Hi, everybody, I’m in a little bit of a dilemma and any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Basically, I’m applying to Harvard REA for engineering as well as UCLA, UCSB, UCB, USC, UW, Cal Poly, and a few others for engineering.
I have a 1480 superscored new SAT (690 CR, 790M) which is equivalent to a 34 ACT, good EC’s, solid essays. However, there’s one problem.
I’m sitting on a 700 Math II Subject test and have not taken a science subject test. I have taken regular Bio freshman year and regular Chemistry Junior year. I’m currently signed up to take Math II again and Bio E on Nov. 5, but I pretty much know that I’d fail Bio, as I’m incredibly unprepared. The way I see it, I have a few options:
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Apply to all the schools above including Early Action at Harvard without sending the Nov. 5 subject test scores. The disadvantages of this are that I know that Engineering programs want to see subject test scores in science and math.
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Take the literature subject test on Nov. 5 and pray for a good score (can’t see myself scoring above a 700)
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Study 12 hours a day for the next few days and try to salvage a 650 or so on Chemistry or Biology on Nov. 5
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Give up on Early Action at Harvard which would give me another month to study for subject tests.
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Apply undecided to all of these schools so that the subject test wouldn’t be as much of an issue. Try to transfer later.
My main questions are, how important are subject tests for these schools for engineering programs, and how much of an advantage is Early Action at Harvard? By the way, I am a double legacy for Harvard as both parents went there.
Any help would be amazing! Thank you.
My advice here might be totally worthless, but I will give it a shot. I think you should go for #3…with a qualification. Your Math II score needs improvement. I’m guessing you’ve got that covered. Assuming that’s the case, take Math II. Have you taken any official CB practice tests for Bio? Are you scoring near 700? If not…I wouldn’t take it.
I think the double legacy will go a long way. If you apply early, you demonstrate interest. If you don’t get in, you still have time to improve your subject tests for RD.
On a separate note…I think your SAT score is a little low. You might consider retaking that as well.
You think my SAT score is low? Keep in mind it’s the new SAT. It’s around a 34 ACT. Thanks for your reply.
According to the CB’s concordance tables, new SAT 1480 = 32 ACT. That’s low for Harvard. Probably a bigger problem than your subject tests.
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/pdf/higher-ed-brief-sat-concordance.pdf
Hmmm… I’ve already taken it twice. Do you think a potential marginal raise in my score would make the difference in admission?
Your math score is totally solid. You just need to bring the RW section up. How much did you prepare the other times you took it? If you focused on that portion alone, you could probably bring it up. I think you need 40-50 points. I think that would make a difference…you might want some other opinions. Unless you’ve cured cancer or have some other crazy EC stuff, I don’t know that your legacy status alone is enough to offset a borderline bottom quartile SAT/ACT score.
Don’t get me wrong…your scores are great. But it’s Harvard…so the competition is crazy.
Yeah I totally get you. I didn’t prepare much either time, but if I were to take it again I would need to take the subject tests in January which I don’t know is enough time. I don’t know how much I’d be able to bring my reading score up by.
The fastest fix here at this moment is to change the intended major.
Looking ahead to your UC and CSU applications, you are definitely not going to want to apply as an Engineering major with a 700 on your Math 2 subject test.
If I change the major to something else but raise my math II to say a 750, would it be worth it to keep my intended major as engineering if I don’t have a science subject test?
I’m not a test-prep expert, but if you didn’t put much prep time in before the other tests, then there is probably lots of room for improvement based on a focused effort (i.e. tutor, Khan Academy, prep books, etc) for several weeks. You wouldn’t be able to do it for EA but you could do it Dec or Jan and have those scores for RD. If you weren’t legacy, I would probably tell you not to sweat it…but you’ve got a hook that other kids don’t have. IF you really want to go to Harvard, it might be worth it.
You cannot get into engineering at UCLA without a science and math subject test. There are too many others that have them. At admissions talk they told us strongly recommended = have to have them. S was admitted, (but went elsewhere) and yes, he had the subject tests. So if you want a shot, you have to take a science subject test.
Are you in AP Chem, Bio or Physics currently? Thinking if you are that would be the one to add. You can add on a subject test when you get there (can take up to 3). Not that you need to take three, but you can add or replace one with another, that kind of thing.
As of now I’m leaning towards just changing my major when applying and accepting the fact that I may get into more schools under a different major and trying to transfer to Engineering, however unlikely that may be. I’m really unconfident in my science skills. Took regular Bio freshman year and regular chem last year.
Agree with the above poster except that you need to report all your SAT scores once taken.
don’t apply engineering! engineering is one of the most score-based majors, meaning that you need very top (50-75th percentile) scores to get into the better programs, unless you have amazing EC’s or super good hooks.
double legacy is a huge hook, but your SAT and SAT II scores (or lack there of) may eliminate the hooks…I’m pretty sure 1480 on the New SAT is 25th percentile for Harvard. So unless you’re parents are notable alumni/you are a recruited athlete/coveted URM (assuming no…) …then I’d say REA is a bad idea.
Good luck!
I guess the big question is - do you really want to study engineering in college? If so, you may want to take a gap year, try and get your SATs and Subjects tests up to higher percentiles and apply next year for Autumn 2018 admissions.
The thing is, I’m not very committed to engineering. I think I’d be able to get into engineering for Cal Poly and UW with my current scores, maybe I should just change my major for the other schools.