How much do test scores really matter?

[Anonymous]

My child scored a 35 in DC and did not make the cut.

[Anonymous]

Mine had 35 composite, but the sums were 138. 34 34 35 35

[Anonymous]

Mine made the first cut with a 36. But didn't make the cut after that.

[Anonymous]

Straight 36s?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Straight 36s?

DS had 2 36s and 2 35s (if I remember correctly)
DD had 4 36s.

both made first cut but that was it.

[Anonymous]

Anybody know how this year's minimums differed between DC and the burbs?

[Anonymous]

Was DC's threshold lower than MD and VA again?

[Anonymous]

And not just the DMV. Any other stats?

[Anonymous]

How does California compare?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SPin off question about scores -- do the test prep programs make a difference in getting those great scores?

If your child did a test prep class, was it worth it? Which ones? Individual or group?

Contrary to what most people want to believe, very little:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124278685697537839

http://www.realclearscience.com/articles/2011/08/29/dont_waste_money_on_sat_act_prep_courses_106250.html

http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2014/03/the-sat-test-prep-income-and-race.html

I feel for those Chinese students slaving away at test prep centers....
You want that for your child?

[Anonymous]

How does California compare to Mississippi?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My two cents is that Presidential Scholar and NMSF are nice little honors, but in no way determinative in college admissions. Kids who get those honors did something right. Some are super bright, some go to great schools, some prep diligently. Good for them. But top scores are only part of the picture. I don't think colleges especially reward perfection. They want interesting kids with great grades and scores, but the stats don't have to be perfect. A highly involved, passionate kid with a couple Bs and a 2300 would generally be more prized than a straight A 2400 SAT kid who studied all the time. Colleges want students who contribute in meaningful ways to the school community. Kids who want to be successful ion college admissions should show that they've done that in high school.

Sounds reasonable, but I agree with a PP: if you look at those Naviance scattergrams for top schools? The happy green dots seem to occur most frequently in the tippy top part of the far right corner.

It's certainly not the only thing that matters, but YES, test scores matter! Colleges need the "happy green dots" in the far right corner to offset the lower scoring green dots (legacy, urm, athletes, others) along the spectrum, so that in the end, elite schools can still boast higher than average scores in the 25, 50, 75%s. In the case of Harvard (just for argument's sake), you cannot have a 75% score of 2350/2400 without accepting a high number of students with that score.

As parent of a URM with a 34 ACT, I recent your claim that the lower green dates are URM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My two cents is that Presidential Scholar and NMSF are nice little honors, but in no way determinative in college admissions. Kids who get those honors did something right. Some are super bright, some go to great schools, some prep diligently. Good for them. But top scores are only part of the picture. I don't think colleges especially reward perfection. They want interesting kids with great grades and scores, but the stats don't have to be perfect. A highly involved, passionate kid with a couple Bs and a 2300 would generally be more prized than a straight A 2400 SAT kid who studied all the time. Colleges want students who contribute in meaningful ways to the school community. Kids who want to be successful ion college admissions should show that they've done that in high school.

Sounds reasonable, but I agree with a PP: if you look at those Naviance scattergrams for top schools? The happy green dots seem to occur most frequently in the tippy top part of the far right corner.

It's certainly not the only thing that matters, but YES, test scores matter! Colleges need the "happy green dots" in the far right corner to offset the lower scoring green dots (legacy, urm, athletes, others) along the spectrum, so that in the end, elite schools can still boast higher than average scores in the 25, 50, 75%s. In the case of Harvard (just for argument's sake), you cannot have a 75% score of 2350/2400 without accepting a high number of students with that score.

As parent of a URM with a 34 ACT, I recent your claim that the lower green dates are URM.

I think you're confused. The PP said that the lower scoring green dots were legacy, URM, athletes etc. That statement is, almost certainly, true. What they didn't say was that all URM were low scorers.

Paper detailing advantages: https://www.princeton.edu/~tje/files/Admission%20Preferences%20Espenshade%20Chung%20Walling%20Dec%202004.pdf

"The bonus for African-American applicants is roughly equivalent to an extra 230 SAT points (on a 1600-point scale), to 185 points for Hispanics, 200 points for athletes, and 160 points for children of alumni. The Asian disadvantage is comparable to a loss of 50 SAT points."

[Anonymous]

Not very much at all. Admission by exam at UC for OOS minimum of 425. DS had a 458. Denied at UCSD and UCLA. Won't get into Berkeley. Doubtful about SB, I, or SC at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not very much at all. Admission by exam at UC for OOS minimum of 425. DS had a 458. Denied at UCSD and UCLA. Won't get into Berkeley. Doubtful about SB, I, or SC at this point.

WHy do you think that is?