SAT -does score really matter once it's >1500?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For engineering, math 800 is preferred

lol

[Anonymous]

Stanford admissions data from 2020 showed 800 in math had a 1% acceptance rate increase over everyone from 700-790 in math (8% vs. 7%). It really doesn't matter.

[Anonymous]

Our HS Counselor told DC to aim for 800 math for UPenn Wharton, even though DC scored 1580 (math 780). We didn't take counselor's advice.

[Anonymous]

At that level they aren't sorting by scores. They are looking at ECs and essays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are your thoughts?
My kid has a 1530/790 math. Has applied to study data science or sociology.
Grades and extracurriculars are very strong.
Would a 1530 vs a 1550 or 1560 matter?
Debating taking the SAT one last time for regular decision apps.

You missed the rigor part. Rigor and grades are going to be more important than the 1530.

Rigor is top for the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are your thoughts?
My kid has a 1530/790 math. Has applied to study data science or sociology.
Grades and extracurriculars are very strong.
Would a 1530 vs a 1550 or 1560 matter?
Debating taking the SAT one last time for regular decision apps.

IMO, nope. 1520+ is normally the "cut off" for making it to the next round (give or take) And since Data Science---kid already has a 790 Math, so very strong. I'd focus on strong essays and just letting the kid relax.

What's the difference between a 1520 and 1510/1500?

[Anonymous]

I looked at our Naviance. There is a clear difference in acceptances at top colleges between those who have 1490ish+ and those who are low and mid 1400s

[Anonymous]

I realize this is not OP’s question, but…

Engineering is also about efficiency, folks. Re-taking the SAT to improve the math score from almost perfect to perfect shows that one does not fundamentally understand how to prioritize one’s time and resources, i.e. lack of efficiency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For engineering, math 800 is preferred

stop it. Yes 1500 is great!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our HS Counselor told DC to aim for 800 math for UPenn Wharton, even though DC scored 1580 (math 780). We didn't take counselor's advice.

Well…everyone should aim for an 800…but your counselor doesn’t know what the f**k they are talking about.

It’s as though your counselor is just reading DCUM for advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are your thoughts?
My kid has a 1530/790 math. Has applied to study data science or sociology.
Grades and extracurriculars are very strong.
Would a 1530 vs a 1550 or 1560 matter?
Debating taking the SAT one last time for regular decision apps.

IMO, nope. 1520+ is normally the "cut off" for making it to the next round (give or take) And since Data Science---kid already has a 790 Math, so very strong. I'd focus on strong essays and just letting the kid relax.

What's the difference between a 1520 and 1510/1500?

not much difference. But then you have to think 1600 vs 1500. Who knows exactly where the cutoff is. But our College counselors suggested 1520+ and a 780+ math for top schools (if STEM major). So up to you to decide what is enough. But at 1560, no way would I have my kid retake (unless it was a first try and they wanted to put effort into attempting a perfect score---it would all need to come from the kid at that point)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are your thoughts?
My kid has a 1530/790 math. Has applied to study data science or sociology.
Grades and extracurriculars are very strong.
Would a 1530 vs a 1550 or 1560 matter?
Debating taking the SAT one last time for regular decision apps.

Our private head counselor says 1530+ is now the minimum for T10/ivies without a hook but notes 1490 has gotten into Cornell and Dartmouth the past 2 years, and notes 1530+ and not top rigor will get you shut out of T20 from our high school.

[Anonymous]

Dartmouth put together a study showing why it will once again require the SAT. As part of that study, they showed admissions rates by SAT score. From 1500 to the high 1500s (say, 1580) the probability of being admitted roughly doubled. This was true both for advantaged and disadvantaged students. For advantaged students it probably went from 0.1 to 0.2, for disadvantaged a bit higher. A 1500 is obviously very good, but go to the high 1500s and there are going to be a lot fewer applicants at that level. So seemingly it helps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our HS Counselor told DC to aim for 800 math for UPenn Wharton, even though DC scored 1580 (math 780). We didn't take counselor's advice.

Ours said it has to be 790 or 800 math for all Ivies/MIT/Stanford/Duke/Hopkins if they are applying Engineering. 780s he tells to retake. Says Engineering applicants are the largest increasing applicant pool for the elite/ivies (ie ones where you apply to the engineering school) and it has gotten much more competitive. DD24 had an 800 and got into more than one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For engineering, math 800 is preferred

lol

don't LOL the PP is correct 800 is preferred for all elite/ivy engineering.