<p>But 50% of the people in this school have SAT scores lower than the 50th percentile. I'm sorry that was weird. Just saying, it is often believed people below the 50th percentile will not get into a school. It's not like there are more people above the 50th percentile than below it.</p>
<p>They DO get in a school. Who believes that?</p>
<p>On those chance threads if you’re at the 50th percentile everyone says you won’t get in.</p>
<p>If you’re unhooked, you should be aiming for the 75th percentile. Top schools have a significant portion of their class taken up by URMs, legacies, and recruited athletes, all of whom can slip in under the SAT-radar that the typical white/asian, unhooked applicant cannot, and these admits mess with the SAT percentiles for those schools.</p>
<p>Of course, that is not to say that all hope is lost for the below-50th percentile applicants. You may very well stand out in other arenas, and schools are (somewhat) sympathetic towards those without superior testing abilities.</p>