<p>SAT 2100 overall 740+680=1410 Math and CR resp.
Top 2% of students who gave the SAT (Math) in India yet terrible scores: 30 - 50 on 100 in ISC Math.
I know SAT Math is VERY stupid as compared to the Math we do at school, but does my 740 on the SAT make my 30 in school look any better? The problem is that my school has this annoying policy of giving extremely difficult question papers. Most students don’t go beyond 50. Counselor refuses to mention this to colleges. Says I shouldn’t be giving excuses. School doesn’t give ranks to people who get less than 45 in any subject which is usually where I am in Math, so colleges won’t even know where I stand.
Apart from that I have:
Good EC’s - mostly music but has speech/debate and leadership as well (no community involvement, ISC kept me too busy though I REALLY wanted to)
Uncommon essay topic</p>
<p>I’ve applied to:
USC (high reach)
Univ of Miami (reach)
Lehigh U (first choice)
Grinnell (match)
SUNY UB (safety)</p>
<p>Well, if other students have applied from your school in previous years, and have been accepted, then those colleges will know of your grade deflation and it shouldn’t bother you.</p>
<p>Then it’s a bad thing that your counselor didn’t explain the school’s grade deflation policy in her letter to the colleges. However, you can still ask your counselor to send in an email to all the schools you have applied to (she’ll have to send a separate email to each school) explaining the same.</p>
<p>lol 740+680 is 1420 , I have found the reason that why u scored low on maths… just kidding , as far as ur scores are concerned, u have a decent shot if ur essays are good enough and,btw whats ur intended major?</p>
<p>@ProcupinTree- You could try to somehow get this into the School Profile and get the counselor to send it… And get a letter from your math teacher explaining all the deflation and show it to the counselor. That could convince her/him…</p>
<p>Usually the school profile should include information about grading policy. This does not mean a statement of the grading policy per se, but rather information including: 25-75 percentile score ranges, standard deviation graphs, number of students, score ranges of the top 10%, number of students who take the SAT, a graph comparing students’ term marks with board marks (from past years, 10th marks etc). Of course, I’m just giving examples of information that would be helpful.</p>
<p>Sometimes schools reject students simply because they have such a lack of information that they cannot make a reasonable decision. If you have the time, patience, and motivation, you can try to have a serious discussion with your counsellor about creating a school profile that does have useful information. </p>
<p>I doubt that s/he or the school will change their methods for you, nor is it a very nice thing to ask for, so you could look at changing your school’s method for the long term - potentially helping your school and your juniors. Of course, this would require you to do a lot of serious research about educational evaluation etc. You may have to up your game in statistics as well if you want to make a good argument/petition If you want to do community involvement then this is a good pathway to start.</p>
<p>In the meantime I suggest pointing your counsellor to the commonapp or other school forms, because from the things that are asked for, it is clear that they are LOOKING for information about your school’s background and statistics. Never try to explain bad grades on your own; have your recommending teacher do it or beg your counsellor to print at least some numbers.</p>
<p>Although I just saw your college list and I am unsure whether they are CMU-esque universities where they look at only your grades, and your essays are a backup. I have no strategy for those except do well, and yes, ask that at least stats be printed, if not a full-on explanation of how a 30 is supposedly ok.</p>
though I REALLY wanted to)
If you want to do community involvement then this is a good pathway to start.</p>