@shravas Of course. But there's no denying that even though getting a 2100 may place you in the "academically qualified" range for MIT, so many applicants are in this range. A higher score will boost your chances of admission, and saying that the SAT doesn't matter beyond the 2100 mark is fairly naive (especially because the difference between a 2100 and a 2300+ is significant).
However, that being said, it's not worth the effort to try to retake a 760+ in a particular area, as the difference between a 760 and an 800 is so so much smaller than the difference between 700 and 800. Though on subject tests, the "don't retake" threshold is more like 770/780+, it really depends on the test.
MIT admissions officers state that they don't differentiate between SAT scores of 700 and 800 on a section. I do not think they're lying. I know Collegeboard says that the difference between scores of 700 and 800 are significant, but surprisingly enough, there's more to college applications than SAT scores.
Lidusha is a white, female, Russian immigrant, and as of a few years ago an American citizen. And *definitely* still would have gotten in even if she were male, if that's what you're thinking.
LOL. Definitely the ideal response.
I do not know what MIT means precisely when it does not differentiate between 700 and 800. My view is that those two scores often represent a difference, but the skills required to succeed in serious analytical work are so different that a number of other factors can validate or invalidate the student's potential regardless of whether the score was a 700 or an 800, particularly on the SAT I.
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Though on subject tests, the "don't retake" threshold is more like 770/780+, it really depends on the test.
Well, I think that's slightly rigid. I definitely think on SAT II Math, it's pretty easy to get an 800, but I'd say if you score 750+ on a subject test, it might not be worth it that much. I think people do better on the subject tests if their school curriculum was a little closer to the test or if they spent a little extra time with a prep book.
I wouldn't retake your SAT I, OP. But that's just one voice out there. I doubt it will make a difference in your ultimate result, and your score is very good. I was very against taking the SAT I more than once, because it's boring. I think a 2400 is quite nifty, and I highly doubt I'd get one on any given sitting anyway, despite finding it reasonably easy to score high. It doesn't matter ultimately.
If you got a 700 in math, I'd maybe retake it, because MIT isn't the only school you're applying to, and the odds of getting into MIT in any given year are slim for a vast majority of applicants, so you want to boost your chances at getting into some awesome school.
Colleges say that they have no preference between 800 and 750, but that's a pretty big fat lie. I don't want to go into it but there's tons of data that support it.
My general observation: if your overall SAT I score is high, then the difference between an 800 and 750 matters very little. If you have one 700 and two 750s, all of a sudden it looks like a significantly different score.
I'm pretty sure a 2330 is a good enough score that it's going to be other factors which really make or break you, plus, it seems a high enough score that there's not necessarily a good guarantee at getting a 2400 with more preparation. It's one reason I didn't want to take the SAT I more than once as long as I did very well the first time.
One thing I'll really give to you is that you're emphasizing "colleges" in general, not just MIT.
As do I. It's naive to say that someone will have an equal chance of being accepted if they have a 2100 as opposed to a 2400.
The trick is to judge whether or not retaking the SAT is worth your time.
I'd definitely retake if your superscore is under 2200 (depending on your individual scores, subject test scores, and schools you're applying to), but that's just me.
I got in early action with a 740 in Math (800 in the reading and writing). That was my third time taking the SATs, because I needed to get my math score above 700. I got a 5 on the BC Calc exam, and math is my best subject in school, but I tend to make stupid mistakes on the SATs.
I got a 780 on Math II after retaking it. I had a 740 the first time, which was very frustrating, considering I got a 800 on my first practice test. :P
Do not retake it. Your score is fantastic and very impressive. It doesn't guarantee you a spot, but retaking won't do a single thing for you.
Spend the time you have perfecting your essays/EC's. I don't know if you know (I went through the whole college process, etc), but there's ALOT more to a college app than SAT scores. Most people don't realize this, sadly enough.
I'm in the same situation but with ACT. My composite is 32: 27E/32M/35M/32S I know it would look better if my english score goes up ( English second language so grammars kill me). Is this an acceptable score or should i retake until I get 30 or higher? The 5% accept tance rate for 27E make me sad
