Anonymous
01/28/2026 20:33
Subject: Does 1580+ help T20 admissions?
For all you undersubscribed majors, the key is how strong is your kid’s app for that major compared to the RD apps for that same major at that school. Probably not something you can judge for yourself unless you’ve seen other high-quality successful applications. It would be a question for your counselor?
Were your kid’s RD apps stronger (it’s OK if they were. It usually works out that way. And usually these kids tend to have some good regular decision options.)
Hang in there.
This was my DC. Rejected ED after a T10 deferral. At Cornell.
Were your kid’s RD apps stronger (it’s OK if they were. It usually works out that way. And usually these kids tend to have some good regular decision options.)
Hang in there.
This was my DC. Rejected ED after a T10 deferral. At Cornell.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 19:54
Subject: Does 1580+ help T20 admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:They could use it in shaping the class, where most AOs are not involved.Anonymous wrote:Our school counselor gaslit my high score DC, basically told DC their high score is treated the same as 1500. Counselor was an AO at an ivy. So I guess it’s not helpful.
What does it mean shaping the class? Who is shaping the class if AOs are not involved?
Shaping the class means using computers to adjust who is in and out to make sure there are enough students in certain categories: boys, rural students, in-state students (at state schools), full-pay students (at schools where that matters), etc.
And majors and special talents/abilities.
these are not all hooks.
Evidence of "academic interest", which is institutional priorities (or undersubscribed), is an important part of class shaping. Perhaps the most overlooked in the discussion here.
It's why CS, Eng, and Business kids can have a horrible RD process while Classics, Middle Eastern Studies, Asian American Lang & Literature, and Jewish Studies can have fabulous RD runs.
You are saying, for undersubscribed majors, it works better in RD than ED?
So ED deferrals could be just that, at least partially, they want to shape the class toward the end of the application season?
Was there a weakness somewhere in the app noticeable in ED?
Are you the OP with a 1580?
Is it an objectively strong, undersubscribed application, with notable/strong in and out of school evidence for major and leadership/impact?
Great LOR that stands on its own?
Objectively strong essays?
Depending on the major (did you check the last page of CDS to see how many/what % of the senior class listed that major), I'd assume you get at least 1 in RD. But it honestly depends on the major and what the university prioritizes.
Class shaping is extremely important in RD.
Unrelated to OP, was asking about the undersubscribed major in relation to ED/RD.
Top of the class, 1500+, average EC related to undersubscribed major, deferred CMC.
Penn deferred ED. Undersubscribed major. 3.9+ top private, 1500. LOCI hoping for the best.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 18:40
Subject: Does 1580+ help T20 admissions?
Looks like Michigan is the only place where a high test score might have some slight advantages. Otherwise no difference between 1500 and 1580 for T20.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 18:19
Subject: Does 1580+ help T20 admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Child got a 35 ACT one-and-done in Sept of Junior year (~1540-1550 SAT equivalent). We were told that checks a box/jumps a hurdle at every school. We were cautioned that it's a great score and helpful in the scheme of things, but guarantees nothing in the end.
us too, and kid refused to take again because college counselor told him the same.
+1, and counselor said to use time/energy/emotion on schoolwork, essays and other things that will matter far, far more in the end, "don't make test-taking an EC"
Anonymous
01/28/2026 18:04
Subject: Does 1580+ help T20 admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Child got a 35 ACT one-and-done in Sept of Junior year (~1540-1550 SAT equivalent). We were told that checks a box/jumps a hurdle at every school. We were cautioned that it's a great score and helpful in the scheme of things, but guarantees nothing in the end.
us too, and kid refused to take again because college counselor told him the same.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 17:44
Subject: Does 1580+ help T20 admissions?
Child got a 35 ACT one-and-done in Sept of Junior year (~1540-1550 SAT equivalent). We were told that checks a box/jumps a hurdle at every school. We were cautioned that it's a great score and helpful in the scheme of things, but guarantees nothing in the end.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 16:36
Subject: Does 1580+ help T20 admissions?
A lot of deferrals this year. Too many early applications.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 16:29
Subject: Does 1580+ help T20 admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:They could use it in shaping the class, where most AOs are not involved.Anonymous wrote:Our school counselor gaslit my high score DC, basically told DC their high score is treated the same as 1500. Counselor was an AO at an ivy. So I guess it’s not helpful.
What does it mean shaping the class? Who is shaping the class if AOs are not involved?
Shaping the class means using computers to adjust who is in and out to make sure there are enough students in certain categories: boys, rural students, in-state students (at state schools), full-pay students (at schools where that matters), etc.
And majors and special talents/abilities.
these are not all hooks.
Evidence of "academic interest", which is institutional priorities (or undersubscribed), is an important part of class shaping. Perhaps the most overlooked in the discussion here.
It's why CS, Eng, and Business kids can have a horrible RD process while Classics, Middle Eastern Studies, Asian American Lang & Literature, and Jewish Studies can have fabulous RD runs.
You are saying, for undersubscribed majors, it works better in RD than ED?
So ED deferrals could be just that, at least partially, they want to shape the class toward the end of the application season?
Was there a weakness somewhere in the app noticeable in ED?
Are you the OP with a 1580?
Is it an objectively strong, undersubscribed application, with notable/strong in and out of school evidence for major and leadership/impact?
Great LOR that stands on its own?
Objectively strong essays?
Depending on the major (did you check the last page of CDS to see how many/what % of the senior class listed that major), I'd assume you get at least 1 in RD. But it honestly depends on the major and what the university prioritizes.
Class shaping is extremely important in RD.
Unrelated to OP, was asking about the undersubscribed major in relation to ED/RD.
Top of the class, 1500+, average EC related to undersubscribed major, deferred CMC.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 15:57
Subject: Does 1580+ help T20 admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Other than schools like Caltech?
I have looked at our Naviance, I don’t see a pattern where high test scores help admissions. There is always a healthy distribution of test scores for top schools.
Someone mentioned in the other thread that they help in Michigan admissions. What is your observation at your school?
GPA is the most important. My child has 1580 as well and Deferred at Brown, USC, UMich. You need very high GPA + this SAT score
Anonymous
01/28/2026 15:04
Subject: Does 1580+ help T20 admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:They could use it in shaping the class, where most AOs are not involved.Anonymous wrote:Our school counselor gaslit my high score DC, basically told DC their high score is treated the same as 1500. Counselor was an AO at an ivy. So I guess it’s not helpful.
What does it mean shaping the class? Who is shaping the class if AOs are not involved?
Shaping the class means using computers to adjust who is in and out to make sure there are enough students in certain categories: boys, rural students, in-state students (at state schools), full-pay students (at schools where that matters), etc.
And majors and special talents/abilities.
these are not all hooks.
Evidence of "academic interest", which is institutional priorities (or undersubscribed), is an important part of class shaping. Perhaps the most overlooked in the discussion here.
It's why CS, Eng, and Business kids can have a horrible RD process while Classics, Middle Eastern Studies, Asian American Lang & Literature, and Jewish Studies can have fabulous RD runs.
You are saying, for undersubscribed majors, it works better in RD than ED?
So ED deferrals could be just that, at least partially, they want to shape the class toward the end of the application season?
Was there a weakness somewhere in the app noticeable in ED?
Are you the OP with a 1580?
Is it an objectively strong, undersubscribed application, with notable/strong in and out of school evidence for major and leadership/impact?
Great LOR that stands on its own?
Objectively strong essays?
Depending on the major (did you check the last page of CDS to see how many/what % of the senior class listed that major), I'd assume you get at least 1 in RD. But it honestly depends on the major and what the university prioritizes.
Class shaping is extremely important in RD.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 15:04
Subject: Does 1580+ help T20 admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Our school counselor gaslit my high score DC, basically told DC their high score is treated the same as 1500. Counselor was an AO at an ivy. So I guess it’s not helpful.
We were told differently by a former AO at an Ivy (1550 plus treated differently) so may depend on the school. Anecdotally, the kid with the 1600 and cum laude from our private did very well among T10 schools.
Look at the Harvard lawsuit. The scoring shows 33-36 was treated the same (!!!!)
It was all of the other factors that matter. And matter A LOT.
That data was a long time ago and from old SAT ranges pre 2016.
It has changed a lot.
1550+ is usually a slight boost, from our private with counselors who worked at top15 recently.
More important is the breakdown: the math and reading have to be tops.1550 guarantees that the split is good enough, but a balanced 1520 could be very similar (780M/740v is not that different from 800m/750v), while a 790v and 730m for someone not obviously strongly humanities-talented is not as good. You can pick any major once there; 730m is quite weak.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 14:59
Subject: Does 1580+ help T20 admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:They could use it in shaping the class, where most AOs are not involved.Anonymous wrote:Our school counselor gaslit my high score DC, basically told DC their high score is treated the same as 1500. Counselor was an AO at an ivy. So I guess it’s not helpful.
What does it mean shaping the class? Who is shaping the class if AOs are not involved?
Shaping the class means using computers to adjust who is in and out to make sure there are enough students in certain categories: boys, rural students, in-state students (at state schools), full-pay students (at schools where that matters), etc.
And majors and special talents/abilities.
these are not all hooks.
Evidence of "academic interest", which is institutional priorities (or undersubscribed), is an important part of class shaping. Perhaps the most overlooked in the discussion here.
It's why CS, Eng, and Business kids can have a horrible RD process while Classics, Middle Eastern Studies, Asian American Lang & Literature, and Jewish Studies can have fabulous RD runs.
You are saying, for undersubscribed majors, it works better in RD than ED?
So ED deferrals could be just that, at least partially, they want to shape the class toward the end of the application season?
Anonymous
01/28/2026 14:54
Subject: Does 1580+ help T20 admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:They could use it in shaping the class, where most AOs are not involved.Anonymous wrote:Our school counselor gaslit my high score DC, basically told DC their high score is treated the same as 1500. Counselor was an AO at an ivy. So I guess it’s not helpful.
What does it mean shaping the class? Who is shaping the class if AOs are not involved?
Shaping the class means using computers to adjust who is in and out to make sure there are enough students in certain categories: boys, rural students, in-state students (at state schools), full-pay students (at schools where that matters), etc.
And majors and special talents/abilities.
these are not all hooks.
Evidence of "academic interest", which is institutional priorities (or undersubscribed), is an important part of class shaping. Perhaps the most overlooked in the discussion here.
It's why CS, Eng, and Business kids can have a horrible RD process while Classics, Middle Eastern Studies, Asian American Lang & Literature, and Jewish Studies can have fabulous RD runs.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 14:54
Subject: Does 1580+ help T20 admissions?
1580 denied at U Chicago, waitlisted at U Mich. Stellar academics, but no extraordinary extracurriculars. As people said, the grades and scores are important, but they could fill their classes many times over based only on grades and scores. They are looking for that PLUS something extra.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 14:51
Subject: Does 1580+ help T20 admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Our school counselor gaslit my high score DC, basically told DC their high score is treated the same as 1500. Counselor was an AO at an ivy. So I guess it’s not helpful.
We were told differently by a former AO at an Ivy (1550 plus treated differently) so may depend on the school. Anecdotally, the kid with the 1600 and cum laude from our private did very well among T10 schools.
Look at the Harvard lawsuit. The scoring shows 33-36 was treated the same (!!!!)
It was all of the other factors that matter. And matter A LOT.