Will taking the SAT increase my chances?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hey guys, I recently got my ACT score back, and I'm wondering if I should take the SAT also.</p>

<p>Stats
Male Asian
Intended Major: Pure Mathematics
GPA: 4.0 UW (School doesn't weight or rank)
ACT: 35 [English 35 Math 36 Reading 33 Science 36 Essay 8]
AP: Calculus BC 5, Chemistry 5, US History 5
Taking 5 more this year.
SAT II: Math IIC 800 US History 790</p>

<p>Clubs
[ul]
[<em>] Math Club 8-12
[</em>] Club Med 9-12; Chairperson 9-12
[<em>] Physics Club 10-12; Treasurer 10, Secretary 11
[</em>] FPS 9-12
[<em>] Science Olympiad 11-12
[</em>] NHS 11-12
[li] Track, Cross Country 9-10, 12[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>Volunteer
[ul]
[<em>] Assistant coach to local MATHCOUNTS team 9-12; ~100 hours
[</em>] Library Volunteer 10-12; ~20 hours
[li] Through various clubs 9-12; ~70 hours[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>Research
[ul]
[<em>] Graph Theory; 2 theorems; worked with a partner and mentor 2006
[</em>] Research Science Institute 2007
[/ul]</p>

<p>Awards
[ul]
[<em>] USAMO 10 and 11 [Super-scored Index 225.0: AMC 12 135.0 AIME 9]
[li] Siemens-Westinghouse Semifinalist Team; Team Leader 11[/li][</em>] Future Problem Solvers State Champion Team; International Qualifier 10
[li] Kettering Math Olympiad 2nd Place 10[/li][/ul]
Various other math and science awards...</p>

<p>Extra Math Activities
[ul]
[<em>] Captain of NOML Team 10
[</em>] USAMTS Silver 9, 10
[li] Michigan All-Star Math Team (ARML) 9[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>College Courses
Local University 20 Credits
GPA: 3.95
Up to Math 405</p>

<p>Schools
Umich Ann Arbor
MIT
Harvard</p>

<p>Teacher Recs standard, Essay will make people yawn</p>

<p>I guess that's it. I don't want to apply to too many schools because it's like...$60 per application. On a similar note, I don't feel like taking the SAT I because it's $20 to register. My passion is cheapness. But if there any match schools you guys can suggest, that'd be great!</p>

<p>So should I take the SAT? I feel like I really can't do better on it than the ACT. And yes, I'd only be taking the SAT to increase my chances, not because taking standardized tests is my passion. I guess that makes me a bad person...</p>

<p>Anyways, thanks all!</p>

2

<p>it depends on where you want to go. i'm in the midwest so the ACT is a big thing, but the college coordinator at my school said that if you're applying to somewhere on the east coast you should take the SAT. most schools will accept the ACT and just use a converter to figure out your approximate SAT score, but you don't want to look like you're missing information if all the other applicants have SAT scores.</p>

<p>while it's annoying/somewhat costly, you'll do great on the SAT without even trying, so you might as well take it. that's my two cents.</p>

3

<p>like the person above me said, it depends where you're applying if they want to see SAT's or not, but judging from your grades/ACT score/SATII scores, you'll do really well on the SAT so it definitely wouldn't hurt to take it</p>

4

<p>Imo youre okay, I wouldn't take it.</p>

5

<p>harvard - match
i think you could get in</p>

6

<p>Take the SAT. Esp for applying to HARVARD...most of the competition will have taken it, and it could only help you, judging by your other scores.</p>

7

<p>IMO MIT's a better match for you than harvard... anyway everyone's who's anyone applying to mit or harvard would have taken the SATs, so you're better off taking them too.</p>

8

<p>Thanks for the advice guys!</p>

<p>I'll be very honest, I have not memorized any vocab, and my cramming skills are ridiculously bad. I told myself I'd work over last summer on the SAT, but I got caught up in euchre. My score probably isn't going to be any good, but I think I'm going to take it anyways because of that 8 on the essay (Apparently, that's 70th percentile...).</p>

9

<p>You don't need to memorize vocab. I took it with no prep and got 710 on CR. Of course, I could have scored higher with vocab, but unless you have terrible vocab to begin with, you'll probably be alright.</p>

10

<p>Why not take it? Clearly you have the brains and will do very well so how could it hurt you? i would go for it, its obvious you will score high, and this can only help. You sound like an ideal candidate for Harvard, good luck!</p>