking for the complete package! They're not going to accept a 2300 person who has done no EC's and has a low GPA over person with a high GPA, tons of EC's, and a 2100 SAT. If a high SAT is all you have going for you, you're like a "one-trick pony" who is just a carbon-copy of another intelligent person. You have to be unique.</p>

<p>My school has a very good directory of all of the students who have went to the school in the last 10 years, what their SAT scores were, their GPA, their class rank, and whether they were accepted or not. I found some very compelling evidence to support my argument. Here are two students, both non-URM, non-legacies who applied to Columbia and Georgetown(the latter isn't an Ivy but has comparable standards). Both were in the same graduating class.</p>

<p>Their stats were:</p>

<p>Student #1
Rank: 3
SAT scores:
Math: 700
Verbal: 710
EC's: Very extensive
Decision: Accepted by Georgetown and Columbia. Attending Columbia.</p>

<p>Student #2
Rank: 25
SAT scores:
Math: 690
Verbal: 800
EC's: Very Poor
Decision: Rejected by Columbia, Waitlisted by Georgetown. Attending Boston University.</p>

<p>The bottom line: The Ivies and comporable colleges are looking for a very good SAT score, EC's, high GPA, and uniqueness. They want everything.</p>

<p>(Sorry about the double-post before. My computer has been running poorly lately, so it froze for awhile. When it finally came out of its comatose state, it posted my message twice).</p>