<p>My teachers have been tutoring me hard to get a SAT Score above 2100. I took about 10 timed actually administered practice tests in which my minimum score circled about 650 in each of the sections. In fact, I never acquired below 700 in Writing section (I had 790 in my last practice exam). However, my current score is significantly (and downright shockingly) below what my teachers and I had expected as a minimum; 600 math, 600 reading and 600 writing . I will send my exam for a handscore, but I cannot expect the scores early enough to be able to send them in for the EA and ED consideration.</p>
<p>Extremely shocked and concerned as they are, my tutors will be pleased to write to the colleges explaining how they have witnessed my progress and how my current SAT Scores do not represent my genuine capability. Is it a good idea to let them do so? Can teachers write to colleges on your behalf? Has anybody done that before?</p>
<p>Please let me know! </p>
<p>P.S I am an international student from a place where few students apply abroad to study and neither me nor my teachers have a clear idea about how to deal with the USA application process. </p>
<p>you took the test 10 times!!! THATS CRAZY. colleges are prolly not gonna like that too much. also dont worry. i got 2130 first try, and a 1990 2nd try (IKR). i just sent my first sat score and not the 2nd to the colleges that didnt require all sat scores, but to the one that DID require all scores, i just sent it and didnt explain anything. tbh i didnt have anything to explain cause i took the 2nd test 8 months later and i didnt practice at all for those 8 months. if u have a legitimate reason for why u did poorly, then you should mention it somewhere.</p>
<p>Do not have your tutors write to colleges.it will look like not only your score is low, but you had a lot of test preparation and still ended up with low score. Consider taking another test and apply RD instead of ED. </p>
<p>I took ten ‘practice’ tests and 2 actual ones. With 3 months of preparation, I really knew where I stood before I took the second one. I do not know what blunder I made but as my college admission is at stake, I am looking for a way to let the colleges know that my SAT Score does not reflect my actual capacity.</p>
<p>P.S I have straight As in A Levels and my highschool GPA is 3.85/4 (year 13) and 4/4 (year 12)</p>
<p>Let me understand, you took the actual test twice and your score both times was 1800? If so, that is your score. Why have some tutor try and explain that in practice tests you scored higher. No college is going to listen to that.</p>
<p>Let the rest of your application speak to for you and be sure to apply to schools that will accept students with an 1800 SAT score.</p>
<p>If you take it twice and still have lot score, then that’s you’re score. It is not uncommon for students to mess up their first time taking it. I did and got a writing score of a 660. The second time I did it, my writing score was a 730, which is in my normal practice range. It is uncommon to mess up twice. If you still got an 1800, then that’s gonna be your score. Were the practice tests official SAT tests from the blue book? Were you being timed? Were you taking it in the morning, and taking the breaks when you’re supposed to? If the answer is no to any of these questions, I’m not surprised your real scores were lower. Do not write the letter. Cause then it’ll seem like you got tutoring and still got a low score. Just hope that your grades and all you have to offer are good enough. Scores aren’t everything. </p>
<p>Are you seriously suggesting that your tutors should contact schools to tell them that your practice SAT scores were higher than your actual SAT scores? That’s like an Olympic runner’s coach asking the Olympic judges to knock a few seconds off of the runner’s time because, hey, he always does better in practice!</p>
<p>College admissions officers know that the SAT measures nothing more than how well you performed on this one test on this one day, when you might have been feeling sick or nervous or whatever else. That’s why SAT scores aren’t weighed as heavily as grades – because anything can happen to make your score less than perfectly reflective of your real ability.</p>
<p>Here’s what your tutors can actually do that might help you: they can submit letters of recommendation to colleges that ask for them. If they can say that you’re a good student, intellectually curious, interested in learning, etc., that’s something that colleges will actually pay attention to. </p>
<p>Finally, I see that you’re worried about ED and EA applications, but would it be possible for you to take the December SAT and try to do better? You say you’re an international, so I don’t know if the SAT is offered in December anywhere close to you. That would mean your December scores wouldn’t be available for the ED and EA applications – so you should think hard about whether you’re willing to wait to apply RD on the gamble that your Dec. scores will be better than your current scores. It may be a tough choice.</p>
<p>I have an 1890 (superscore from both sittings). I have been one of the top students my entire life. I have a near-perfect GPA and literally no obvious flaw in terms of academic and extracurricular records. I’ve done researchwork and even massive loads of community service. My ivy league dream has been already shattered. This is just shattering my dreams of a topnotch college even.</p>
<p>@oxoxhawja3xoxo I took the tests in a test center with actual testing conditions and timing. Sometimes I skipped breaks to see what’s my minimum. </p>
<p>@dustypig Dude, I have started to save up for college applications. I cannot waste so much money on SAT. I have paid for SAT tutoring and will also pay for the recheck. </p>
<p>I don’t think a tutor trying to explain your low SAT I grades is helpful, as there is really nothing to explain. I think it draws more negatives than positives. And you say these are paid SAT tutors, that is just not done. If English is your 2nd language it may be noted. You will just have to take your chances. Your other academics may trump all, esp A levels. But you might like to cross check the list of test optional colleges, there are enough colleges that are Ivy peers or very close to give you an excellent education if that is what you really seek. </p>
<p>Absolutely do not have your tutors write letters. Since the tutors are hired to work with your, their input will be viewed as completely biased in your favor and would not hold any weight with admissions. Your scores will be evaluated in the context of the rest of your entire application. There are many people who are not great standardized test takers. </p>
If u are from s non-english speaking country, then colleges will not expect u to have SAT scores as high as american students. Suggest u take the toefl & submit that.</p>
<p>Being from an under-represented country might give u an advantage in the int’l applicant pool. Good luck.</p>
<p>@GMTplus7 You are right in a way, but my peers (who have done relatively bad in school than I) have scores soaring way above mine (2200s). I’ll still give couple of test-requiring schools a shot. I’d never really know where I stand if I do not try. Thank you so much</p>
<p>If you need a lot of financial aid, as an international, that will have a factor in your admissions. So you should have schools where your test scores put you in the very upper brackets if you need money as well as an admissions. </p>
<p>I don’t think your tutor’s letter will make any difference, except possibly as a good letter of rec, but unless this tutor is used to doing this sort of thing, it’s risky. Most student keep the tutoring and test prep stuff out of the picture. But if you think it might be benifical, have it done for some schools and not others–spread the risk around that way. Most fair test type of schools give their money to high test scorers by the way. My one son with top grades and did not submit test scores to those schools didn’t get a dime of merit from them.</p>