question is should you look at SAT range for specific college or overall. Rule of thumb is generally u should be at the 50th percentile or better to submit scores. With UVA, does that mean the “overall” 50th percentile of 1460? or should you base it on specific college median - ie 1490 for engineering or 1375 for education. I would assume the latter…
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Mathematically, this represents a very perplexing rule of thumb, since, if universally followed, essentially all highly selective colleges would, through iteration, eventually report an average SAT score of 1600.
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For a school that admits by major (some admit just to the college) and you have the range by major, use that as you note.
btw - i’m not so sure on the 50% part.
That’s personal - but that means that 50% scored below whatever the # is.
At a small D3 school level, some says the lower scores are athletes. But that’s unlikely at UVA engineering. And a score - if above the 25th % shows something - you can compete.
As a school 51% submitted the SAT and 21% the ACT - so 28% (or more) submitted nothing. Reason I say or more - some may have submitted both. That’s overall so not engineering specific…I don’t know but would assume engineering would have a higher submission rate.
Also, and I’m getting this from the UVA Common Data Set, the most important things are rigor, rank, gpa, recommendations, and state of residency.
Then the essay, ECs and talents.
The next bucket is is test scores which is in the same bucket as first gen, alumni relation, and ethnicity.
So if you’re above the 25% for engineering, I’d submit it - but if you don’t submit, it probably won’t hurt too much since the school’s weighting is little. But if you do and you’re within the range, i don’t see how it would hurt you.
Just one person’s opinion.
Good luck
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Shouldn’t it get close, but never actually reach 1600 (apologies to Zeno)?
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Here’s engineering for Fall 2021 (Class of 2025). I haven’t seen school specific data for Class of 2026 (which is likely higher because of people blindly following a supposed rule of thumb).
Class of 2025 (entering Fall 2021): Sat Math 50%ile 770, EBRW 720, ACT 34
School of Education: 50%ile SAT math 675, EBRW 700, ACT 31
I would use the school specific numbers as a guideline, considering the subject area breakdown (for engineering be at the math number).
Yes, many people do suggest only submitting scores at the midpoint or above…but has UVA given that guidance in their admissions sessions? Obviously as noted above that is an unsustainable practice. What does your student’s HS GC say?
Generally, submit the scores if they strengthen the app. Don’t submit if they don’t strengthen the app. Of course there is a gray area there, hopefully your HS GC can give some guidance.
https://ira.virginia.edu/university-stats-facts/undergraduate-admissions
yeah but it isn’t
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my numbers were correct madam
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Edited my post. What are your scores/for which school, and what does your HS GC recommend?
Since SAT results land on discrete figures (e.g., 1480, 1490, 1500, . . .), I believe the averages would attain 1600 under the scenario posted.
recommended to submit if over the 25th percentile - as landing in the lower end of the score range is partially offset by the higher admit rate of 26% for score submitters…
And students who don’t follow your stated rule of thumb get into highly selective colleges with regularity.
yes, that’s why i said rule of thumb as opposed to saying this happens every time
The higher admit rate for score submitters doesn’t tell us that uva prefers test scores, as test submitters may have had overall stronger apps (with or without scores)
Do you feel your test scores strengthen your app?
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if my score is at the 25th percentile, then yes vs the 24.9% of submitters below me, and no vs the 74.9% of score submitters above me - it has to be reviewed on a relative basis with context
did u share your scores - it would help me to compare to the table posted above - to at least give you my take. I’d like to see the split.
Thanks
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If you listen to anyone who works in my office (or follow me on social media), you know that sustained classroom performance (four years of courses and grades) are the most important part of the application review. No one gets in because of their test score here. Consider that for most of our students, the math on the SAT is material they had 1-3 years ago (probably 2-3 for the engineers). The scores don’t tell us what we need to know…the transcripts do.
When in doubt, just go TO and move on. Remember that the people encouraging you to fixate on testing aren’t admission officers. 
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^ this
an island of clarity in an opaque ocean filled with disinformation- much appreciated…
You must also notice on test scores that they went up between 2019-2021 because with test optional only those with higher scores submitted them, those with lower did not. 2020 was a bit lower but I think that may be do to people taking gap years. If you are in the 25% of 2021 scores I think you are fine because that number is about 30 points higher for the SAT and 2 points higher for the ACT due to people self selecting whether they submit scores or not. As Dean J has said, classroom performance comes first.
This situation has only been in place for a year, with TO-affected CDS’s just appearing. I mentioned this quite a while ago, noting that “mid-point on the 202-21 CDS” would/should become the recommendation.
21-22 CDS’s I’ve seen so far are reflecting this impact to various extents, as not everyone follows this guidance. It appears to be more Impactful at elite schools. I suspect the stereotypical T20 applicant is more attuned to these subtleties that the average StateU applicant.
And as a discrete metric in 10 point increments, it would indeed reach 1600.