DD has great everything-- (caveat) in our very small, rural school.
Rank: 1/88
Leadership–outstanding at local HS and District Levels
Extras: State Level Competitor in Texas Mock Trial, UIL, FFA, FCCLA
Service: outstanding
BUT–the big issue is the SAT. She did well enough on the PSAT. Not National Merit level, but College Board recognition. But this new SAT has her beat. 1220–twice.
So now the dilemma. She is a junior. There is one test in June–not enough time to really make strides. Then the next one is late August. Is that too late to take it? Don’t most majors fill up sooner?
Since she is 1st in her class, she is auto admit to the two Texas schools she is interested in: UT and A&M. But how limited will her choices of majors be with that SAT? Not submitting just telegraphs it’s low. But actually submitting confirms it!
Many students retake the SAT fall of senior year. She can absolutely take the SAT in August, Sept, Oct. Most early college deadlines are Nov 1 or later. Check the application deadlines for the colleges on her list.
Apply test optional to reaches that are test optional. Be aware that some colleges require test scores. Have colleges on the list where her test score is in range.
Has she tried the ACT? Some students, especially strong ones, often do better on one test over the other. You can have her do a practice test and see how it feels.
My second kid took the SAT twice…with a prep course between tests. Her score didn’t improve by one point. She just couldn’t get to the 1250 mark.
There were plenty of colleges where she was a welcome applicant. We looked for those.
This was before test optional was as common as it is now. This was a top 5% student in her class, with a decent GPA, and all the rest of her package.
So…three things.
If she wants to take the SAT again, she has a few dates from which to choose.
She can apply test optional to colleges allowing that.
She needs to start researching colleges where she has a great chance if acceptance given her SAT score and grades. There are surely hundreds of colleges that will welcome her…but she needs to research which are realistic for admissions…and find a couple to love.
TAMU majors will fill up fast, on a rolling basis and yes, I would expect if she is going for competitive majors there that her required SAT will matter (less competitive majors probably less so.) What major/school will she be applying to?
For UT Austin as long as she makes the EA deadline, she should be ok (and also yes, the required test score may matter)…which means she could squeeze another test or two in. For EA they need the test score by Oct 23. Frequently Asked Questions - University of Texas Admissions
What other schools is she looking at besides those two? I would look on each website/CDS to guide submission of the test at the schools that are test optional. She should also speak with her HS counselor.
Agree with trying the ACT. Because of the changes there though, only take the paper test for now. With science.
Good luck.
She hasn’t taken the ACT. I feel partly responsible. She did well on the PSAT as a freshman, so I just kind of took it for granted that the SAT would follow that pattern. We just didn’t prioritize study for it until it’s (approaching) being too late
She was considering Mays (and hoping for BH. But this score will probably be a deciding-factor against that). She started looking at the Bush school Public Service and Administration, too. I have no idea how competitive that is and haven’t really found anything on it yet
She will take Calculus next year. She has 12 hours of college credit==4.0. Her score split is 620 reading. 600 math. I really think it is as much an approach issue for this digital test as it is a substantive problem. If she did targeted studying, I feel like she could raise it appreciably. But we just got lazy and now it’s tricky. June 7 is so close I don’t think it gives her time to make a difference. August testing puts her late in the game on applying. That’s risky all around. Her application is really good, but-for the scores. She is a state-UIL writing competitor and will write good essays. But an application with no score is basically telling the school you have a bad score.
Plenty of test optional schools are truly test optional, with no disadvantage for not submitting. Of course UT Austin and TAMU are test required, so no choice there.
Do you want suggestions for other schools? Does she want business ideally? Any budget constraints?
Hello! After much study over the summer she is consistently getting her practice test scores around 1400. The problem is that she can’t take the SAT again until mid August with scores coming out in early September. Is that too late?!