90th percentile

[Anonymous]

Kids in the 99.99% percentile have at least 40 iq points on the kids in the 90% percentile. That’s a really big difference in smartness and what they are capable of achieving in college and beyond.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here--many say, "oh kid got 1350 but has all As in tough classes so it must be grade inflation" "they couldn't keep up in a top college", I am questioning that myth

But kid can also get 5 on AP exams. Some kids get test anxiety when it comes to SATs because so much emphasis is put on it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is a lot of easier to get all As than top 10% or top 1% in SAT/ ACTs. Approx 40% of the 3.7million people applying have all As but only 1% have over 1500. That still is 37K students for top ranked schools to pick from.

1350 is a decent score but you are not in the top 1% of the population. Grading system in schools is screwed up so you are really measure students caliber based on grades.

Do those 1% have 1500 in one sitting or with superscore?

Here's the fun thing, it doesn't matter. Your 1500 counts just the same either way.

it doesnt matter. "A" grades are also earned based on effort throughout the year and in many cases with multiple retakes.

But why should this hard work be of more value than the hard work put into class grades and AP scores. They are all data points.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids in the 99.99% percentile have at least 40 iq points on the kids in the 90% percentile. That’s a really big difference in smartness and what they are capable of achieving in college and beyond.

Hard, hard disagree on whether a few points on the SAT equate to IQ difference as opposed to time studying, economic difference, educational background, amount of sleep day of, a slew of other factors, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is a lot of easier to get all As than top 10% or top 1% in SAT/ ACTs. Approx 40% of the 3.7million people applying have all As but only 1% have over 1500. That still is 37K students for top ranked schools to pick from.

1350 is a decent score but you are not in the top 1% of the population. Grading system in schools is screwed up so you are really measure students caliber based on grades.

Do those 1% have 1500 in one sitting or with superscore?

Here's the fun thing, it doesn't matter. Your 1500 counts just the same either way.

it doesnt matter. "A" grades are also earned based on effort throughout the year and in many cases with multiple retakes.

But why should this hard work be of more value than the hard work put into class grades and AP scores. They are all data points.

It's not of more value. Admissions committees most definitely look at your curriculum and grades. If anything more value is attached to that than the SAT score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids in the 99.99% percentile have at least 40 iq points on the kids in the 90% percentile. That’s a really big difference in smartness and what they are capable of achieving in college and beyond.

Hard, hard disagree on whether a few points on the SAT equate to IQ difference as opposed to time studying, economic difference, educational background, amount of sleep day of, a slew of other factors, etc.

Studying hard, having a higher income family, having a good educational background, getting enough sleep - these all correlate with intelligence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm confused... you're asking why your kid didn't get an A on the SAT?

No--- I'm asking why 1350plus is not "smart enough" for most top schools

DP.

It IS smart enough for most top schools.

The problem is that other applicants are "smarter", if you believe that standardized test scores reflect "smartness".

Everything else being equal, colleges don't want "smart enough", they want "smartest available", right?

Why would you assume college want smartest available? They are schools, not employers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids in the 99.99% percentile have at least 40 iq points on the kids in the 90% percentile. That’s a really big difference in smartness and what they are capable of achieving in college and beyond.

Hard, hard disagree on whether a few points on the SAT equate to IQ difference as opposed to time studying, economic difference, educational background, amount of sleep day of, a slew of other factors, etc.

It might be a 10 point difference but definitely not 40. A lot of it is from studying, no you dont need a tutor , best stiff is free on youtube khan and college board-but you nee MOTIVATION

so we know the richest are only sometimes the smartest ones but almost always the most motivate ones

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids in the 99.99% percentile have at least 40 iq points on the kids in the 90% percentile. That’s a really big difference in smartness and what they are capable of achieving in college and beyond.

Look up what an IQ point is and then come back and explain your mistake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids in the 99.99% percentile have at least 40 iq points on the kids in the 90% percentile. That’s a really big difference in smartness and what they are capable of achieving in college and beyond.

Hard, hard disagree on whether a few points on the SAT equate to IQ difference as opposed to time studying, economic difference, educational background, amount of sleep day of, a slew of other factors, etc.

Studying hard, having a higher income family, having a good educational background, getting enough sleep - these all correlate with intelligence.

I think SES and culture both can determine the outside motivation of kids....the inherent genetic motivation is usually only high in a minority of kids-and those are the FGLI that we hear about

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids in the 99.99% percentile have at least 40 iq points on the kids in the 90% percentile. That’s a really big difference in smartness and what they are capable of achieving in college and beyond.

There is no test that can reliably distinguish 99.99 and 99.9 percentile. Or even 99.9 and 99.0. 99 and 90 - yes, for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But how many kids who ultimately get in the 1500s start out around 1350 and then study and tutor up to the 1500s? I'll put my own kids in that bucket. And I know that's the way it is but man the rat race we've created that rewards the kids who can afford those privileges...

(shrug) life should reward people who work hard over a long period of time.

Ugh - what is the point of "working hard" to achieve a score though on this test? I'd so much rather kids spend time working hard at a job or in classes or on activities they enjoy. Or just relaxing and not working hard. And it is absolutely a privilege and a luxury to be able to get a kid tutors and classes to boost their scores. That's one of the reasons schools like Bowdoin went test optional in the first place, because these scores are falsely inflated.

It's quite the privilege to have an opinion like that. Many families need their kids to go to the best schools they can so that they can guarantee getting the best job they can so that they can lift their families out of poverty or even from a slowly dying middle class existence. Some people don't have the wealth of social welfare networks such as extended family or generational wealth to buttress them. Hopefully their next generation or the one after that can have your laissez-faire attitude.

You're missing the point entirely. Of course kids should go to the best schools they can. The point is their admission shouldn't depend on SAT scores.

Life shouldn't depend on spending all your time having to make money to pay for daily necessities either. But that's the world we live in. It used to be that it wasn't that hard to get into an Ivy. But then other-than-whites came along and the schools insisted they had to be twice as smart to get in. Blame them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like an outlier on this topic, have one kid that had perfect stats and gpa at a top school. Second kid has 97% SAT score with prep being 2 practice exams, but a low gpa at a tough private where they get mostly B’s with an occasional A. I don’t think they could keep up at a top school despite high SAT.

What is the basis for your prediction?
There is huge variation in performance at a top college, just like at high school. Some kid's senior capstone classes are other kids' first year classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids in the 99.99% percentile have at least 40 iq points on the kids in the 90% percentile. That’s a really big difference in smartness and what they are capable of achieving in college and beyond.

HOLY SH*T!?!?!?!?!

The difference between a 100 IQ and 140 IQ is so, so, so much more evident than the difference between a 90th and 99th percentile score. This is one of the most misinformed and/or mean-spirited things I have even seen on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids in the 99.99% percentile have at least 40 iq points on the kids in the 90% percentile. That’s a really big difference in smartness and what they are capable of achieving in college and beyond.

There is no test that can reliably distinguish 99.99 and 99.9 percentile. Or even 99.9 and 99.0. 99 and 90 - yes, for sure.

Ask a 99%ile kid. They can tell. They sit next to the 99.9%ile kid and see the difference.