<p>blairb91: Congratulations on your score. Really, it's good. But the SAT doesn't test reasoning. It tests one thing and one thing only, how to take the SAT. I don't know why you chose not to study, but it really helps you because then you figure out the best ways to answer the questions that will be on the test. THAT was Yet's point. If you didn't study, he isn't even talking about you. Chill.</p>
<p>It's just the SAT, relax. No one thinks you're an idiot.</p>
<p>Remember that the SAT is graded on a curve. If everyone else is studying and you don't, you will suffer a reduced score.</p>
<p>
[quote]
But the SAT doesn't test reasoning. It tests one thing and one thing only, how to take the SAT.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>It tests both.
Absolutes are almost never correct. It's true that studying helps, a lot for some students, and a good academic background helps too, but that's not the main part of it. Or else everyone who studied fanatically could get 2300+</p>
<p>Sorry if I made it sound like it was easy if you studied hard. From what I've noticed, though, it generally corresponds with your academic record (reading, math, and grammar skills) plus or minus your general test-taking abilities. Nothing to do with "the process of drawing conclusions from facts or evidence" (reasoning). And since there are categories of similar questions in each section, studying can help you immensely, as you learn to take the SAT better.</p>
<p>I think this site is incredibly effective and wonderful! </p>
<p>It is a community for us students to collaborate, support, and encourage one another through a medium of discussion. </p>
<p>I think that if you decide to "chance" yourself, you are putting yourself in a very vulnerable position. Not all people are the same, and even though many of the people on this site are "evil prestige-hungry college mongers" even more of them are just as confused and hopeful as you are. </p>
<p>I say don't generalize, don't criticize, and don't fantasize! Remember, you've got to keep things in perspective: if you have an 1800 SAT with a class rank of 243/380 you will NOT get into an ivy league, and I'm sorry if someone tells you that, but it is true!</p>
<p>That would be a crazy competitive school if someone got a 1800 but didn't even crack the top half of their class.</p>
<p>haha, I love your user name! </p>
<p>You definitely combated my logical fallacies..</p>
<p>I think we need to look at hmom's post here:</p>
<p>"Do you guys understand that in most countries college admission is based on a single test? There isn't another country on the planet to my knowledge that does the type of holistic admissions many US schools do. "</p>
<p>Taking that into account, people here sure complain a lot. It could be a lot worse...</p>
<p>I don't know what you mean exactly by "People here make others feel like crap for not being Ivy League material, even if they're still VERY smart."</p>
<p>Usually I find people very supportive of others' college goals. Chances are, if you experience having someone tell you that you won't get into a school, they're just telling it like it is, realistically, based on your current resume and scores after YOU asked for others' opinions. We don't know your life story or how great of a person you are in real life. If you don't want criticism, don't post your stats; this site is full of overachieving students. No one's saying you won't be successful in life... but people may tell you that at your current position, it's unlikely you'll be offered admission to your schools.</p>
<p>Other than that, I'd like to say that I kind of get annoyed when other high school students post long rant essays on this site. You haven't made some breakthrough discovery... This forum's probably always been like this. Chiillll oooouuutt</p>
<p>@ Logic Warrior
The top 50% of my silly school at least had 2000 for SAT. 1800 will most likely put you in the lower 20% in the school while the teacher in charge advise everyone to keep trying until you get a 2200. T, only 10%(actually it is still a lot, ~140 students since my school is real big with 1270+ students) get in the top tier schools. And it is not a prep school. Oh well.</p>
<p>^ That's at your school.</p>
<p>My school, about 50% had below a 1,500.
The top score was a 2,200.
The range was always 1,500-1,900 from all graduating classes.
It was odd to see someone score beyond a 2000</p>
<p>Haiku: You are describing my school as well! :)</p>
<p>Most people I've spoken with have the national average or around it, which is 1500. The highest score at my school is 2100, then 2020, then 1980, and then me with 1920.</p>
<p>Mind you, this is the ranking out of scores I know.</p>
<p>Angrygoldfish: "Yet" did say that no one of remote intelligence at his school made below a 2000, which means he implied those scoring below 2000 are either average or not very bright. I do not feel I was overreacting; that comment was a mildly insulting remark. If someone indirectly insulted you, I think you would respond.</p>
<p>I agree mostly with what people are saying.</p>
<p>Don't forget that a lot of the people on this site are parents asking or giving advice and things like that. What does that say about them? </p>
<p>Also some of the people who want to be chanced that some people say they won't get in, are trying to get into schools like the ivies with 3.5 GPA, which is VERYVERYVERY hard to do. Some people are just trying to make others think about real life and how hard it is to get into the places they want to.</p>
<p>I don't know if this is only because my parents are completely uninvolved in my application and admissions process, but I think it's weird that parents are up here obsessing about their kids... The ones that are experienced and are trying to help are cool and everything, but the ones that are bragging about their kids are kind of strange...</p>
<p>blairb91: His point was that the vast majority kids that do very well and high school WHO STUDY get above a 2000, and he used his observation to support this. You didn't study. You didn't take a practice test. You don't fall under this category.</p>
<p>I hope CC doesn't reflect most of the applicant pool applying in '09. I believe that most of CCers are the well above average elite students. There are some that are above average and then there are just a very few that are average (not by CC standards). </p>
<p>Lets say there are 1000 CC members.</p>
<p>I would say that about 700 are the extremely above average students. (comparing to rest of american students)</p>
<p>Then there are 200 that are well above average.</p>
<p>Then there are about a 100 kids that are average, again compared nationally and not by CC standards. </p>
<p>So, I would like to firmly believe that the CC students do not reflect the entire applicant pool at all. Maybe 30-40% of the pool, but definitely not the average student who has applied to college in 09.</p>
<p>"I think it's weird that parents are up here obsessing about their kids..."</p>
<p>I could NOT agree with that more! My parents are completely oblivious to all the college work I have had to do and I enjoy it that way; the nosy parents on this site who obsess over chancing their children just need to chillax!</p>
<p>Seriously, everyone just needs to calm down..</p>
<p>"The ones that are experienced and are trying to help are cool and everything, but the ones that are bragging about their kids are kind of strange..."</p>
<p>Exactly! I've seen a ton of parents either bragging or always giving biased advice about schools depending on what went on with THEIR child(ren).</p>
<p>blairb91</p>
<p>^ Yeah, I don't get why some people freak out with a 2,200 SAT score when most kids can't get it up a 1400 on my school</p>
<p>At my school, last year the highest was 2200, then after that a 2000, then most as I said 1500-1800</p>
<p>and the rest below that</p>
<p>and a lot of people with less than 1500 SAT got into good schools like UCI, and UCSB</p>
<p>The GPA is funny too:</p>
<p>50% of the class gets below a 3.5, the lowest GPA was a 1.9.</p>
<p>The top 10% of my school GPA ranges from 3.6-4.1
Valedictorian got 4.1, I was ranked 20 and I had a 3.75</p>
<p>Haiku: I agree and when they do, I think it's very pretentious.</p>
<p>AngryGoldfish: No need for a rude streak in your comment. "Yet" may have referred to people that study, but he was still arrogant in his observations. I also feel that there's no reason for you to reiterate the fact that I didn't study. I know I didn't and I don't need to be reminded. Don't be THAT guy. Hahahaha</p>
<p>Hahahaha, I totally wasn't trying to be THAT guy. I made no defense of his arrogance, trust me. If anything, I was trying to help you see that you shouldn't be offended by it. Sorry for bringing it up, but that was sort of the evidence. Truce? :P</p>
<p>chance threads are pretty silly and useless.</p>
<p>however, OP, even with amazing stats, ECs, recs, essays, etc, no one has a sure in at the top schools, so i interpret those posters as posting out of anxiety rather than bragging (as a general rule). maybe they take where they go to college a little too seriously as you point out in your original post. however, i don't see why they should be scorned for their perfectionism when you ask for leniency in regard to your test anxiety. i sense from your vitriol that your ego has been bruised.</p>