Which scores should I send to Yale?

[fedfan1998]

As you all likely know, Yale requires either all SAT, all ACT, or all of both if you wish to send all of them. I have a couple of issues on both sides.

I took the SAT 4 times, and only took the ACT once, but received a 20 on the Writing section!

Here are my full scores:

ACT (35C - 32R, 34E, 36M, 36S)

SAT (2090 - 660CR, 740M, 690W)
2120 - 670CR 730M 720W

2240 - 760CR 680M 800W
2270 - 760CR 800M 710W

Superscore for SAT is 2360 (760CR, 800M, 800W).

I’m kind of confused on what to send - a horrible writing score only once or 4 SAT tests!

Thanks!

[jym626]

Doesn’t Yale require you to send all yoru scores? Its a non-issue.

[fedfan1998]

@jym626 From their website, “Yale does not participate in Score Choice for the reporting of SAT or ACT scores. You should report all scores you have received on whichever test you choose to submit. If you submit both the SAT and ACT to Yale, you should submit all scores received on both tests.”

http://admissions.yale.edu/standardized-testing

[Testingearly]

Did you ask for a rescore on the writing?

[fedfan1998]

@Testingearly No, by the time I knew there was such a policy for rescoring, my 3 months had expired.

[thermom]

There were widely acknowledged issues with the ACT writing section scores this past year and tons of kids with very high composite scores were getting writing scores in the teens and low 20s. I would not worry about it. It was a big enough issue that ACT ditched that scoring system after just a few administrations and have gone to a 2-12 scale now. Your 35C is excellent. Verify with Yale how they’re using the writing score (if at all) but overall your ACT is superior to your SAT results.

[jym626]

Thermometer is right about the ACT writing

[jym626]

LOL autocorrect!!

[lookingforward]

Agree not to worry about the writing. And adcoms can well look at the highest scores when evaluating them, when you provide it all.

So the issue is, do you have the rest of what Yale will look for? This concern about scores is only the tip of the iceberg.

[gibby]

I would send just the ACT for several reasons:

1. It's a fabulous score -- don't worry about the writing score, as others have said, there were issues
2. Your ACT score is at Yale's 75th percentile score on the CDS, meaning that 25% of admits had that score or better. (C9 data points) http://oir.yale.edu/sites/default/files/cds2015_2016_0.pdf
3. Your ACT score is better than any of your individual SAT test scores.
4. While many colleges allow for superscoring, IMHO selective colleges often place a higher value on a student taking a test once, and scoring high, rather than taking the test multiple times and scoring high.
5. Yale asks for a full testing record from whatever scores you submit. IMHO, taking the SAT three times might make an AO think that you were test obsessed, which might work against you.

Beyond that, as @lookingforward said: Scores are only the tip of the iceberg, and they are NOT the most important factor in whether a student is admitted or rejected. This from Jeffrey Brenzel at Yale, via the College Board’s website: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-started/video-transcription/whats-the-most-important-part-of-the-application

Students, when we’re on the road, we often play a little kind of quiz show game with students, asking what they think is the most important part of the application. Many, many students respond, “Well, the testing must be the most important.” It’s actually one of the less important elements in the file. The testing can give you a sense of what schools are within your range, and it gives the school a sense of what students in the applicant pool are within their range. The most important part of your application — bar none, no question, any college — is your high school transcript. Probably the next most important are your teacher recommendations, particularly if you’re applying to any kind of selective college or university.