Test optional success stories

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s a story on the scheduling/test center issues:

https://www.saraharberson.com/blog/hard-to-take-the-sat-and-act

This is being overly dramatic. The rising senior class will have had 6 times to take the SAT in 2024 (plus an additional 3-4 times in fall of 2023!). There were plenty of seats all spring and early summer. It's only kids who have waited until the last possible minute that may have an issue.

It’s a big issue in Illinois; also California. And I think Tri-state area.

These kids haven't had any opportunity to take the test in 2024?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s a story on the scheduling/test center issues:

https://www.saraharberson.com/blog/hard-to-take-the-sat-and-act

This is being overly dramatic. The rising senior class will have had 6 times to take the SAT in 2024 (plus an additional 3-4 times in fall of 2023!). There were plenty of seats all spring and early summer. It's only kids who have waited until the last possible minute that may have an issue.

It’s a big issue in Illinois; also California. And I think Tri-state area.

These kids haven't had any opportunity to take the test in 2024?

Lots of cancelled tests.
And if they have had a chance to take it, it’s only been once. A lot of folks have had trouble taking it the second or third time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious how kids applying test optional fared so far this year. DS is a junior coming from a W school in MCPS. Likely not applying to top tier schools. Wondering how kids looking at T50-100+ schools did this year without submitting tests, particularly kids coming from top privates and W schools where my sense is that most kids submit. Not my first kid so I know there’s no crystal ball and I know every school is different, but first kid did submit scores so I’m just trying to get a sense of how things are playing out this year. Thanks for any insights!

Schools in this range include (not counting California schools):
NYU
BC
Tufts
BU
Lehigh
Wake
Case
Northeastern
Brandeis
Santa Clara
GW
Syracuse
U-Miami
Villanova
Tulane
Pepperdine
Fordham
SMU
LMU
TCU
U-SD
American

And almost everyone we know who applied TO in this range (T35-100) got into several of these private colleges (some w/merit). Some of them require more strategy than others depending on who else is applying from your school (BC/Tufts/Wake/Tulane)….but overall these private schools are all mostly really TO.

Too many people here think we are only talking about the top 10 or 15 schools…
Think bigger.

OP: is this the kind of school you are looking at?

I’m also looking for real TO schools for my senior kid. Curious what else you’ve uncovered.
Any SLACs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s a story on the scheduling/test center issues:

https://www.saraharberson.com/blog/hard-to-take-the-sat-and-act

This is being overly dramatic. The rising senior class will have had 6 times to take the SAT in 2024 (plus an additional 3-4 times in fall of 2023!). There were plenty of seats all spring and early summer. It's only kids who have waited until the last possible minute that may have an issue.

It’s a big issue in Illinois; also California. And I think Tri-state area.

These kids haven't had any opportunity to take the test in 2024?

Lots of cancelled tests.
And if they have had a chance to take it, it’s only been once. A lot of folks have had trouble taking it the second or third time.

This hasn’t been an issue on the east coast. Can’t imagine tests are being cancelled anywhere in 2024.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s a story on the scheduling/test center issues:

https://www.saraharberson.com/blog/hard-to-take-the-sat-and-act

This is being overly dramatic. The rising senior class will have had 6 times to take the SAT in 2024 (plus an additional 3-4 times in fall of 2023!). There were plenty of seats all spring and early summer. It's only kids who have waited until the last possible minute that may have an issue.

It’s a big issue in Illinois; also California. And I think Tri-state area.

These kids haven't had any opportunity to take the test in 2024?

Lots of cancelled tests.
And if they have had a chance to take it, it’s only been once. A lot of folks have had trouble taking it the second or third time.

It's an issue in PA, MA, New York and New Jersey - where many locations are 2-4 hours away or require a plane ride. No local HS offerings...

Probablynot an issue in the DC area.


This hasn’t been an issue on the east coast. Can’t imagine tests are being cancelled anywhere in 2024.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s a story on the scheduling/test center issues:

https://www.saraharberson.com/blog/hard-to-take-the-sat-and-act

This is being overly dramatic. The rising senior class will have had 6 times to take the SAT in 2024 (plus an additional 3-4 times in fall of 2023!). There were plenty of seats all spring and early summer. It's only kids who have waited until the last possible minute that may have an issue.

It’s a big issue in Illinois; also California. And I think Tri-state area.

These kids haven't had any opportunity to take the test in 2024?

Lots of cancelled tests.
And if they have had a chance to take it, it’s only been once. A lot of folks have had trouble taking it the second or third time.

So everyone should be able to take the test 2-3 times? Why stop at 3?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s a story on the scheduling/test center issues:

https://www.saraharberson.com/blog/hard-to-take-the-sat-and-act

This is being overly dramatic. The rising senior class will have had 6 times to take the SAT in 2024 (plus an additional 3-4 times in fall of 2023!). There were plenty of seats all spring and early summer. It's only kids who have waited until the last possible minute that may have an issue.

It’s a big issue in Illinois; also California. And I think Tri-state area.

These kids haven't had any opportunity to take the test in 2024?

Lots of cancelled tests.
And if they have had a chance to take it, it’s only been once. A lot of folks have had trouble taking it the second or third time.

It's an issue in PA, MA, New York and New Jersey - where many locations are 2-4 hours away or require a plane ride. No local HS offerings...

Probablynot an issue in the DC area.


This hasn’t been an issue on the east coast. Can’t imagine tests are being cancelled anywhere in 2024.

BS, triolls going to troll. It isn’t difficult to get test spots. Troll should know that colleges considered this before going back to test required for this cycle

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Admitted to VT yesterday:
Big NOVA public, TO, 3.9W/3.6UW, business major, rigorous courses (12 AP/DE classes), strong ECs.

So waitlisted, and then admitted in June?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s a story on the scheduling/test center issues:

https://www.saraharberson.com/blog/hard-to-take-the-sat-and-act

This is being overly dramatic. The rising senior class will have had 6 times to take the SAT in 2024 (plus an additional 3-4 times in fall of 2023!). There were plenty of seats all spring and early summer. It's only kids who have waited until the last possible minute that may have an issue.

It’s a big issue in Illinois; also California. And I think Tri-state area.

These kids haven't had any opportunity to take the test in 2024?

Lots of cancelled tests.
And if they have had a chance to take it, it’s only been once. A lot of folks have had trouble taking it the second or third time.

It's an issue in PA, MA, New York and New Jersey - where many locations are 2-4 hours away or require a plane ride. No local HS offerings...

Probablynot an issue in the DC area.


This hasn’t been an issue on the east coast. Can’t imagine tests are being cancelled anywhere in 2024.

BS, triolls going to troll. It isn’t difficult to get test spots. Troll should know that colleges considered this before going back to test required for this cycle

Im not in the DC area. Not a troll.
Ummm. go to AN25 and see the 50 comments about this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s a story on the scheduling/test center issues:

https://www.saraharberson.com/blog/hard-to-take-the-sat-and-act

This is being overly dramatic. The rising senior class will have had 6 times to take the SAT in 2024 (plus an additional 3-4 times in fall of 2023!). There were plenty of seats all spring and early summer. It's only kids who have waited until the last possible minute that may have an issue.

It’s a big issue in Illinois; also California. And I think Tri-state area.

These kids haven't had any opportunity to take the test in 2024?

Lots of cancelled tests.
And if they have had a chance to take it, it’s only been once. A lot of folks have had trouble taking it the second or third time.

I mean shouldnt it be uniform across the country? 1 for everyone, or 3 (or whatever) takes? Not different rules for different states.

So everyone should be able to take the test 2-3 times? Why stop at 3?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Admitted to VT yesterday:
Big NOVA public, TO, 3.9W/3.6UW, business major, rigorous courses (12 AP/DE classes), strong ECs.

So waitlisted, and then admitted in June?

Chicago area private. The WL admits to T35 this spring were all TO from our HS.
FWIW.

Maybe selective schools WL TO candidates at a higher rate than test submitted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Admitted to VT yesterday:
Big NOVA public, TO, 3.9W/3.6UW, business major, rigorous courses (12 AP/DE classes), strong ECs.

So waitlisted, and then admitted in June?

Chicago area private. The WL admits to T35 this spring were all TO from our HS.
FWIW.

Maybe selective schools WL TO candidates at a higher rate than test submitted?

Because they prefer to admit those who submit test scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t rely on any. Landscape has changed. TO is now only for demographics of students they want or athletes.

Schools are all test aware even if they are TO now.

On that note- my unhooked high test score/all 5 AP exams got into three Ivies RD, Hopkins and several T 20s. There is zero chance he would have as a TO applicant. Most accepted kids submitted scores.

One hundred percent this. Our private (kids go to two different school) and private college counselor all strongly encourage scores. If unhooked, I’d only submit test scores to the schools that were test optional pre covid, or if the scores are below bottom 25 percent of 2019 scores for a school.

+1,000,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t rely on any. Landscape has changed. TO is now only for demographics of students they want or athletes.

Schools are all test aware even if they are TO now.

On that note- my unhooked high test score/all 5 AP exams got into three Ivies RD, Hopkins and several T 20s. There is zero chance he would have as a TO applicant. Most accepted kids submitted scores.

What was your kid's score?

Not perfect. 35 one sitting ACT. 36 score in Eng&Reading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s a story on the scheduling/test center issues:

https://www.saraharberson.com/blog/hard-to-take-the-sat-and-act

This is being overly dramatic. The rising senior class will have had 6 times to take the SAT in 2024 (plus an additional 3-4 times in fall of 2023!). There were plenty of seats all spring and early summer. It's only kids who have waited until the last possible minute that may have an issue.

It’s a big issue in Illinois; also California. And I think Tri-state area.

These kids haven't had any opportunity to take the test in 2024?

Lots of cancelled tests.
And if they have had a chance to take it, it’s only been once. A lot of folks have had trouble taking it the second or third time.

It's not. It's people angry that tests are coming back and whining that they didn't see it coming and didn't have enough time. My kid prepped a few short weeks, took the test and was done. It didn't take a year of prep or more...it was 6 weeks.


This hasn’t been an issue on the east coast. Can’t imagine tests are being cancelled anywhere in 2024.