When to submit scores

[Anonymous]

The optional score choice seems to make the entire process harder. My DS was scoring crazy high on practice tests but just couldn't replicate it on the actual SAT. And did about the same the last two go arounds so superscoring didn't work either.

He has a 1440. A decent score but not as high as some of the averages for the schools he is interested in. So, for example, if the range of a school is 1400-1540 (making 1470 the middle of the range), should he submit or not submit the scores? Within the range or just at or below the median?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The optional score choice seems to make the entire process harder. My DS was scoring crazy high on practice tests but just couldn't replicate it on the actual SAT. And did about the same the last two go arounds so superscoring didn't work either.

He has a 1440. A decent score but not as high as some of the averages for the schools he is interested in. So, for example, if the range of a school is 1400-1540 (making 1470 the middle of the range), should he submit or not submit the scores? Within the range or just at or below the median?

That's a wide range. I'd use the range for enrolled students from before test optional policies. It can be found in the 2020-21 Common Data Set, if the college publishes.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. It seems the ranges are either really high (1500-1570) or very wide. Great idea to check the old "real" ranges.

[Anonymous]

No, don't use old data. It's as if it's from a different century.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The optional score choice seems to make the entire process harder. My DS was scoring crazy high on practice tests but just couldn't replicate it on the actual SAT. And did about the same the last two go arounds so superscoring didn't work either.

He has a 1440. A decent score but not as high as some of the averages for the schools he is interested in. So, for example, if the range of a school is 1400-1540 (making 1470 the middle of the range), should he submit or not submit the scores? Within the range or just at or below the median?

That's a wide range. I'd use the range for enrolled students from before test optional policies. It can be found in the 2020-21 Common Data Set, if the college publishes.

Terrible advice. If your DS is a well off white kid, don't submit to any school where his score is below the current median. (Yes, current scores are inflated, but it doesn't matter--schools don't want them to go down.)

[Anonymous]

If application is otherwise strong, the scores might not matter.

Our 2023 has only submitted them once so far.

[Anonymous]

I’d submit if at least the college’s current TO 25th percentile. Last year’s advice was to only submit if a bit higher than that. Now the scores have inflated through TO so I think if within range, it’s better to submit. Only submit below that range if you’re a candidate like an underprivileged applicant coming from a weak or unknown school. Then the colleges might assume lower and they want to know you can do the work. Many AOs are now saying this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The optional score choice seems to make the entire process harder. My DS was scoring crazy high on practice tests but just couldn't replicate it on the actual SAT. And did about the same the last two go arounds so superscoring didn't work either.

He has a 1440. A decent score but not as high as some of the averages for the schools he is interested in. So, for example, if the range of a school is 1400-1540 (making 1470 the middle of the range), should he submit or not submit the scores? Within the range or just at or below the median?

That's a wide range. I'd use the range for enrolled students from before test optional policies. It can be found in the 2020-21 Common Data Set, if the college publishes.

Terrible advice. If your DS is a well off white kid, don't submit to any school where his score is below the current median. (Yes, current scores are inflated, but it doesn't matter--schools don't want them to go down.)

I would say the reverse, the top schools aren’t using test optional on unhooked kids. For the few top schools that have released data, kids who apply test blind are admitted at lower rates than those who submit scores. Unless the particular schools your son is applying to provide instruction, the truth is no one knows and we are guessing. If it were my kid, I would submit those scores everywhere, because I would rather have them see kid is just off the median than have them assume the test score is a liability.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The optional score choice seems to make the entire process harder. My DS was scoring crazy high on practice tests but just couldn't replicate it on the actual SAT. And did about the same the last two go arounds so superscoring didn't work either.

He has a 1440. A decent score but not as high as some of the averages for the schools he is interested in. So, for example, if the range of a school is 1400-1540 (making 1470 the middle of the range), should he submit or not submit the scores? Within the range or just at or below the median?

That's a wide range. I'd use the range for enrolled students from before test optional policies. It can be found in the 2020-21 Common Data Set, if the college publishes.

Terrible advice. If your DS is a well off white kid, don't submit to any school where his score is below the current median. (Yes, current scores are inflated, but it doesn't matter--schools don't want them to go down.)

I would say the reverse, the top schools aren’t using test optional on unhooked kids. For the few top schools that have released data, kids who apply test blind are admitted at lower rates than those who submit scores. Unless the particular schools your son is applying to provide instruction, the truth is no one knows and we are guessing. If it were my kid, I would submit those scores everywhere, because I would rather have them see kid is just off the median than have them assume the test score is a liability.

But what you don’t know in that data is the strength of the rest of the application. Someone on Reddit got their Duke application (after they got in). They said TO was scored out of 25 and with test was scored out of 30, with 5 being a perfect score in every category. So a perfect TO candidate is 25/25 and a perfect test candidate is 30/30. Tests can bring you up a little if they are strong and something else is weak.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The optional score choice seems to make the entire process harder. My DS was scoring crazy high on practice tests but just couldn't replicate it on the actual SAT. And did about the same the last two go arounds so superscoring didn't work either.

He has a 1440. A decent score but not as high as some of the averages for the schools he is interested in. So, for example, if the range of a school is 1400-1540 (making 1470 the middle of the range), should he submit or not submit the scores? Within the range or just at or below the median?

That's a wide range. I'd use the range for enrolled students from before test optional policies. It can be found in the 2020-21 Common Data Set, if the college publishes.

Terrible advice. If your DS is a well off white kid, don't submit to any school where his score is below the current median. (Yes, current scores are inflated, but it doesn't matter--schools don't want them to go down.)

I would say the reverse, the top schools aren’t using test optional on unhooked kids. For the few top schools that have released data, kids who apply test blind are admitted at lower rates than those who submit scores. Unless the particular schools your son is applying to provide instruction, the truth is no one knows and we are guessing. If it were my kid, I would submit those scores everywhere, because I would rather have them see kid is just off the median than have them assume the test score is a liability.

But what you don’t know in that data is the strength of the rest of the application. Someone on Reddit got their Duke application (after they got in). They said TO was scored out of 25 and with test was scored out of 30, with 5 being a perfect score in every category. So a perfect TO candidate is 25/25 and a perfect test candidate is 30/30. Tests can bring you up a little if they are strong and something else is weak.

You are totally guessing. Not saying you are wrong, just saying there is no data to support it. I look at the data released by the T30 schools and see a tremendous increase in URM and first gen that exactly coincides with the adoption of test optional. So my guess is that the schools are using the test optional category to grab students that they would like to have in class who weren’t previously applying and are in one of those groups (or legacies, etc . . .).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The optional score choice seems to make the entire process harder. My DS was scoring crazy high on practice tests but just couldn't replicate it on the actual SAT. And did about the same the last two go arounds so superscoring didn't work either.

He has a 1440. A decent score but not as high as some of the averages for the schools he is interested in. So, for example, if the range of a school is 1400-1540 (making 1470 the middle of the range), should he submit or not submit the scores? Within the range or just at or below the median?

That's a wide range. I'd use the range for enrolled students from before test optional policies. It can be found in the 2020-21 Common Data Set, if the college publishes.

Terrible advice. If your DS is a well off white kid, don't submit to any school where his score is below the current median. (Yes, current scores are inflated, but it doesn't matter--schools don't want them to go down.)

I would say the reverse, the top schools aren’t using test optional on unhooked kids. For the few top schools that have released data, kids who apply test blind are admitted at lower rates than those who submit scores. Unless the particular schools your son is applying to provide instruction, the truth is no one knows and we are guessing. If it were my kid, I would submit those scores everywhere, because I would rather have them see kid is just off the median than have them assume the test score is a liability.

But what you don’t know in that data is the strength of the rest of the application. Someone on Reddit got their Duke application (after they got in). They said TO was scored out of 25 and with test was scored out of 30, with 5 being a perfect score in every category. So a perfect TO candidate is 25/25 and a perfect test candidate is 30/30. Tests can bring you up a little if they are strong and something else is weak.

And what if cut off for admission is a 25? So only perfect test optional get in but a lot more leeway for those with good scores? That brings us back to better to submit a score that is slightly outside what people think is the preferred range because the kid might pick up a few extra points.

[Anonymous]

My son scored a 36, 36, 32, 32 for a composite 34 on ACT the first week of his Junior year.

He is going to re-take this summer after prepping the two lower sections (math, science). He didn't do much prep at all. He can very easily pull it up to a super score 35, I'm certain. He will submit when he submits applications.

[Anonymous]

OP here. We did the prep after taking the first test and scoring in the 1300s. Got a tutor who said my DS could score in the 1500s easily if he could get over his test anxiety. Was scoring over 1500 on every practice test towards the end. But he took it in October and November and it was 1430 and 1440 and was crushing to him. So we are done.

DS is an interesting kid but no hook. He will be a well off latino male with good grades and some interesting internships in a connected subject area, a part time job, a sport that he is not competitive in (martial arts but no tournaments) and a baking hobby. He will be legacy at one reach school that he might want to attend.

So, flip a coin, roll a dice...this has become such a game. Before, you looked at the ranges and if you were within it, you applied. Now you apply and need to figure out whether to share all your data or let them wonder if the score was just on the lower end or didn't hit the mark at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The optional score choice seems to make the entire process harder. My DS was scoring crazy high on practice tests but just couldn't replicate it on the actual SAT. And did about the same the last two go arounds so superscoring didn't work either.

He has a 1440. A decent score but not as high as some of the averages for the schools he is interested in. So, for example, if the range of a school is 1400-1540 (making 1470 the middle of the range), should he submit or not submit the scores? Within the range or just at or below the median?

That's a wide range. I'd use the range for enrolled students from before test optional policies. It can be found in the 2020-21 Common Data Set, if the college publishes.

Terrible advice. If your DS is a well off white kid, don't submit to any school where his score is below the current median. (Yes, current scores are inflated, but it doesn't matter--schools don't want them to go down.)

Agree. We didn't even look at average. If DS wasn't at least 75th percentile, we didn't consider. Depending on the school(s) and program(s), females may have it even tougher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, don't use old data. It's as if it's from a different century.

This.