<p>Probably most of you guys know about the new SAT policy where the gap between rich and poor widens. Actually, i have mixed feelings about it. Anyway, you can choose which scores to send to colleges. In other words, if you take the test five times, you can send your best ones. So this is a question for rising juniors and for future applicants:</p>
<p>Are you planning to use this new policy and take the tests numerous times to see which sitting you do your best on. If so, why and if not, why again. For some people, nothing will probably change as you will only take it once. </p>
<p>As of now, I do not plan on taking advantage of the new policy.</p>
<p>I plan on taking the SAT I once on January 24, 2008. After looking at these scores, I may decide to retake it on March 14, 2008.</p>
<p>I could take the SAT on every date possible while cramming between each sitting, but that's not how I want to spend my junior year. People here seem to take the miserable approach to school. I believe in balance and happiness, which is why I do three varsity sports and make sure I have hangout time with friends.</p>
<p>Also, all that money would be a huge waste.</p>
<p>As for the SATII, I won't take every one. In fact, I'll probably have only done five in total by college app time.</p>
<p>The SAT I(I) in general seems to take on too much significance on this website, in my opinion.</p>
<p>Hmm that is very interesting. Atleast, it gives students a bit more control about the whole app. process because it does get overwhelming. That is one positive element see of it. However, there should be a cap of maybe four. People should not be allowed to take it six, seven times and pick and choose their scores.</p>
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Probably most of you guys know about the new SAT policy where the gap between rich and poor widens.
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<p>how would this happen? Those who cannot afford to pay for the test can ask their counselors for a waiver. There isn't a limit on how many waivers you can use.</p>
<p>If you are eligible, you are entitled to use fee waivers to cover the cost of two SAT Reasoning Test registrations and two Subject Test registrations (for a maximum of six Subject Tests). "</p>
<p>Taking any exam multiple times is stressful. I am quite sure if I had a ton
of money neither my sibling nor I would want to take the exams more than
2 times.</p>
<p>I have a question-Let's say you take three subject tests in one sitting. You like the score from 1 out of the 3 tests. Can you just send that one score, or is it attached together-like the canceling policy?</p>
<p>The new policy will probably lead me to take the SATS three times this year instead of twice. Not a big difference, but if I could take the October test date, it would force me to study and help me in PSATS in the process (I scored in the high 190s sophomore year and would really like Nat'l Merit). Knowing that it won't be seen by anybody encourages me to take the extra test even though the score is probably worse than I will do in January and May</p>
<p>"The SAT I(I) in general seems to take on too much significance on this website, in my opinion."</p>
<p>I totally agree with this statement. Seriously, the SAT does NOT predict college success at all. IMO, the two things that predict college success are ur courseload and GPA. I have people in my school who have an easy courseload, 3.3 or 3.4 GPA and manage to score a 2300+ on the SAT.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I've also seen people who score btw 1900-2000 and are taking 4 or 5 APs every year with an exellent GPA UW 3.95+. These are the people who get into the top colleges and succeed their as well.</p>
<p>Basically, college success all depends on how ambitious and hard working u are, if u have the deisre to succeed in college and professional life, u will do so no matter wht ur SAT score is. IMO, there is no purpose for the SAT, I find it completely useless.</p>
<p>I personally think a 3.4 GPA and 2300 SAT is more of an accomplishment than 3.8 GPA and 1900 SAT... I have friends who get close to 4.0 GPA just because of the school and lack of rigorous course load. However, SAT is the same standard for everyone.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the SAT is not the same standard for everyone. There are those who can afford (in terms of first, money and second, time) test prep up the wazoo to enhance their score chances. There are exceptionally bright kids who go into the SAT without any prep and do badly, simply because the test format is unlike most tests one takes in their high school. On the opposite end of this spectrum are kids who spend months in expensive test prep courses and/or tutoring and have taken the SAT format test so many practice times its second nature---and about a zillion iterations in-between....</p>
<p>For the former, to be judged merely on their performance on one Saturday of their lives--without taking into context the sum of 3-4 years of academic experience--seems a little unbalanced. For the latter, more power to them, but how is an admissions officer supposed to know the difference?</p>
<p>I'm always glad I'm not an admissions officer....though I would enjoy reading applications, don't want to be the one making judgement calls.....</p>
<p>Here's why I don't worry about taking the SAT more than once, if the applicant thinks that's a good idea: </p>
<p>ONE-TIME TEST-TAKING </p>
<p>Colleges have given up trying to distinguish one-time test-takers from two-time or three-time or even four-time test-takers, because that wasn't useful information to the colleges. There are a number of reasons for that. </p>
<p>1) The colleges have utterly no way of knowing who spends all his free time practicing taking standardized tests and who takes them "cold." </p>
<p>2) The colleges are well aware that students who have actually taken the tests sometimes cancel scores, so they have little incentive to give students bonus consideration if the students submit only one test score. </p>
<p>3) The colleges are aware that students who take the admission tests at middle-school age, who are numerous, do not have their earlier test scores submitted by default. </p>
<p>5) Colleges are in the business of helping students learn, and they don't mind students taking efforts to improve their scores. They know that students prepare for tests. </p>
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<p>These arguments make sense to Mr. Fitzsimmons [dean of admission at Harvard], who said, “People are going to prepare anyway, so they might as well study chemistry or biology.” He added that “the idea of putting more emphasis on the subject tests is of great interest” to his group.
<p>so now there is less reason than ever to suppose that colleges care how many times you take the test, because the colleges have no way to know how many times you took the test officially. </p>
<p>Colleges treat applicants uniformly now by considering their highest scores, period. </p>
<p>SJTH ... you can basically say that about anything. There will always be wealthy people getting an edge. I can say that about GPA too because rich people can get tutored .... However, with that being said....each school has a different way of grading and different teachers are either harsh or lenient when marking. That change between each student does not occur in the SAT.</p>
<p>Shad, you're completely right; I was just responding to the notion that the SAT "is the same standard for everyone." It isn't. It's good that the Adcoms cover regions and schools, so they can get to know individual schools' idiosyncracies, demographics etc. Tough job they have!</p>