Are SAT scores important for internship?

dhl3 · 11-05-2006, 08:04 PM

Some people say that SAT score plays a role in getting an internship, and states that some highly prestigious firms don't even look at applicants with SAT score below certain level.

On the other hand, some people say that SAT score is only a high school thing and states that as long as I have good GPA and good soft skill, my SAT score won't play a role in internship, even for a very prestigious firm.

Which is true?
And by prestigious firms, i'm talking about the elite-level ones like McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, citigroup, Lehman Bros, J.P. Morgan, Bain, etc.

dcfca · 11-05-2006, 10:37 PM

Some firms will employ SAT score cut offs, yes.

D.E. Shaw prop trading for instance asks for people with something like 1500 or higher SAT scores

vampiro · 11-06-2006, 02:05 AM

My career development center did not tell me to put SAT on the resume (said it does not make sense) and the companies I looked into did not demand it either....also the companies that you mentioned might be interested in GMAT scores or something not stupid SAT's

dhl3 · 11-06-2006, 11:02 AM

Quote:

also the companies that you mentioned might be interested in GMAT scores or something not stupid SAT's

but im talking about undergrad internship, and most undergrads do not have GMAT score until they actually put application to business grad school.

grandpabuzz · 11-06-2006, 03:15 PM

As a freshman looking for an internship would it be wise to put a 1440 (out of 1600) as part of my high school education part on my resume or leave it out as it is not that extraordinary.

thatbiggbadwolfy · 11-08-2006, 03:31 AM

Yes, Lehman cuts off at 1400--unofficially.

grandpabuzz · 11-08-2006, 05:11 PM

Thanks man. I'm so glad I retook it last month then (my previous score was 1340).

ryanbis · 11-08-2006, 06:13 PM

While I realize that it's hard to find things to put on your resume at the beginning of college, things from high school do not really belong on it. It may be a good idea to leave some important activities or jobs; however, where you went to high school and your SAT scores definitely should not be on there.

sweetdreams87 · 11-08-2006, 07:23 PM

...does it matter if you got a really, really good score? For example, if you got a 1600, would it be worth putting it on your resume?

Also, as far as listing where you went to high school, does it matter where you went to high school? I've left my high school (a pretty famous one) on my resume and I'm a sophomore right now. More than a couple people have mentioned it or at least used it as a conversation piece..

ryanbis · 11-08-2006, 07:41 PM

"...does it matter if you got a really, really good score? For example, if you got a 1600, would it be worth putting it on your resume?

Also, as far as listing where you went to high school, does it matter where you went to high school? I've left my high school (a pretty famous one) on my resume and I'm a sophomore right now. More than a couple people have mentioned it or at least used it as a conversation piece.."

I would never put an SAT score or High School name on a resume. Both are a waste of useful space (there are better, more relevant things to put on the page) and, IMHO, it's a bit tacky. Recruiters are more impressed by the things you're doing now--not the things you did four years ago in high school. Things such as the competitiveness of your high school or your SAT scores are not going to differentiate you from other candidates. When you apply for your second job out of college, for instance, no one is going to ask you about the things you did in college--they are going to ask you about the things you did in your first job.

I'll refer you to this discussion:

GPA's significance

There are some firms out there that are interested in your SATs, but they will certainly ask for it. If they don't, I wouldn't mention them. Most of the firms that do ask for them don't actually use the scores in making a decision--they just college the information for curiosity's sake (I know that my firm, for instance, runs a report every year that includes the average SAT score for new hires, but no one does anything with that number).

thatbiggbadwolfy · 11-08-2006, 07:59 PM

Wrong. NOT ONLY do banks want SAT scores, they request it.

Example: The Lehman Brothers application I posted:

"If you have plans to be in New York on November 3rd, 10th, or 17th and are interested in attending, please email your resume (include GPA & SAT/ACT), unofficial transcript and cover letter specifying the date of your availability by October 29th to: AnalystClassOf2008@lehman.com"

"Include GPA & SAT/ACT" - The bulge bracket will ask for it on your resume. If not your resume, then on the supplemental application it asks you to list your high school GPA and SAT I score. All the supplemental applications I have filled out for ibanks/asset management firms/boutiques asked for SAT I. It's also something all online career applications request (Monster, HotJobs, Internal HR).

Trust me.

To the above poster: I disagree. If you went to a prestigious/top tier high school, you definitely should list it. You didn't go through grade deflation for nothing. The SVP from Morgan Stanley who gave my high school a speech during our alumni event said "I have never seen high schools listed on resumes as much as Boston Latin School." I went to BLS, and it has helped me tremendously on applications, in HR conversations--above all, it says you didn't go to a joke school.

How is it that some schools have students who have a 4.0 (perfect, unweighted) GPA applying to UCB/UCLA, but they only scored an abysmal 980 COMBINED/1600? The SAT I is basic math and verbal reasoning and it is a solid indicator of a certain school's grade inflation. Otherwise, ETS would be out of business. (And this is a subject I have studied extensively)

Back to high schools: Only list high schools if they are the Phillips-Exeters/Andovers/Stuyvesant's/Latin schools. With that, include GPA (if you were a great student), "Advanced Placement and Honors Courses," and substantial awards such as medals, national merit, math competitions (analytical ability)

You'd think that it makes no difference, but believe me in round 5 interviews at GS or super-saturdays, they will make conversational points and will distinguish you among the sea of Ivy Leaguers.

HR does review SAT I scores: human capital is no good if scores are 1000/1600's. 1400 cut off, it's market value on Wall Street.

grandpabuzz · 11-08-2006, 09:08 PM

So would you say I did a proper job on the high school portion of my resume?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...highschool.jpg

thatbiggbadwolfy · 11-08-2006, 09:12 PM

Yes, good job. Remove the "of class" and use "Top 2%" or Ranked Top 2%. SAT I instead of SAT Reasoning Score. Looks good.

Btw, you know that you provided us with your full resume before right? (the other thread that has your contact information and everything heh =) )

grandpabuzz · 11-08-2006, 09:17 PM

Yeah, I got to go and delete that lol.

ryanbis · 11-08-2006, 09:46 PM

thatbiggbadwolfy: "Wrong. NOT ONLY do banks want SAT scores, they request it."

ryanbis: "There are some firms out there that are interested in your SATs, but they will certainly ask for it."

I believe that I clearly acknowledged that some firms do look at SAT scores--they are, however, in the minority. Additionally, if you read the thread to which I linked, Alexandre indicates that his experience with Goldman Sachs was different from your experience.

"All the supplemental applications I have filled out for ibanks/asset management firms/boutiques asked for SAT I. It's also something all online career applications request (Monster, HotJobs, Internal HR)."

I was speaking about resumes--not supplemental applications. All of the firms I applied to out of college required me to fill out an online application and they did request my SAT scores. As I indicated before, though, none of them actually used the scores in making a decision. There's a significant difference between including your SATs on your resume and including them on a boilerplate application that HR will most likely never look at.

If your firm requests it, or it seems to be commonplace in the industry, then by all means include your SATs on your resume. For the vast majority of people, however, that will not be the case.

"Trust me."

Haha.

"To the above poster: I disagree. If you went to a prestigious/top tier high school, you definitely should list it. You didn't go through grade deflation for nothing."

What relevance does high school grade deflation have on applying for a job in college? You worked hard in high school so that you could get into a good college--that's it. What you did in high school is not going to help you get a job after college. I can't imagine being in my 20s and talking to recruiters about how challenging my high school was. You should have much more important things to talk about. You only have one page to work with on your resume--hopefully you've moved on from high school and have more relevant things to include.