@auntbea I actually have the same question. How are you qualified to make such narrow-minded assertions as to what test scores you absolutely need? I don’t think credibility lies in anecdotal evidence, or simply being related to those who got in. I also have friends and family who were accepted and who gave insights on their profile and qualifications.
But that’s not the reason I’m moderately confident in what I say. Rather, it’s because I’m an applicant myself and have actually done cold-hard research on the nuances of the selection process. Drawing from the resumes of various admits from online and in reality, reviewing the information posted by the actual schools themselves, and analyzing statistical profiles of previous incoming classes, I can make a relatively reasonable conclusion that you don’t NEED a minimum of a 2300 in order to be competitive, let alone in the letters and science department. Make the athlete argument all you want; so many applicants apply such that the mean score will ultimately average out to around the normal. I got a 2210 and I don’t believe that instantly makes me uncompetitive.