Is there a point at which a higher SAT score doesn't matter?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Assuming a kid wants to attend a college in the top 10. Is a 1590 or 1600 more helpful than a score in the range of 1530-1560? And is a 1600 better than a 1590?
Does it depend on his high school?

Omfg, how many threads are there about "higher" SAT scores. Can't you search? Look at College Board's site for percentiles. If a 1450 and 1550 are both 99th percentile, give Larlo a f ing break and not let him take the test again. Geez, are parents in DMV ALL like this?!

Except the 99th percentile doesn't begin until 1530.

Oh no, Larlo is down to 97% !!! Whatever will we tell our neighbors to whom we can't brag about him, or we can't include his sat score on this year's x-mas card! geezus

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Assuming a kid wants to attend a college in the top 10. Is a 1590 or 1600 more helpful than a score in the range of 1530-1560? And is a 1600 better than a 1590?
Does it depend on his high school?

Omfg, how many threads are there about "higher" SAT scores. Can't you search? Look at College Board's site for percentiles. If a 1450 and 1550 are both 99th percentile, give Larlo a f ing break and not let him take the test again. Geez, are parents in DMV ALL like this?!

Except the 99th percentile doesn't begin until 1530.

Oh no, Larlo is down to 97% !!! Whatever will we tell our neighbors to whom we can't brag about him, or we can't include his sat score on this year's x-mas card! geezus

If you are not in the T20 pool, don't worry about it. It shouldn't bother you. And you don't have to click on this thread. Just leave.

Why so much toxicity?

[Anonymous]

1500+ doesn't matter. A college isn't making an admissions decision based a couple of multiple choices questions in only math and English. They want evidence of more meaningful ability. AP exams at least have essay questions, ECs have external recognition, rec letters help compare to others in same school/EC, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Assuming a kid wants to attend a college in the top 10. Is a 1590 or 1600 more helpful than a score in the range of 1530-1560? And is a 1600 better than a 1590?
Does it depend on his high school?

Omfg, how many threads are there about "higher" SAT scores. Can't you search? Look at College Board's site for percentiles. If a 1450 and 1550 are both 99th percentile, give Larlo a f ing break and not let him take the test again. Geez, are parents in DMV ALL like this?!

Except the 99th percentile doesn't begin until 1530.

The private college counselor we hired said 1540 SAT or 35 ACT for top 20 unhooked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1500+ is enough. After that, focus on other things, unless there’s a specific score cut-off for a merit scholarship.

False. Every 10 points above = greater chance at a) acceptance at an elite school, and/or b) merit scholarships

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1500+ is enough. After that, focus on other things, unless there’s a specific score cut-off for a merit scholarship.

False. Every 10 points above = greater chance at a) acceptance at an elite school, and/or b) merit scholarships

DP.

How much greater? Quantify and compare advantage vs. opportunity cost (and comparative advantages thereby sacrificed).

Absent this analysis your claim is unfounded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1500+ is enough. After that, focus on other things, unless there’s a specific score cut-off for a merit scholarship.

+1

Widely known per CDS stats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My student was accepted to a HYP with a 1530. He was WL at Duke, which was test optional last year (he did submit the 1530) and was later admitted off the WL. Counselor thought that schools like Duke wanted to see a 1550+ because they feel the need to keep those averages as high as possible while HYP is more comfortable in its admissions strategy and doesn’t need to prove itself. Anything above 1500 is strong in their view.

Duke, Vandy, Washu, Chicago, at these schools, a high test score helps their image.

Straight from the mouth of a WashU AO “770 on Math is fine and nothing above is an advantage but 770 and above Verbal is an advantage”. Makes sense give the much higher number of high Math scores relative to high Verbal scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1500+ doesn't matter. A college isn't making an admissions decision based a couple of multiple choices questions in only math and English. They want evidence of more meaningful ability. AP exams at least have essay questions, ECs have external recognition, rec letters help compare to others in same school/EC, etc.

This is clearly false.

For T10, ECs, rec, essays etc have to be exceptionally strong. That's a given, they have 20x more qualified applicants that have everything and some more.
If an applicant has to worry about getting a high score would sacrifice other parts of the application, then clearly he is not a T10 material.
1500+ doesn't matter may be true at your Wake Forest or Davidson, not at T10. No. Harvard's SFFA data clearly says otherwise.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the school and the major. Near-perfect math does matter for some stem majors and some schools.

I suspect anything over 1500 is great for top 40.

Maybe closer to 1550 helps with the super scarce top 10-15?

My DC was more than happy with score of 1510 and stopped there. Since we're target schools ranging from #20-#50, it seems like it will be enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1500+ is enough. After that, focus on other things, unless there’s a specific score cut-off for a merit scholarship.

False. Every 10 points above = greater chance at a) acceptance at an elite school, and/or b) merit scholarships

DP.

How much greater? Quantify and compare advantage vs. opportunity cost (and comparative advantages thereby sacrificed).

Absent this analysis your claim is unfounded.

Uh. Every college counselor knows this to be true because every single statistic is reported to USNWR so the schools fight over every 1600 kid and 36 ACT kid. How. Do you not know this?

[Anonymous]

Higher is better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1500+ is enough. After that, focus on other things, unless there’s a specific score cut-off for a merit scholarship.

False. Every 10 points above = greater chance at a) acceptance at an elite school, and/or b) merit scholarships

DP.

How much greater? Quantify and compare advantage vs. opportunity cost (and comparative advantages thereby sacrificed).

Absent this analysis your claim is unfounded.

Uh. Every college counselor knows this to be true because every single statistic is reported to USNWR so the schools fight over every 1600 kid and 36 ACT kid. How. Do you not know this?

You literally didn’t understand the point. At all. Either be responsive or hush and let the folks who understand converse. Thank you for your consideration.

[Anonymous]

Caltech treats 1570+ differently.

Data released in SFFA showed Harvard treated 1560+ differently.

Dartmouth report says the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Assuming a kid wants to attend a college in the top 10. Is a 1590 or 1600 more helpful than a score in the range of 1530-1560? And is a 1600 better than a 1590?
Does it depend on his high school?

Omfg, how many threads are there about "higher" SAT scores. Can't you search? Look at College Board's site for percentiles. If a 1450 and 1550 are both 99th percentile, give Larlo a f ing break and not let him take the test again. Geez, are parents in DMV ALL like this?!

Yes, it's a competitive area!