<p>Let's say there's person A, with a 33 ACT score and 2230 SAT score but has a fantastic, completely unique and inspired essay and equally unique and amazing extracurriculars. Great recommendations. Lots of both breadth and depth. </p>
<p>Then there's person B, with a 35 ACT score and a 2380 SAT score. However, he has an average essay, average extracurriculars all based around academics (research, quiz bowl, etc). His recommendations are good, but not spectacular.</p>
<p>Which would an elite school prefer? I'm one of those two people now (don't check my profile to figure out which!) and I want to know your opinion. Thanks!!!!</p>
<p>I believe they would prefer person A. After a certain point, SAT scores and GPA become binary to top colleges. It’s more of a simple yes or no, they generally won’t define the minute differences between a 2310 and a 2330. </p>
<p>They’re looking for more than just intelligent students on campus. While person B may seem slightly more academically intelligent, based on test scores and other academic definitions, the differences are slight and because person A has a lot more to offer besides simple brute intellect, I feel they would be a better applicant and a top school would prefer them. </p>
<p>Which are you?</p>
<p>It would be nice if BoundForBoston was right, but I must claim otherwise. HYP admissions rates increase sharply with SAT score.</p>
<p>Sure, they won’t define a “difference between a 2310 and a 2330,” but the OP talked about 2230 vs. 2380, a full 150 point difference. If the candidates GPA or class rank isn’t stellar, the SAT score could mean the difference between a 7 or an 8, or an 8 or a 9 rank based on Academic Index.</p>
<p>My daughter’s friend is a Yale student. His SAT score was 2100. It was clear after an hour or so of talking to him and listening to his conversation with my daughter that he was a special student. He is intellectually curious and even though he did not say so, it was obvious, he was involved in many activities in high school.</p>
<p>My daughter later confirmed that he was very active in high school and had taken a leadership role in many of those activities. </p>
<p>A 2100 would have put him, a white male, in the lowest quartile of students admitted to Yale. Yale was looking for somethng more than stellar academics. This student had it. I think Harvard and Princeton are looking for special students like that also.</p>
<p>Be careful not to fall into the trap that so many people make in believing that Harvard or Princeton HAVE to choose between one of the two examples. There are so many people with very high scores AND amazing ECs/GPAs etc. applying that they can, and often, accept neither.</p>