<p>Pomona's my first choice and I've already expressed a lot of interest in the school, plan to do an overnight and interview in the fall (I live in New York, so going to Claremont is quite a trek), and will definitely apply early decision. I'm confident that my grades and courses are up to Pomona's standards, and my extra curriculars are extremely strong and focused. However, I'm not a minority, do not have legacy status, and do not play a sport. In my opinion, the only factor of my application that will keep me out of Pomona is my SAT scores. I plan to retake them in October, but don't expect to improve more than approx. 100 points. Please take a look at my scores and give me your opinions about my chances.</p>
<p><strong>if i'm lucky, i should be able to bring each of these to the 720ish area</strong></p>
<p>Also, I've taken 3 SAT2s and recieved the same score on each one, 720 (sooo annoying..can't complain but still not great). They are US History, Chemistry, and Math Level 2.</p>
<p>well I think that your SATs could be higher, but with the SAT2 grades behind, you should be ok, as long has you have substantial 'matter' i.e. high school grades, ECs, passionate essays...I think that the sats are a tool the college uses to evaluate the applicants on a level plane before they really dig into the application and read between the lines of the info you promote. I feel this is especially true for the colleges having a 20,000+ applicant pool, but pomona's this year was 5,500 as they told us. As long as you 'sell' yourself as the perfect applicant, promoting your qualities and how you will benefit/contribute to the college, all the chances are on your side. But again with the sats, I don't think you should kill yourself over them, there are much more important things that you could be dedicating yourself to, plus at LACs, numbers are not everything as pomona is treats you as an INDIVIDUAL and not a number as the ivies do.</p>
<p>something like 45% of Pomona's 09 matriculants had verbal sat scores 750 or better, and 35% had math scores 750 or better. NUmbers don't get you in, they get you considered----shine somewhere else or check out the game plan on the sats</p>
<p>ivywise89 - I wouldn't worry too much about your scores. Comparing my scores to other people (see the other post "Could i be a Sagehen" - <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=200094%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=200094</a>) my admission into Pomona stands to show there is a lot more than simply standardized test scores and AP scores that Pomona considers. I was accepted without any AP scores in my file. I had taken one sophomore year and one junior year and both yielded disappointing 3's, so I decided not to send them in and discredit A+'s in their respective courses. Just like you, I got a 2040 on the SAT, but I had much worse SAT II's than you do, I would consider yours very good.</p>
<p>The thing that saved me was the ACT. When I took the ACT I got a 32 which placed me in a much higher percentage (99%). This also incredibly helped with my extremely low SAT II scores, which were rather embarassing, because I didn't have to submit them. If you take the ACT w/ the writing portion and do well all you have to do is send in that ONE score and you'll be set. Not the SAT and three other SAT II's, but ONE single score! I really don't understand why more people don't concentrate on the ACT - it seems like a much better deal. Just from looking at these forums and from my college visits last year, everyone is consumed with worries about the SAT. Forget the SAT and it's lame SAT II tests and just take the ACT. Rather than a bunch of "reasoning" questions you are asked about real stuff you've been doing throughout all of your time in school. For me, it was a much easier test. I doubt I would have been fortunate enough to have the choices I had come May 1st if it weren't for my good ACT score and ability to NOT send in my SAT records. I got into Vassar, Bowdoin, Kenyon, Pomona, Tufts and others, just for example. Seriously, you don't have much to lose by taking the ACT, $50 or however much it costs and one Saturday morning. I would, however, try to take it twice this upcoming year. If found the science section to be pretty easy one time and very challenging the other time - 35 vs. 29. Best of luck to you - try the ACT and don't worry too much about the scores!</p>
<p>Great point K. My S and other friends of his at Pomona got in via ACT scores vs SAT's. My S's SAT was not extrodinary at all and he took the ACT cold just once with no studying and did great. It is definitely worth taking.</p>
<p>I got in and my scores were probably right about the same as yours. I had a 1360 on the SAT and 680 on Writing. I was worried too but they definitely look past the SATs</p>
<p>My SAT score was actually lower than the one youre worried about, (650V650M), and I got in, but then again, I'm a URM so what do I know? :] I do, however, stongly recommend taking the ACT. Some people score miles better than their SAT, maybe because of the science section or whatever. Just try it. And the best part is, no SAT II scores! Yay!</p>
<p>i don't think your SAT scores will disqualify you from Pomona and your SAT 2 scores are very good. since pomona is such a small school, they will scrutinize your whole application, especially the essays, recommendations, and interview. they are looking for students that are interesting and will fit into their world (and they do have a good idea of what they are looking for!) if your SAT's were any lower that might cause you some difficulty in getting accepted to pomona, but as they are, i think they are a neutral factor (won't help, won't hurt)...</p>