Is it me or are test scores now more important than ever?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the last time, the private T25 schools that accept the most number of TO students - of any background, are:

WashU
Vanderbilt
Cornell

And further down:
Wake
Tulane

This list is a few short:


WashU
Vanderbilt
Cornell
UChicago
USC

And further down:
Wake
TulanE
Northeastern

Hope this will be helpful to others next year. Especially those with higher GPA than test scores.

Private college counselors keep this type of data close to the vest, but it’s actually really easy to find if you look at the schools CDS.

Add:
Swarthmore
Amherst
Williams
Carnegie Mellon

Next tier:
SMU
BU
Villanova
Tufts
Pepperdine

Which schools are the reverse? Take kids with “lower” gpas (think 3.6 unweighted) who have rigor (like 12 AP type) and high scores like 99 percentile? How to find this info out?

Yes, this is what I suspect a lot of parents and students want to know.

These are the students whose extremely high test scores were more than sufficient to offset their non-extremely high GPAs in the past.

Now, it's apparently acceptable at Top 25 colleges and universities to have a 4.00 UGPA with 7 AP classes (mixture of 3s, 4s, and 5s on tests) and submit test optional, but not OK at these same institutions to have a 3.6 with 14 AP (mixture of 4s and 5s, or all 5s, on tests) and a 1600 on the SAT. What a bizarre system we're working with today ...

I agree, but it’s the world we live in. Can’t fight it.

So kids who are poor test takers but have high GPAs benefit for now.

I assume it will swing back in two or three years

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:our high school counselor was iffy on DS sending 1530 to top 8 (ish) schools.

Must be a public school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:our high school counselor was iffy on DS sending 1530 to top 8 (ish) schools.

Must be a public school

why? I'd think a 1530 a lot less impressive from a private school

[Anonymous]

Yes, test scores are more important for some. Given that half the classes at most colleges are for athletes and virtue signaling schools need to have a core of students that can graduate in 4-6 years so they continue to look like they are doing their job. Of course the elite schools just pass everyone along with 3.7 or 3.8 GPAs and let employers sort it out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the last time, the private T25 schools that accept the most number of TO students - of any background, are:

WashU
Vanderbilt
Cornell

And further down:
Wake
Tulane

This list is a few short:


WashU
Vanderbilt
Cornell
UChicago
USC

And further down:
Wake
TulanE
Northeastern

Hope this will be helpful to others next year. Especially those with higher GPA than test scores.

Private college counselors keep this type of data close to the vest, but it’s actually really easy to find if you look at the schools CDS.

Add:
Swarthmore
Amherst
Williams
Carnegie Mellon

Next tier:
SMU
BU
Villanova
Tufts
Pepperdine

Which schools are the reverse? Take kids with “lower” gpas (think 3.6 unweighted) who have rigor (like 12 AP type) and high scores like 99 percentile? How to find this info out?

Yes, this is what I suspect a lot of parents and students want to know.

These are the students whose extremely high test scores were more than sufficient to offset their non-extremely high GPAs in the past.

Now, it's apparently acceptable at Top 25 colleges and universities to have a 4.00 UGPA with 7 AP classes (mixture of 3s, 4s, and 5s on tests) and submit test optional, but not OK at these same institutions to have a 3.6 with 14 AP (mixture of 4s and 5s, or all 5s, on tests) and a 1600 on the SAT. What a bizarre system we're working with today ...

I agree, but it’s the world we live in. Can’t fight it.

So kids who are poor test takers but have high GPAs benefit for now.

I assume it will swing back in two or three years

Meritocracy is dead. Next stop will be kids who are poor test takers AND have low GPAs from worst schools will benefit most.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:our high school counselor was iffy on DS sending 1530 to top 8 (ish) schools.

OK and what happened? You applied anyway and...?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the last time, the private T25 schools that accept the most number of TO students - of any background, are:

WashU
Vanderbilt
Cornell

And further down:
Wake
Tulane

This list is a few short:


WashU
Vanderbilt
Cornell
UChicago
USC

And further down:
Wake
TulanE
Northeastern

Hope this will be helpful to others next year. Especially those with higher GPA than test scores.

Private college counselors keep this type of data close to the vest, but it’s actually really easy to find if you look at the schools CDS.

Add:
Swarthmore
Amherst
Williams
Carnegie Mellon

Next tier:
SMU
BU
Villanova
Tufts
Pepperdine

Which schools are the reverse? Take kids with “lower” gpas (think 3.6 unweighted) who have rigor (like 12 AP type) and high scores like 99 percentile? How to find this info out?

Yes, this is what I suspect a lot of parents and students want to know.

These are the students whose extremely high test scores were more than sufficient to offset their non-extremely high GPAs in the past.

Now, it's apparently acceptable at Top 25 colleges and universities to have a 4.00 UGPA with 7 AP classes (mixture of 3s, 4s, and 5s on tests) and submit test optional, but not OK at these same institutions to have a 3.6 with 14 AP (mixture of 4s and 5s, or all 5s, on tests) and a 1600 on the SAT. What a bizarre system we're working with today ...

I agree, but it’s the world we live in. Can’t fight it.

So kids who are poor test takers but have high GPAs benefit for now.

I assume it will swing back in two or three years

Meritocracy is dead. Next stop will be kids who are poor test takers AND have low GPAs from worst schools will benefit most.

Stupid statement-- elite colleges are businesses. Virtue signaling can only go so far.

[Anonymous]

My junior took the SAT and got a 1500. I expected to hear “great, he’s done” and instead I got “it’s a nice start.”

This system is broken.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the last time, the private T25 schools that accept the most number of TO students - of any background, are:

WashU
Vanderbilt
Cornell

And further down:
Wake
Tulane

This list is a few short:


WashU
Vanderbilt
Cornell
UChicago
USC

And further down:
Wake
TulanE
Northeastern

Hope this will be helpful to others next year. Especially those with higher GPA than test scores.

Private college counselors keep this type of data close to the vest, but it’s actually really easy to find if you look at the schools CDS.

Add:
Swarthmore
Amherst
Williams
Carnegie Mellon

Next tier:
SMU
BU
Villanova
Tufts
Pepperdine

Which schools are the reverse? Take kids with “lower” gpas (think 3.6 unweighted) who have rigor (like 12 AP type) and high scores like 99 percentile? How to find this info out?

Yes, this is what I suspect a lot of parents and students want to know.

These are the students whose extremely high test scores were more than sufficient to offset their non-extremely high GPAs in the past.

Now, it's apparently acceptable at Top 25 colleges and universities to have a 4.00 UGPA with 7 AP classes (mixture of 3s, 4s, and 5s on tests) and submit test optional, but not OK at these same institutions to have a 3.6 with 14 AP (mixture of 4s and 5s, or all 5s, on tests) and a 1600 on the SAT. What a bizarre system we're working with today ...

I agree, but it’s the world we live in. Can’t fight it.

So kids who are poor test takers but have high GPAs benefit for now.

I assume it will swing back in two or three years

Meritocracy is dead. Next stop will be kids who are poor test takers AND have low GPAs from worst schools will benefit most.

Meritocracy is a myth.

It became a buzzword when the white guys had to compete with women and minorities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the last time, the private T25 schools that accept the most number of TO students - of any background, are:

WashU
Vanderbilt
Cornell

And further down:
Wake
Tulane

This list is a few short:


WashU
Vanderbilt
Cornell
UChicago
USC

And further down:
Wake
TulanE
Northeastern

Hope this will be helpful to others next year. Especially those with higher GPA than test scores.

Private college counselors keep this type of data close to the vest, but it’s actually really easy to find if you look at the schools CDS.

Add:
Swarthmore
Amherst
Williams
Carnegie Mellon

Next tier:
SMU
BU
Villanova
Tufts
Pepperdine

Which schools are the reverse? Take kids with “lower” gpas (think 3.6 unweighted) who have rigor (like 12 AP type) and high scores like 99 percentile? How to find this info out?

Yes, this is what I suspect a lot of parents and students want to know.

These are the students whose extremely high test scores were more than sufficient to offset their non-extremely high GPAs in the past.

Now, it's apparently acceptable at Top 25 colleges and universities to have a 4.00 UGPA with 7 AP classes (mixture of 3s, 4s, and 5s on tests) and submit test optional, but not OK at these same institutions to have a 3.6 with 14 AP (mixture of 4s and 5s, or all 5s, on tests) and a 1600 on the SAT. What a bizarre system we're working with today ...

I agree, but it’s the world we live in. Can’t fight it.

So kids who are poor test takers but have high GPAs benefit for now.

I assume it will swing back in two or three years

Meritocracy is dead. Next stop will be kids who are poor test takers AND have low GPAs from worst schools will benefit most.

Oh, brother. Quit pushing nonsense. There are several data points for merit: grades, rigor, test scores, ap/ib, scores, writing, recs, awards, ECs. GPA and test scores are a great start, but alone, are not enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, OP is correct. The way schools use test optional now, there is no difference between a 1200 and a 1500 (both are advised to apply test optional), but all the difference in the world between a 1500 and a 1520. Which puts kids scoring at the upper end of the test optional range under enormous pressure to get their objectively very good scores up to the reportable level.

I advise people to submit scores above 1300 except to t20. Most people aren't thinking about those schools in the first place. If the education you want can only be found at a t20 then anything over 1400 can be used. The odds are against you but going TO when you have a 1400 just let's the admissions officers assume you have a 1050.

Exactly. My kid submitted a 33 everywhere.

Successfully?!?

yes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:our high school counselor was iffy on DS sending 1530 to top 8 (ish) schools.

OK and what happened? You applied anyway and...?

well, DS applied and we'll see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My junior took the SAT and got a 1500. I expected to hear “great, he’s done” and instead I got “it’s a nice start.”

This system is broken.

If it was your first test; then maybe your college coach that you hired is trying to tell you that multiple testing will raise your kids score.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if test scores can count more for good athletes applying to more academically demanding schools. Say a coach would like to recruit an athlete and this athlete has a good but not great GPA, but then a very good test score. I have a feeling they may be more willing to admit as the test score can be used as justification. “See our athletes are held to high academics standards!” I have no idea, it’s all so incredibly opaque, but there’s obviously something going on to square the circle “college athletes are every bit as academically accomplished”, yet college athletics, recruitment, competition etc.is so central

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the last time, the private T25 schools that accept the most number of TO students - of any background, are:

WashU
Vanderbilt
Cornell

And further down:
Wake
Tulane

This list is a few short:


WashU
Vanderbilt
Cornell
UChicago
USC

And further down:
Wake
TulanE
Northeastern

Hope this will be helpful to others next year. Especially those with higher GPA than test scores.

Private college counselors keep this type of data close to the vest, but it’s actually really easy to find if you look at the schools CDS.

Add:
Swarthmore
Amherst
Williams
Carnegie Mellon

Next tier:
SMU
BU
Villanova
Tufts
Pepperdine

Which schools are the reverse? Take kids with “lower” gpas (think 3.6 unweighted) who have rigor (like 12 AP type) and high scores like 99 percentile? How to find this info out?

Yes, this is what I suspect a lot of parents and students want to know.

These are the students whose extremely high test scores were more than sufficient to offset their non-extremely high GPAs in the past.

Now, it's apparently acceptable at Top 25 colleges and universities to have a 4.00 UGPA with 7 AP classes (mixture of 3s, 4s, and 5s on tests) and submit test optional, but not OK at these same institutions to have a 3.6 with 14 AP (mixture of 4s and 5s, or all 5s, on tests) and a 1600 on the SAT. What a bizarre system we're working with today ...

I agree, but it’s the world we live in. Can’t fight it.

So kids who are poor test takers but have high GPAs benefit for now.

I assume it will swing back in two or three years

Meritocracy is dead. Next stop will be kids who are poor test takers AND have low GPAs from worst schools will benefit most.

Don't be stupid. Colleges have learned that SAT/ACT is not the best indicator of success, so they don't require it. Many schools were headed that way well before covid hit. Covid just accelerated it.
Just because your kid scores high on the SAT due to test prep and you believe it to be the best indicator does not make it so.