<p>Not a stupid question at all! I would think that they wouldn’t prefer one over the other–after all they’re both nationally standardized tests and that’s really all that matters. Also, there’s no cutoff for scholars or any extra application, you’re just placed into it by the admissions committee. However I do think a 1990 (or a comparable ACT) is a tad low just thinking of national percentiles. </p>
<p>If you’d be interested in the honors college there’s that option as well. that requires an extra essay if you don’t respond to the first prompt on the common app (or at least that’s how it was last year…i know they’ve changed the common app prompts this year). There’s about 60 students in honors, so it’s selective, but the main advantages are very good merit aid, priority registration for classes (really really nice), interesting seminars that other stony brook students can’t take and research opportunities. Im an incoming freshman into the honors college, so i don’t know much about being there just yet (move-in day is in about two weeks!) but i can answer questions about the admission process if you happen to have any.</p>
<p>For now though, my biggest advice is to get the standardized scores up…maybe even try retaking the Chem SAT and/or taking another subject test so as to showcase your skills better. Do you have an intended major in mind? If it’s in the sciences, take the math subject test. Sparknotes has AMAZING subject text SAT prep. I read through the whole thing in a week and went up from a 730 to an 800 with no problem.</p>