Sally_Rubenstone

Question: Is 630 a good SAT Math score?When it comes to SAT scores, “good” and “bad” are relative terms, depending on where you’re applying. There are lots of places where you can see the SAT norms for all schools on your current roster. The College View site is one of them. Click on the [...]

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Biggie_Smalls

Is my SAT score? Is it? I don't know, I'm confused.

Sally_Rubenstone

Just check out your score(s) in the context of your target colleges' mid-point ranges and see where they fall. What's good for one school may be lousy--or super--for another.

missemily516

Sally, How do you do that when the scores on the sections are vastly different - my daughter has an 800 on CR but only a 560 Math score (and a 590 Writing score). Do you just base it on the lower scores? She is not retaking the test, and this has made it almost impossible to determine Reach/Match/Safety for schools. Any advice?

Sally_Rubenstone

That's a toughie. Skewed scores are fairly common, especially CR vs. Math, but I don't often see an 800 CR with a 590 in Writing. (Has your daughter taken the SAT just once? I wonder if she misnumbered on the Writing section. Is she SURE she doesn't want to retest? Has she tried the ACT?)

Typically, the colleges that have very high averages (~700+) for all sections of the test aren't likely to admit a student with math and writing scores in the 500's, unless there are extenuating circumstances (e.g., the student is a recruited athlete or underrepresented minority group member, comes from an unusual background, has some uncommon talent ...)

But most other colleges will be more forgiving. You definitely don't have to go by the lower numbers alone, especially if your daughter's interests aren't in quantitative subjects. In other words, if she's thinking of majoring in French, history, English etc., then admission committees will be most focused on her CR score, as well as on her high school courses, and grades.

If your daughter's grades are strong, only the uber-selective colleges are likely to toss her application aside based on those test scores.

She might also want to take Subject Tests in areas where she is strong (history? English lit?) even if her target colleges don't require them. If she does well, those scores will help to balance out the lower ones.

So, other than the Ivies and their ilk, which will probably be high reaches based on those test results, I would say that most any other college that interests your daughter will be worth pursuing. I'm not saying she'll get in, of course, but only that she'll be in the running, assuming that her grades and other achievements make her admissible there as well.

Hope that helps.

missemily516

Yes it does help, thank you VERY much.

To answer your questions she took the SAT twice. She got 680 CR, 560M, 590W 1st time. She got 800CR, 560M, 570W 2nd time. On the writing section her subscore showed exactly the same both times for the multiple choice and her essay score was 7 on the 1st one and 6 on the 2nd one. She said the difference in the 2 tests for reading is that she relaxed and answered all the questions the 2nd time (the 1st time she was intimidated by the books saying you would get penalized for wrong answers).
She received tutoring in Math and Essay writing between the two tests, so she believes that she has done the best that she can. She wants to go with the scores she has and doesn't want to take the ACT.
She received a 5 on the English Language AP and is taking the Literature SAT II in October. She has a 4.3 UW/ 4.0W GPA and tons of leadership EC's with 400+ hrs of community service.

She doesn't want to start college with a major but is leaning towards communication or liberal studies with a pre-law emphasis.

I think she will do fine because she is not interested in "Top 20" colleges. I am just trying to find out how to create a balanced college list.

Thank you again for your advice.

Sally_Rubenstone

Your daughter WILL do fine. If she's not aiming at the hyper-competitive places, then her odds should be good at all or most of her target colleges. Very "Safe" schools for her will most likely be any college where the mid-point range for SAT's is anywhere in the 500's or below. Of course, it's irresponsible to make such claims without more information, but she's obviously got a lot going for her, and she should be very attractive to many colleges.

Student10000

I have an 800 Math and a 710 CR (an 800 on Writing). Is there really any need to take the test again to raise my CR?