SAT scores out today
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Anonymous
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My kid got 1520, including 800 math. He’s a magnet junior with a 4.9 weighted GPA. It’s a great score but he may want to retake. Is it worth it?
He’ll be studying in the STEM field and may apply to highly selective schools like MIT, but because of cost, i expect will end up at a state flagship studying computer science or engineering. Does he need higher than 1520? |
Anonymous
| The only way I could see this mattering is if he has classmates applying to the same schools that he'll apply to and they have 1580s or similar (plus the same GPA, similar extracurriculars, etc). |
Anonymous
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Put a pin in for now. No need to decide yet.
Have him focus on junior year and then revisit this in late May, after APs. If he wants to take it again, he can target the August test, which gives him the summer to focus on verbal.There are so many ways for super smart STEM kids to get that score up, including by micro-targeting specific areas. (Also, if he’s taking AP Lang this year, he might pick up much of what he needs that way.) Again, I strongly encourage you to park this decision until May. It’ll give him space to focus on crushing junior year, which is so important! |
Anonymous
Yeah, some of his classmates definitely will |
Anonymous
Blair got 11 into MIT last year, so in school competition may not be the big deal people think it is |
Anonymous
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Prep over summer and take it late August, early Sept.
He can be relaxed now. It’s good score so less pressure. |
Anonymous
I think Blair is a special case. Clearly MIT is not taking more than 1 kid from many high schools. It's a huge honor for a typical high school to even get one high performing kid in. |
Anonymous
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720V is below 25th %ile for MIT, and MIT is Test required.
https://mitadmissions.org/apply/process/stats/ |
Anonymous
Review the test. What's the reason for the score gap? Is it time pressure? Goofs? Missing knowledge of vocabulary, or grammar, or generally understanding complex texts? Whatever it is, is it something the kid is able to improve in and willing to work at? Getting better at reading complex texts is worthwhile. Speed-reading to skim for answers is.... useful, but less important than developing meaningful talents. |
Anonymous
But loads of Blair kids apply. RMIB got at least 3 into MIT last year, but not as many kids applied, I'm sure. Still, it's highly competitive within the cohorts. OP, I'd have him retake in the spring. Sounds crazy but 3.9 already puts him at a small disadvantage, given how many have 4.0s. ECs, research, national awards will matter more, however. |
Anonymous
| ^^ Also, UMD has gotten unpredictable due to soft caps on MCPS schools. Plus honors college invites and even LEPs like engineering and comp sci are extremely competitive, so again not a bad idea to re-take to maximize chances. |
Anonymous
| Why is he applying to schools like MIT when cost is a factor? Would he go if he got in? |
Anonymous
He isn't getting into MIT with a 1520. The 800 in math is cool though. |
Anonymous
Read again, GPA (weighted) is 4.9, not 3.9 |
Anonymous
Won't get into MIT with a 1520, and frankly, you wouldn't want to. There are so many world class colleges in this country, don't go for the biggest names with 80% of kids with naturally higher aptitude than yours. Encourage them to go where they have to push themselves but not constantly drowning. I've seen so many naturally 1520 equivalent people move up to become CEOs with really successful careers and life, while the 1600 equivalent with MIT-caliber brains work for these CEOs. With a 1520, go for Michigan ED and be done by Christmas. He gets to go to a world class college for engineering with a much more well-rounded experience for 4 years. |