Test optional success stories

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s a story on the scheduling/test center issues:

https://www.saraharberson.com/blog/hard-to-take-the-sat-and-act

This is being overly dramatic. The rising senior class will have had 6 times to take the SAT in 2024 (plus an additional 3-4 times in fall of 2023!). There were plenty of seats all spring and early summer. It's only kids who have waited until the last possible minute that may have an issue.

It’s a big issue in Illinois; also California. And I think Tri-state area.

These kids haven't had any opportunity to take the test in 2024?

Lots of cancelled tests.
And if they have had a chance to take it, it’s only been once. A lot of folks have had trouble taking it the second or third time.

This hasn’t been an issue on the east coast. Can’t imagine tests are being cancelled anywhere in 2024.

It's not. It's people angry that tests are coming back and whining that they didn't see it coming and didn't have enough time. My kid prepped a few short weeks, took the test and was done. It didn't take a year of prep or more...it was 6 weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s a story on the scheduling/test center issues:

https://www.saraharberson.com/blog/hard-to-take-the-sat-and-act

This is being overly dramatic. The rising senior class will have had 6 times to take the SAT in 2024 (plus an additional 3-4 times in fall of 2023!). There were plenty of seats all spring and early summer. It's only kids who have waited until the last possible minute that may have an issue.

It’s a big issue in Illinois; also California. And I think Tri-state area.

These kids haven't had any opportunity to take the test in 2024?

Lots of cancelled tests.
And if they have had a chance to take it, it’s only been once. A lot of folks have had trouble taking it the second or third time.

This hasn’t been an issue on the east coast. Can’t imagine tests are being cancelled anywhere in 2024.

It's not. It's people angry that tests are coming back and whining that they didn't see it coming and didn't have enough time. My kid prepped a few short weeks, took the test and was done. It didn't take a year of prep or more...it was 6 weeks.

Yes that’s what I figured.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious how kids applying test optional fared so far this year. DS is a junior coming from a W school in MCPS. Likely not applying to top tier schools. Wondering how kids looking at T50-100+ schools did this year without submitting tests, particularly kids coming from top privates and W schools where my sense is that most kids submit. Not my first kid so I know there’s no crystal ball and I know every school is different, but first kid did submit scores so I’m just trying to get a sense of how things are playing out this year. Thanks for any insights!

Schools in this range include (not counting California schools):
NYU
BC
Tufts
BU
Lehigh
Wake
Case
Northeastern
Brandeis
Santa Clara
GW
Syracuse
U-Miami
Villanova
Tulane
Pepperdine
Fordham
SMU
LMU
TCU
U-SD
American

And almost everyone we know who applied TO in this range (T35-100) got into several of these private colleges (some w/merit). Some of them require more strategy than others depending on who else is applying from your school (BC/Tufts/Wake/Tulane)….but overall these private schools are all mostly really TO.

Too many people here think we are only talking about the top 10 or 15 schools…
Think bigger.

OP here. Thank for this list. DC is planning to apply to several of these schools exactly for this reason. PP, did most of the TO kids you know who got accepted to these have super strong grades and rigor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious how kids applying test optional fared so far this year. DS is a junior coming from a W school in MCPS. Likely not applying to top tier schools. Wondering how kids looking at T50-100+ schools did this year without submitting tests, particularly kids coming from top privates and W schools where my sense is that most kids submit. Not my first kid so I know there’s no crystal ball and I know every school is different, but first kid did submit scores so I’m just trying to get a sense of how things are playing out this year. Thanks for any insights!

Schools in this range include (not counting California schools):
NYU
BC
Tufts
BU
Lehigh
Wake
Case
Northeastern
Brandeis
Santa Clara
GW
Syracuse
U-Miami
Villanova
Tulane
Pepperdine
Fordham
SMU
LMU
TCU
U-SD
American

And almost everyone we know who applied TO in this range (T35-100) got into several of these private colleges (some w/merit). Some of them require more strategy than others depending on who else is applying from your school (BC/Tufts/Wake/Tulane)….but overall these private schools are all mostly really TO.

Too many people here think we are only talking about the top 10 or 15 schools…
Think bigger.

OP: is this the kind of school you are looking at?

I’m also looking for real TO schools for my senior kid. Curious what else you’ve uncovered.
Any SLACs?

OP here - yes, DC will be applying to some of these schools. Doesn’t want a SLAC, but also going to apply to some state schools which seem to truly still be test optional. Some UC schools as well, although those are a long shot since we are out of state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious how kids applying test optional fared so far this year. DS is a junior coming from a W school in MCPS. Likely not applying to top tier schools. Wondering how kids looking at T50-100+ schools did this year without submitting tests, particularly kids coming from top privates and W schools where my sense is that most kids submit. Not my first kid so I know there’s no crystal ball and I know every school is different, but first kid did submit scores so I’m just trying to get a sense of how things are playing out this year. Thanks for any insights!

Schools in this range include (not counting California schools):
NYU
BC
Tufts
BU
Lehigh
Wake
Case
Northeastern
Brandeis
Santa Clara
GW
Syracuse
U-Miami
Villanova
Tulane
Pepperdine
Fordham
SMU
LMU
TCU
U-SD
American

And almost everyone we know who applied TO in this range (T35-100) got into several of these private colleges (some w/merit). Some of them require more strategy than others depending on who else is applying from your school (BC/Tufts/Wake/Tulane)….but overall these private schools are all mostly really TO.

Too many people here think we are only talking about the top 10 or 15 schools…
Think bigger.

OP here. Thank for this list. DC is planning to apply to several of these schools exactly for this reason. PP, did most of the TO kids you know who got accepted to these have super strong grades and rigor?

No and no.
Good but not great students at a hard well known private.

Note: wake/tufts are very hard in RD.

[Anonymous]

Schools in this range include (not counting California schools):
NYU
BC
Tufts
BU
Lehigh
Wake
Case
Northeastern
Brandeis
Santa Clara
GW
Syracuse
U-Miami
Villanova
Tulane
Pepperdine
Fordham
SMU
LMU
TCU
U-SD
American

And almost everyone we know who applied TO in this range (T35-100) got into several of these private colleges (some w/merit). Some of them require more strategy than others depending on who else is applying from your school (BC/Tufts/Wake/Tulane)….but overall these private schools are all mostly really TO.

Too many people here think we are only talking about the top 10 or 15 schools…
Think bigger.
Solid list!! TO folks should take note. Mine was 3.85 TO this cycle and many of these were on the initial list but only ended applying to 3 on this list, accepted to two with merit aid, attending Tulane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Schools in this range include (not counting California schools):
NYU
BC
Tufts
BU
Lehigh
Wake
Case
Northeastern
Brandeis
Santa Clara
GW
Syracuse
U-Miami
Villanova
Tulane
Pepperdine
Fordham
SMU
LMU
TCU
U-SD
American

Prior post didn’t quote properly. Solid list!! TO folks should take note. Mine was 3.85 TO this cycle and many of these were on the initial your/list but only ended applying to 3 on this list, accepted to two with merit aid, attending Tulane. Accepted to a bunch of UCs as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Schools in this range include (not counting California schools):
NYU
BC
Tufts
BU
Lehigh
Wake
Case
Northeastern
Brandeis
Santa Clara
GW
Syracuse
U-Miami
Villanova
Tulane
Pepperdine
Fordham
SMU
LMU
TCU
U-SD
American

Prior post didn’t quote properly. Solid list!! TO folks should take note. Mine was 3.85 TO this cycle and many of these were on the initial your/list but only ended applying to 3 on this list, accepted to two with merit aid, attending Tulane. Accepted to a bunch of UCs as well.

Thank you, PP! Really appreciate it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s a story on the scheduling/test center issues:

https://www.saraharberson.com/blog/hard-to-take-the-sat-and-act

This is being overly dramatic. The rising senior class will have had 6 times to take the SAT in 2024 (plus an additional 3-4 times in fall of 2023!). There were plenty of seats all spring and early summer. It's only kids who have waited until the last possible minute that may have an issue.

It’s a big issue in Illinois; also California. And I think Tri-state area.

These kids haven't had any opportunity to take the test in 2024?

Lots of cancelled tests.
And if they have had a chance to take it, it’s only been once. A lot of folks have had trouble taking it the second or third time.

This hasn’t been an issue on the east coast. Can’t imagine tests are being cancelled anywhere in 2024.

It's not. It's people angry that tests are coming back and whining that they didn't see it coming and didn't have enough time. My kid prepped a few short weeks, took the test and was done. It didn't take a year of prep or more...it was 6 weeks.

Yes that’s what I figured.

Also - I believe these are “not good test takers” aka low scorers. So outraged tests are coming back.

[Anonymous]

I wish there was a gpa optional. Mr adhd/anxious kid goes to a deflation high school where A’s are hard earned and he mostly lands with B’s. Took ACT with no prep and for a 33. I’ve never fully understood how the bad “test takers” do so well. Mine does poorly on regular classes exams and not the standardized testing.

[Anonymous]

^ I should really proof as my typing skills leave a bit to be desired on phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish there was a gpa optional. Mr adhd/anxious kid goes to a deflation high school where A’s are hard earned and he mostly lands with B’s. Took ACT with no prep and for a 33. I’ve never fully understood how the bad “test takers” do so well. Mine does poorly on regular classes exams and not the standardized testing.

Different skill set. Class exams measure immediate knowledge on a topic and even though there is a time limit, teachers don't design test for speed under standardized conditions. My child also has ADD (inattentive) and does well on standardized tests. Doesn't have issues with class exams or AP exams but has a lower GPA because of late assignments, missed assignments, etc.

[Anonymous]

Related but slightly different question: Can you share your success story on getting merit from an OOS large public as TO?

Kid has 3.9Uw/4.7W, 12 APs, so-so ECs but middling SAT. Applying to public OOS with acceptance rates in the 80%s with the hope of getting some merit. Will including SAT that is below the top 75% for the school hurt merit chances?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Related but slightly different question: Can you share your success story on getting merit from an OOS large public as TO?

Kid has 3.9Uw/4.7W, 12 APs, so-so ECs but middling SAT. Applying to public OOS with acceptance rates in the 80%s with the hope of getting some merit. Will including SAT that is below the top 75% for the school hurt merit chances?

not sure about public, but my child has a friend that got significant merit from U-Miami and Fordham with a 3.9uw/TO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish there was a gpa optional. Mr adhd/anxious kid goes to a deflation high school where A’s are hard earned and he mostly lands with B’s. Took ACT with no prep and for a 33. I’ve never fully understood how the bad “test takers” do so well. Mine does poorly on regular classes exams and not the standardized testing.

Different skill set. Class exams measure immediate knowledge on a topic and even though there is a time limit, teachers don't design test for speed under standardized conditions. My child also has ADD (inattentive) and does well on standardized tests. Doesn't have issues with class exams or AP exams but has a lower GPA because of late assignments, missed assignments, etc.

I hear this a lot, mine seems to be an outlier. Doing well on homework and projects is what keeps him to a B and not a C. He just doesn’t retain what he learns in class or on homework to regurgitate it on tests. More an issue in classes he doesn’t enjoy of course. I think study techniques are an issue, but geez we haven’t figured out what works yet which is frustrating because he’s plenty smart.