<p>titanium,
i disagree with you on this claim that the SATs weigh in so much during the application process, least at Kenyon itself. First off, I would like to hear your reasoning as to what makes the SATs biased. Even then, Kenyon pays a lot of attention into the quality of your application and your interest and your compatibility to the college; scores (grades and SATs) are not the sole measures for your acceptance/denial. That said, of course you are expected to maintain a certain level in terms of your scores and grades if you are to be accepted at a competitive institution of higher learning.</p>
<p>for us citizens it is just one part of the admission process......but for internationals the SAT isthe most crucial factor for admission.........for internationals, academics are the sole reason they accept the students.....even if you are top 1% of the class at a school such as St.Xavier's(for others - St.Xavier's is one of the top schools of our country where 350 students are selected out of a total 4,000 students), if you score badly on the SAT you have minute chances of getting into top 20 colleges-national as well as liberal arts........However if you score, say like a 1500 /1600 on the SAT, you're chances sky rockets........the GPA and the percentiles do have an effect but they do not carry as much weight as the SAT.........even if you have loads of ec's,stellar recom letters, and essays, it all comes down to how you performed on the 4 hr. SAT.......</p>
<p>Well, I still beg to differ on this one! I am from Nepal myself and know about St. Xaviers. Of course, the SATs are very important, specially because US schools are not well aware of Nepal's education system (the +2/ISc. program in case of Xaviers). As such, they are looking for a uniform (read standarized) test score upon which they can judge your performance. That said, I have worked at Admissions for over a year, and know for a fact that schools are usually looking for well-rounded students, not SAT geniuses. Now a good score wouldn't hurt but...</p>
<p>scoring great on the SATs will boost your chances significantly......... people who have worked hard for four years are denied admission because of a four hour test.........you can observe that most Nepalese score high in maths and SAT subject tests, however, they face difficulty in facing the CR section because english is not their first language........</p>
<p>well, i completely understand your argument but from the standpoint of the college, it is essential that your English, despite being your second language, meets certain requirements. If you have not been to the US yet, mark my words, English is going to make a HUGE difference when you do get here. I know of many friends who are having serious difficulties in following the curriculum because of their deficiency in the language. As such, Nepali students need to push their proficiency in English significantly; getting accepted by a college is only a job half done! It is very unfortunate for most Nepali students, given the lack of opportunities, but at the same time, it is the truth.</p>
<p>why are we arguing over this? if you get admitted, then good for you. if you get waitlisted, all the best. if you get rejected, then too bad. thats that.</p>
<p>Well I just got my letter and I was waitlisted...
I'm so disappointed, I had all my hopes on Kenyon, and last year no one on the waitlist was accept.
I don't know what to do.... my stats are all right on par or above Kenyon's average and I came right out and said that Kenyon was my first choice in my essay.
Congrats to everyone who got in.</p>