<p>I know this is way too low for MIT, but I just had a bad day and I know I can get higher (already taken it twice so I thought this would look bad if I took it again).</p>
<p>What should I do, take it again or not?</p>
<p>Don't bother to take it again (assuming the rest of your application and scores are also decent). </p>
<p>It is not "way too low for MIT": read around here, there is a wide variation in scores. Note in the common data set from last year, the middle 50% of accepted applicants scored between 730 and 800 on the math portion of the SAT I. I know you're talking SAT II, but 740 is right in range, don't worry about it. They look to see if you are in the right ballpark academically, and then other things come into play.</p>
<p>I once asked Ben whether it was possible to get in if <<insert condition="" here="">>.</insert></p>
<p>His reply, word for word, was, "It's always possible."</p>
<p>Can't beat that.</p>
<p>i'm also curious about this too. Ben Golub, an admissions officer for Caltech, has stated clearly that having less than an 800 on the IIc could put you at a serious disadvantage. I'm wondering if the policy is the same for MIT.</p>
<p>Anything short of perfection puts you at a disadvantage, the question is: how much of a disadvantage :-).</p>
<p>Mm... well, Caltech and MIT are probably a bit different in this regard. You can soft-pedal it a little bit on the math side at MIT (take the "basic" level required math courses and focus on your other interests), but there's no way to get out of a term of proof-based analysis (i.e. rigorous calculus) at Caltech, followed by four more terms of hard math. So at Caltech I'd worry if I saw a 740 on the Math IIc because, with some difficulty at basic manipulations, the person might be eaten by the math core. Such worries would be less relevant at MIT.</p>
<p>By the way, we don't require an 800... showing other signs of mathematical mastery compensates for a suboptimal score. I'm pretty sure that I've seen several folders already this term which will probably end up being admits and had less than 800.</p>
<p>well I think MIT wont be that Harsh on the sub 800 SAT II like caltech because of the reasons which Ben G mentioned and also because MIT accepts Math IC too and has a number of students who gave that math exam, So obviously MIT can't put a condition like getting 800 on MathIIc as that would not be possible for those not even giving it..
Hope that made sense.</p>
<p>Does anyone know what the scaling for math level 2 is?</p>
<p>Yes. Quite easy. You can get about 7 or 8 problems wrong and get an 800.</p>
<p>Ok, because if someone who got only 5 questions wrong would have a 740, then I would have thought that this thread was some kind of joke.</p>
<p>lol, I guess I soft peddled it :p</p>
<p>the math IIC is not even in my top 3 SATII scores, I have 760 chem, 760 physics and 760 american history as well, also a 790 on the SATI math, and an A average in BC Calculus. I am just bad at the IIC for some reason</p>
<p>740 isn't terrible, but i suppose the real answer that nobody really wants to say is that if you think you can do a lot better than you might want to take it again :-P</p>
<p>You're absolutely fine. </p>
<p>As mootmom said, you're "in the ballpark" with that set of scores; now spend your time focusing on the sorts of things which will set you apart from everybody else with sparkly scores.</p>
<p>EDIT: Note that I'm not advocating taking it again, whatsoever. Ben Jones has said before that a 750 is seen no differently from an 800, and I highly doubt that raising your score will make any sort of difference.</p>
<p>Yeah, don't worry about scores. I don't think standardize-testing will ever make or break your application at a top-tier school. A 740 may look slight low, but really it's a slight impurity in your overall application. Assuming the rest of your application is strong, it won't matter. If the rest of your application isn't strong, it won't matter.</p>
<p>What interests me most is how far a good essay can take an applicant. Lets say par scores, par ECs, strong essay (not necessarily through literary merit). How "considered" is the essay "considered"?</p>
<p>Probably unanswerable question.</p>
<p>JohnGalt, read this thread about how much the essays count and for what. Pay particular attention to benjones's response.</p>
<p>Wow, I never thought I'd see the day when a 780 on Math IIc would be considered bad. Oh well, I'm certainly not retaking it.</p>
<p>
I'm pretty sure this would land you with 770~, unless you meant omit?</p>
<p>Perhaps, yes. Then again, the scaling is always a little different.</p>
<p>no 7/8 wrong is an 800... i didn't answer 4 and i'm sure i got at least 1 or 2 wrong... so i figure you can still get an 800... with 7/8 wrong</p>