S/O can someone explain to me how SATs are scored now?

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I know I could Google it, but I'm lazy.

When I took them in the 1980s I think 1,600 was the top score you could get: 800/800.

Not I see references to kids getting above 2,100 and I don't understand. Can someone explain what has happened?

I've only got 9 and 7 so I'm a few years from really having to worry about this but am curious to know what lies ahead.

[Anonymous]

There is now a third section - a writing section - which is also scored on an 800 basis. Some colleges give that section more weight than others. Some will look at the CR/M score only (so the old 1600 scale).

[Anonymous]

You should also be aware that many competitive colleges also require two SAT II subject tests in areas such as english, math, a foreign language, or world history. These are shorter than the regular SAT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I know I could Google it, but I'm lazy.

When I took them in the 1980s I think 1,600 was the top score you could get: 800/800.

Not I see references to kids getting above 2,100 and I don't understand. Can someone explain what has happened?

I've only got 9 and 7 so I'm a few years from really having to worry about this but am curious to know what lies ahead.

9 and 7 years old? You need to walk away from the google and focus on something that matters. Seriously, this is unhealthy. And there are good odds that the system will cahnge between now and then anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should also be aware that many competitive colleges also require two SAT II subject tests in areas such as english, math, a foreign language, or world history. These are shorter than the regular SAT.

And some require three SAT II tests!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should also be aware that many competitive colleges also require two SAT II subject tests in areas such as english, math, a foreign language, or world history. These are shorter than the regular SAT.

And some require three SAT II tests!

I've heard only Georgetown requires three SAT IIs - are there more colleges now? DD is looking at a few elite and ivy colleges and these "only" want two SAT IIs.

Anyway, the SAT IIs seem like a new College Board money-making scam.

[Anonymous]

PP, the SAT IIs used to be called the "Achievement Tests." They've been administered by the College Board for many years, side-by-side with the SAT. The Achievement Tests are subject-specific, and most selective colleges require(d) one or more, typically up to three. Often, one had to be the English/Comp Achievement test, which you could sometimes avoid if you had a really high SAT English score.

[Anonymous]

Don't forget about AP tests as well for the elite universities. My kid is a senior at Princeton -- they used to require 3 SAT subject tests when she applied. I think they recently lowered it to 2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should also be aware that many competitive colleges also require two SAT II subject tests in areas such as english, math, a foreign language, or world history. These are shorter than the regular SAT.

And some require three SAT II tests!

I've heard only Georgetown requires three SAT IIs - are there more colleges now? DD is looking at a few elite and ivy colleges and these "only" want two SAT IIs.

Anyway, the SAT IIs seem like a new College Board money-making scam.

+1

[Anonymous]

I think Hopkins also requires 3. Interestingly, more and more schools seem to be dropping the regular SAT. Some have basically replaced it with the SAT IIs. Others have just gotten rid of it all together. AP scores are for placement and credit only, not admission, so the SAT IIs let colleges see something of subject matter ability for admissions decisions, but without the students having to study more.

[Anonymous]

The SLACs and Ivies my kid has been considering all require 2, not 3, SAT IIs.

The APs and SAT IIs can seem a bit redundant. For example, kids have the option of taking SAT II World History in addition to AP World History. And SAT II English in addition to AP English Composition and AP English. And SAT II French/Spanish in addition AP French/Spanish. And SAT II US Govt in addition to AP US Govt. And so on....

It's true the APs are designed for placement and credit. But at the elite colleges -- the same colleges that require SAT IIs -- they don't serve that purpose, because elite colleges often don't let you use APs for placement and credit. For these highly selective colleges (the ones that want SAT IIs) the main purpose of taking APs is to help with admissions, because elite colleges like to see kids are taking the most difficult courses possible, and also kids send in their 5s with their applications.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The SLACs and Ivies my kid has been considering all require 2, not 3, SAT IIs.

The APs and SAT IIs can seem a bit redundant. For example, kids have the option of taking SAT II World History in addition to AP World History. And SAT II English in addition to AP English Composition and AP English. And SAT II French/Spanish in addition AP French/Spanish. And SAT II US Govt in addition to AP US Govt. And so on....

It's true the APs are designed for placement and credit. But at the elite colleges -- the same colleges that require SAT IIs -- they don't serve that purpose, because elite colleges often don't let you use APs for placement and credit. For these highly selective colleges (the ones that want SAT IIs) the main purpose of taking APs is to help with admissions, because elite colleges like to see kids are taking the most difficult courses possible, and also kids send in their 5s with their applications.
[/quot

Mostly agree, except that many top schools do accept ap scores for course credit.