What's your "REAL" SAT Score?

Test Preparation
1

<p>People always say that the SAT isn't everything. There is also GPA, ECs, essays, recs, and courseload. Below is an interesting way to calculate your "REAL" SAT score, which takes into account all of the above factors. Although it is far from perfect, I think it is somewhat accurate.</p>

<p>Step 1 - SAT score</p>

<p>Start out with your original SAT score (out of 2400)</p>

<p>Step 2 - Class Rank:</p>

<p>valedictorian or top 1% = add 2400 points
top 5% = add 2100 points
top 10% = add 1950 points
top 15% = add 1860 points
top 20% = add 1800 points
top 25% = add 1730 points
top 30% = add 1670 points
top 35% = add 1610 points
top 40% = add 1560 points
top 45% = add 1500 points
top 50% = add 1460 points
bottom 50% = add 1400 points
bottom 25% = add 1200 points
bottom 10% = add 1000 points
dead last = add 600 points</p>

<p>Step 3 - ECs and Awards:</p>

<p>Outstanding = add 1200 points
Very Good = add 1050 points
Decent = add 900 points
Average = add 700 points
Sub-par = add 500 points
Non-Existent = add 300 points</p>

<p>Step 4 - Recs & Essays:</p>

<p>Outstanding = add 600 points
Very Good = add 520 points
Decent = add 450 points
Average = add 350 points
Sub-par = add 250 points
They Suck = add 150 points</p>

<p>Step 5 - Courseload:</p>

<p>Hardest Possible = add 600 points
Very Tough = add 520 points
Tough = add 450 points
Average = add 350 points
Below Average = add 250 points
Powder-Puff classes = add 150 points</p>

<p>Final Step:</p>

<p>Whatever your total is, divide it by 3 to get your "REAL" SAT score. My "REAL" SAT score is ~1970, compared to my SAT score of 2030. The best score you can have is 2400, just like the SAT.</p>

2

<p>Haha nice, I got a 2046 on this and 2020 on the SAT</p>

3

<p>2173 on this vs 2110 on real</p>

4

<p>cool... did you develop this method yourself?
actual: 235 (PSAT) (junior)
your way: 2383</p>

5

<p>2150 on this vs 2120 on real thing... cool formula make sure colleges dont steal it for admissions lol</p>

6

<p>"cool... did you develop this method yourself?"</p>

<p>Yes. </p>

<p>Actual SAT = test-taking ability</p>

<p>"REAL" SAT = acceptability</p>

7

<p>I did a lot better with this formula. (That's what I get for being between the top 3-5% in class rank.. :p)
Actual SAT=2270
Real SAT=2180</p>

<p>But still am definitely disadvantaged here..</p>

8

<p>1860 on SAT to 1790 to "REAL"</p>

9

<p>Even with a "perfect" 2400 using your method, people can still get rejected....</p>

10

<p>Actual: 2260
"REAL": 2103</p>

<p>Slightly underestimating my recs/essays...</p>

11

<p>Actual: 2200 (34 on ACT, so I put 2280 for my "real" SAT)
Real: 2300. Depends on what you define as "outstanding ECs" </p>

<p>what would you say is outstanding?</p>

12

<p>Think of outstanding EC's the same way you think of class rank. The best of the best are outstanding. Outstanding would mean:</p>

<p>Being involved in several clubs and activities and probably president of a lot of them. </p>

<p>Perhaps excelling at a sport or sports to the point where you could be recruited. </p>

<p>Being nationally ranked in something.</p>

<p>Winning numerous awards, both academic and athletic. </p>

<p>In a class, the term "outstanding" for ECs should be applied to only 1% or 2% of the students, just like the top point total in the "class rank" section. In my class of ~280 students, there are probably less than 5 who have "outstanding" EC's. </p>

<p>One kid is literally involved in everything. Prez of NHS, track star, soccer team, student concil exec, math team, forensics, school Math award, NM Finalist, scholar athlete, altar server, teaches kids religion at his parish, etc. The list goes on and on. Many of his activities are laundry list EC's, but man aren't. He is the epitome of "outstanding" when it comes to EC's IMO.</p>

13

<p>Actual: 2090
"REAL" (using my interpretations): ~2250 rounded (since interpretations vary, I did a best and worse case scenario, and they came out to be ~2200 and ~2300, respectively) </p>

<p>I was hoping for, at least, 2300. I already took the SATs twice, one more shot before it starts to look pathetic.</p>

<p>To help with the investigation of EC and Award interpretation, I'll post my stuff. I said they were "very good." I;m currently a Junior, but I put my ideal stuff as if I were a senior.</p>

<p>National Junior Honor Society (9 elected candle-lighter)
Badminton Club (9)
Newspaper Club (9)
Crier Newspaper (10,11,12 layout editor)
Concert Band, 2nd seat tuba (9,10,11,12)
Marching Band, sousaphone (10,11,12)
Mathletes (9,10,11,12 president)
Quiz Bowl (10,12)
Art Club (11)
Class of 08 (10,11,12)
Science Honor Society (10,11,12 position)
National Honor Society (11,12)
Mu Alpha Theta (11,12)
Tri-M Music Honor Society (11,12)
Language Honor Society (Spanish, Sign Language, Japanese) (11,12)
Homework Club (tutor) (11,<em>12)
200+ hr. of volunteering at local hospital (summers and falls of '05, '06)
~50 hr. of Sign Language shows for Christmas, Lights On, Lanaguage Week (9,10,</em>12)
50+ hr. for tutor and honor societies' community service
negligible (2) hours for friend's mom
District Concert Band (by audition), 2nd seat tuba (11)
High Honor Roll (1x/MP,9,10,11,<em>12)
Principal's Award (9)
Selected for AMC, but results are yet unknown (11,</em>12)
All American Scholar (11)
Mathletes High Scorer (9 shared,10,11 second highest scorer)
Elmer Heinecke Award (9)
NHS Certificate of Induction (11)
...and a plethora of other menial in-school awards</p>

14

<p>Haha. My school doesn't rank, so I just gave myself a top 5%.</p>

<p>2236 and 2/3. vs. actual 2360.</p>

<p>Not too bad.</p>

15

<p>wow i got an 1870 on my original SAT and an 1870 with this formula</p>

16

<p>I like this method - it gives more depth into your actual ability and academic personality than how good you are at taking a test (which is basically what the SAT is). Plus I did better using it than on the real test. XD
I got an 2003 this way versus and 1890 on the actual thing. Though I'm sure if I actually studied for it I would have done better. ^^;;</p>

17

<p>2270 v. 2306 or 2356, depending on what my EC and Awards are considered:</p>

<p>Math Tutor (11th)
Spanish Tutor (10th, 11th)
Science Research (rising 11th, 11th)
AIME qualifier (10th, 11th)
SET qualifier (getting 740 SAT-I math in 8th grade)
XC/Spring track (10th,11th) - looking to get recruited for 400/800 (can run 1:00/2:10 so far, so I need to get those times down a little more...)
NMS Finalist (most likely)
AP Scholar with Honor (10th), most likely AP National Scholar this year</p>

18

<p>this actually... works amazingly well. kudos kudos</p>

19

<p>Felt the urge to revive this post because it’s pretty cool!</p>

<p>Got 2090, was hoping for 2100, got ~2150. : p</p>

20

<p>2020 on this, 2220 on the real sat.</p>

<p>I think a lot of people overcorrect with this formula by saying that their ecs are outstanding or their essays are outstanding… I was fiarly honest with myself. I assume the places I’m applying will have a lot of good writers, and so my essays will be “average”. I never won a national science competition and haven’t eliminated poverty in a small country, so my ecs are certainly not “outstanding”. If I were to overcorrect, my score jumps to 2190, but that’s still lower than my real score.</p>

<p>I just have a feeling some of you guys are being dishonest with yourselves.</p>