Kids who bombed the SAT - getting good college results

[Anonymous]

It is so stupid to say that lower scores equate to a less intelligent person. There are many reasons why one person may be just as smart as the person sitting next to them but have a lower score. I am not going to try argue on this board because people here just do not buy it.

My DS is into a top school with a score that was below the median score and an extremely high public school GPA. He has a 4.0 now in college. No he is not a STEM major but he has also not had group projects referenced here.

For those of you who have kids who were shut out by kids like mine and yet say, oh the school made a huge mistake letting that "less qualified" kid in, i say these schools know what they are doing and are trying to make a balanced but diverse class of students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:4 years of high grades in hard classes are more impressive than prepping for a 4 hour test that you can take multiple times and submit your top scores. Most schools are going to be moving away form standardized tests sooner than later.

The point is that 4 years of classes *where the grades are subjective* can be misleading. That is happening across the board. Schools are overwhelmed with applications, so they can't possibly dig into how "real" every 4.0 actually is. The kids know this. They are all living it. Kids who would never get into Penn State (because their SAT would drag the stats down) are now getting in. In the past, that student's 4.0 would get a double check if the kid had an 1150 SAT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Instead of generalizing, look at the individual students one by one.

p.s. My kid EARNED A's at a large public, AP scores of 5, and great College Board scores. YMMV.

Then in your case, your kid likely did not get an 1100 on the SAT. If a kid gets an 1100, why should a school not see that important data point too?

I’m not the PP, but I have a kid who is a poor test-taker and one who is not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok, can someone please explain how this makes any sense?

I know plenty of kids in this admissions cycle who have low (think, 1100) SATs but have high GPAs (4.0 range) from big public schools that grade inflate. These kids are going test optional and are getting into colleges that would normally be out of reach when SATs were required. This year, they get to hide their low SAT from the colleges.

On the other hand, I know plenty of kids at private schools that grade-deflate but who have strong grades (taking that grade deflation into account, say 3.8) and sky high SATs who are being deferred and rejected from safeties. In the past, the high SATs balanced out the grade deflation, but this year it seems meaningless because schools are filling spots with kids who didn't show an SAT.

This system is a joke but it is also very damaging. There under qualified kids who are making tic toc videos mocking the system. On the other hand, you have high achieving students who've worked their a$# off and who are getting shut out. Makes no sense.

Ummm...you are the one that out the kid in the deluxe private school. If it so bad, get DC out of there

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Instead of generalizing, look at the individual students one by one.

p.s. My kid EARNED A's at a large public, AP scores of 5, and great College Board scores. YMMV.

Then in your case, your kid likely did not get an 1100 on the SAT. If a kid gets an 1100, why should a school not see that important data point too?

I’m not the PP, but I have a kid who is a poor test-taker and one who is not.

Ok. But what about the kid who bombed his math final and got a C on the report card. He can't just wipe that grade out. If the college has to see that, why shouldn't the college see the low SAT for another kid.

All the relevant info should have to be submitted.

[Anonymous]

I hate to break it to you but your child is not competing against kids at other schools. You are only competing against kids in your school with the same grade deflation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, can someone please explain how this makes any sense?

I know plenty of kids in this admissions cycle who have low (think, 1100) SATs but have high GPAs (4.0 range) from big public schools that grade inflate. These kids are going test optional and are getting into colleges that would normally be out of reach when SATs were required. This year, they get to hide their low SAT from the colleges.

On the other hand, I know plenty of kids at private schools that grade-deflate but who have strong grades (taking that grade deflation into account, say 3.8) and sky high SATs who are being deferred and rejected from safeties. In the past, the high SATs balanced out the grade deflation, but this year it seems meaningless because schools are filling spots with kids who didn't show an SAT.

This system is a joke but it is also very damaging. There under qualified kids who are making tic toc videos mocking the system. On the other hand, you have high achieving students who've worked their a$# off and who are getting shut out. Makes no sense.

Ummm...you are the one that out the kid in the deluxe private school. If it so bad, get DC out of there

PS - it's not just a private school issue. It's also about the kids in a large public schools who may have taken classes with a teachers who grades harshly. The SAT has always been a leveling tool so that these discrepancies can be put into perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Instead of generalizing, look at the individual students one by one.

p.s. My kid EARNED A's at a large public, AP scores of 5, and great College Board scores. YMMV.

Then in your case, your kid likely did not get an 1100 on the SAT. If a kid gets an 1100, why should a school not see that important data point too?

I’m not the PP, but I have a kid who is a poor test-taker and one who is not.

Ok. But what about the kid who bombed his math final and got a C on the report card. He can't just wipe that grade out. If the college has to see that, why shouldn't the college see the low SAT for another kid.

All the relevant info should have to be submitted.

How is this whining helping you or your student? If DC is earning C's in math, probably has not mastered the concepts and the problem solving approaches to lead to greater success. Try some tutoring, Kahn academy and other resources.

[Anonymous]

Don't hate the player, hate the game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, can someone please explain how this makes any sense?

I know plenty of kids in this admissions cycle who have low (think, 1100) SATs but have high GPAs (4.0 range) from big public schools that grade inflate. These kids are going test optional and are getting into colleges that would normally be out of reach when SATs were required. This year, they get to hide their low SAT from the colleges.

On the other hand, I know plenty of kids at private schools that grade-deflate but who have strong grades (taking that grade deflation into account, say 3.8) and sky high SATs who are being deferred and rejected from safeties. In the past, the high SATs balanced out the grade deflation, but this year it seems meaningless because schools are filling spots with kids who didn't show an SAT.

This system is a joke but it is also very damaging. There under qualified kids who are making tic toc videos mocking the system. On the other hand, you have high achieving students who've worked their a$# off and who are getting shut out. Makes no sense.

Ummm...you are the one that out the kid in the deluxe private school. If it so bad, get DC out of there

PS - it's not just a private school issue. It's also about the kids in a large public schools who may have taken classes with a teachers who grades harshly. The SAT has always been a leveling tool so that these discrepancies can be put into perspective.

Use the SAT to your advantage. Prep prep prep and get a high score.

[Anonymous]

I'm not the Op but this is a thing--even within the "big public schools."

Last year with virtual learning, a lot of kids struggled. Some kids (like mine) got terrile grades. Others (like my kid's friend) got great grades because they CHEATED. Cheating was rampant! And of course, the moms just smile and talk about how wonderfully their kid is doing with virtual learning...

The kids take the SAT and my kid scores a full 200 points higher than these "straight A students."
But because colleges value GPAs higher than standardized test scores, those kids are getting into schools and my kid is being denied.

[Anonymous]

SATs are not an accurate predictor of how good a student is and how well they will do in college. They are only one factor. The kids getting in without them have merits too that perhaps some of the other SAT scorers lack.

FWIW, my kid got rejected from an Ivy that several lesser stats private school kids got into. Her GPA and SATs were far higher. She has extensive leadership and great ECs. One could argue that the lower stats private school kids leverage their school name/connections. Who knows. What we do know is that colleges have more qualified students applying than places. They build the class they want to build.

Work with what you have and hope for the best. Be glad your kid has a great education and do well wherever she lands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, can someone please explain how this makes any sense?

I know plenty of kids in this admissions cycle who have low (think, 1100) SATs but have high GPAs (4.0 range) from big public schools that grade inflate. These kids are going test optional and are getting into colleges that would normally be out of reach when SATs were required. This year, they get to hide their low SAT from the colleges.

On the other hand, I know plenty of kids at private schools that grade-deflate but who have strong grades (taking that grade deflation into account, say 3.8) and sky high SATs who are being deferred and rejected from safeties. In the past, the high SATs balanced out the grade deflation, but this year it seems meaningless because schools are filling spots with kids who didn't show an SAT.

This system is a joke but it is also very damaging. There under qualified kids who are making tic toc videos mocking the system. On the other hand, you have high achieving students who've worked their a$# off and who are getting shut out. Makes no sense.

Ummm...you are the one that out the kid in the deluxe private school. If it so bad, get DC out of there

PS - it's not just a private school issue. It's also about the kids in a large public schools who may have taken classes with a teachers who grades harshly. The SAT has always been a leveling tool so that these discrepancies can be put into perspective.

Use the SAT to your advantage. Prep prep prep and get a high score.

Even with test optional a great SAT score is still a tool in the toolbox.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok, can someone please explain how this makes any sense?

I know plenty of kids in this admissions cycle who have low (think, 1100) SATs but have high GPAs (4.0 range) from big public schools that grade inflate. These kids are going test optional and are getting into colleges that would normally be out of reach when SATs were required. This year, they get to hide their low SAT from the colleges.

On the other hand, I know plenty of kids at private schools that grade-deflate but who have strong grades (taking that grade deflation into account, say 3.8) and sky high SATs who are being deferred and rejected from safeties. In the past, the high SATs balanced out the grade deflation, but this year it seems meaningless because schools are filling spots with kids who didn't show an SAT.

This system is a joke but it is also very damaging. There under qualified kids who are making tic toc videos mocking the system. On the other hand, you have high achieving students who've worked their a$# off and who are getting shut out. Makes no sense.

You sound bitter and don't understand how admissions work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Instead of generalizing, look at the individual students one by one.

p.s. My kid EARNED A's at a large public, AP scores of 5, and great College Board scores. YMMV.

Then in your case, your kid likely did not get an 1100 on the SAT. If a kid gets an 1100, why should a school not see that important data point too?

Because it is one test on one day and does not reflect how well a student will do in college.