SAT I...what's good enough for Yale EA?

coffeeicecream · 07-07-2008, 01:26 AM

I am applying for Yale EA, and the following is my test score for the SAT I:

SAT I Oct First Time: 2190 700 M 770 R 720 W

What do you think? Do you think I should retake the SAT 1 (keeping in mind that my SAT 2's and APs are great, and though i have EC's, none them include major awards or finding the cure to cancer...lol!)? How much can my score really raise?

Other YALE EA HOPEFULS/YALE ADMITS...please post your stats!!! thanks!!!

Weasel8488 · 07-07-2008, 02:50 PM

I think this is a question that you can answer better than anyone else. How does your score compare to the way you perceive yourself academically? Were you pleased when you got the score? Did you think you could have done a good bit better? If you think that the score is a reasonable measure of your abilities, then I wouldn't put a lot of time into studying for a retake. Your current score is competitive.

2blue · 07-07-2008, 03:50 PM

If you want to put your scores in perspective, here's a link to the latest Common Data Set: http://www.yale.edu/oir/cds.pdf Typically, scores go up when students retake the test a second time. Here's a link showing average scores of students who have taken the test a varied number times: http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_dow...rageScores.pdf The table doesn't tell you how much effort students may have put into studying prior to each exam so your results obviously will vary. It is still nice to get an idea of the overall score trends.

My guess is that even without studying your score would increase upon retaking, since you evidently took the test in October of your junior year. If you studied for a retake I would think the increase would be even larger. I don't know how much, if any, you prepped for the exam when getting the 2190 though.

Now, as to whether to take it again, I agree with weasel that you are in the best position to answer that question than anyone else. What would you be doing if you don't retake the exam? Would time spent in that activity be of great value?

AdmissionsAddict · 07-07-2008, 07:55 PM

I haven't read the common data set, but the commonly quoted numbers are that the middle 50% of Yale SAT scores is 710-790. That means 25% scores below 710 and 25% score above 790.

Frankly, your SATs are not going to keep you from getting in and they're not going to rock anyone's world. The rest of your app matters a lot more.

drbigboyjoe9505 · 07-07-2008, 08:01 PM

That makes me feel a lot better. I got a 2250 on my first try, without much studying (720 CR, 790 M, 740 W, with an 11 on my essay). I was kind of freaking out about whether I should retake it because the CR and W seemed kind of low. But, I guess I'm not going to worry about retaking them then.

coffeeicecream · 07-09-2008, 12:36 AM

yeah, this makes me feel better too thanks guys!

i think you're right 2blue and weasal8488, i might try the sat again just to see if i can push a little past 2200, and maybe even get lucky

drbigboyjoe, your score i think is great! (id love to get that score!!!

i was just afraid my score would go down, and since it doesn't look like it should, there's no harm to retake it once again, i guess! thanks again!

yalie343 · 07-09-2008, 01:10 AM

2500+ will ensure that you stand out.

In all honesty, SAT's rarely make or break admission. If you are 2150+ (or possibly 2000+ in a less affluent/respected school), you are fine. That is not to say don't retake stuff if you can improve, just don't obsess too much about one silly part of an application. The SAT does not test for intelligence -- just an ability to adapt to a format...

Dbate · 07-09-2008, 09:30 AM

Ivy League College Admissions Facts and Statistics

It shows the 25% and 75% at each school Yales is :2080 - 2370, 1 out of 4 got a 2080 or less and 1 out of every four got a 2370 or greater.

Weasel8488 · 07-09-2008, 09:37 AM

I'm guessing that these scores were obtained by adding up the 25-75 numbers from each section. The claim that these sums correspond to the 25th and 75th percentile composite scores is a statistical fallacy. The intuitive explanation is that the people who do well on the math section are not necessarily the same people who do well on the writing section. So unless I see a primary source for Dbate's stats, I'm not buying them.

2blue · 07-09-2008, 03:56 PM

coffeeicecream, it sounds like you already have taken your SAT IIs. What you can do is send off your scores to your schools prior to retaking the SAT I. Then if you retake it and your scores increase you could send off the new scores, but if for some reason they go down the schools won't see it. It would mean foregoing the four free score reports you can receive at test time, but may be worth it for your peace of mind. Also, you may want to find out if your high school lists your scores on your transcript. If so, you may want to leave the high school code section of your test registration blank. It's just a thought in case you do decide to go ahead with a retake.

hookem168 · 07-09-2008, 04:23 PM

Essays+ECs+GPA > SAT scores

Hunt · 07-09-2008, 04:38 PM

The OP wants to apply EA, and the EA pool is reportedly stronger than the regular pool. The OP's reading score is excellent, but note that more than one quarter of Yales enrolled students score higher. As for the math score, you can surmise that about half of the enrolled students score higher than that. With writing, at least a quarter and maybe a third of enrolled students score higher. Remember that in applying EA you are asking Yale to decide early that you are one of the top applicants. I think you should probably retake, unless you have some reason to think you won't do better.

Dbate · 07-09-2008, 05:21 PM

If you follow the link it comes from Ivy League Admission Consultants, i don't know how they obtained them, but they are the only composite scores that i have found, so eh.

coffeeicecream · 07-09-2008, 07:05 PM

yeah, what you guys are saying all makes sense. id rather be in the middle 50% for each subscore than the bottom 25%...i think the best thing to do is just try to improve my math score since its in the lower 25%...its kind of annoying, tho, since the curve is so hard (its weird...i got an 800 on the math 2c, and isnt the sat math supposed to be easier?)! i only missed 3 or 4 questions, so im hoping that if i can get over those hard ones, my score can jump 50-100 points? does anyone have recomendations on how to do well (ex. which practice books) in the math section? also on the essay? thanks!

Weasel8488 · 07-09-2008, 07:07 PM

If you got an 800 on Math II, then all you need to practice is not making careless errors.