How can I convince my parents to not let me take the SAT II again?

Parents Forum
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<p>Help! I have a conundrum. This December, I have the opportunity to take the SAT II again. I did not study as much for the test as I should have this month and if I study for it this time, I obviously have a better chance at making a higher score. However, that same day, I also have the opportunity to go to a debate tournament. While I admit that I am not outstanding at debate, it is one of my passions and I don’t want to miss the experience of being with my teammates. </p>

<p>While in the long run I understand that my future is more important than a one-weekend event, I feel that taking the SAT II’s won’t really help me that much, especially since I’ve taken both the SAT and the ACT with writing and I seriously have no reasonable chance of getting the scores higher. The problem is that my parents hardly see eye-to-eye with me on this. They couldn’t care less whether I did debate at all. Also, we already ordered the test for December, but that was before I received my latest ACT score. I know that I don’t automatically deserve to go, but is there any way I can convince my parents to cancel the test and let me go debate instead?</p>

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<p>Have you taken SAT II’s before? Are your scores good enough for the schools you are applying to? Are you a senior?</p>

<p>I succeeded in getting my parents to let me go to a research competition instead of taking the SAT before, but I had other chances to take it anyways. </p>

<p>Maybe if they see you don’t NEED to take it they’ll let you go to debate instead?</p>

3

<p>Are you a junior or a senior? If you are a senior, then this might be the last chance to take the test and have the scores considered by schools you are applying to.</p>

<p>My S had the same issue - he does debate, and his class grade is dependent on participating in tournaments on the weekends. His debate coach was able to arrange for him to take the SAT II tests at school on a school day. It cost an additional $25.</p>

<p>S also felt he could score higher on his SAT II tests if he took them again. However, we have decided not to have him take them again because 1) he’s applied ED to a school that does not require them; 2) if he doesn’t get in to his ED school, the few schools that do require them are not likely to admit him, either. </p>

<p>Check with your debate coach/school and see if taking them on a different day is an option. Then you could approach your parents and suggest this as an alternative.</p>

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<p>I am a senior. December would be the last time for me to take the tests, but I feel that getting better scores would have a marginal (but I guess important) impact on my admissions. I think taking the test on another day sounds like a good idea! Thanks.</p>

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<p>basic question… do the schools you are applying to even require SATII’s. ? My son took SATII. but only 1 school required them</p>

<p><a href=“SAT Subject Test Requirements and Recommendations - Compass Education Group”>SAT Subject Test Requirements and Recommendations - Compass Education Group;

<p>note the asterick beside some…means that if you submit an ACT score the subjects tests MAY not be required (check each school policy)</p>

6

<p>All of my schools are SAT II-optional after taking the SAT with the exception of Princeton, which allows people to take them up into January.</p>

<p>Actually, my other two top school choices allow scores to be sent from January’s test date too.</p>

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<p>If the January test date is still an option, then I’d let them know that and promise to study for it before that date. And then DO it.</p>

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<p>I think this really depends on how well you did on the ACT–if your ACT was better than your SAT, then you don’t really need the SAT II at all, at least at most colleges.</p>

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<p>Cornell A&S requires 2 subject tests even with ACT. Cornell also does not participate in score choice, so if you took SAT I and got lower scores than ACT, you are also required to report those SAT I socres.</p>

<p>I don’t it is a matter of convincing your parents. Do your think your scores are good enough for you to get into schools you want to apply to? If not, then it is better to take them again.</p>

10

<p>I think my SAT and ACT are about equal. I got a 2360 superscored on the SAT and a 35 on my ACT. I feel like I should submit both.</p>

11

<p>good gracious. go on the debate trip and take the SAT IIs in January. (Have you taken the SAT II’s before? If so I’d just send those scores and let it go, unless they’re abysmal.)</p>

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<p>I wish I could convince my parents of the same thing. Two of my top schools explicitly allow scores from the January date and the other says that it will still consider scores from then.</p>

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<p>What are your SAT II scores?</p>

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<p>This is the crux of the matter. Obviously your ACT and SATI are “good enough.” Good ACTs and SATIs will not substitute for SATIIs. It is a truism of college admissions that if they say something like SATIIs are “recommended,” that means they are “required” if you want to get in. If you are unhooked, especially.</p>

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<p>I’m not sure what my SAT II scores are yet.</p>

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<p>your post is pretty vague. the SAT II’s have generous curves, you may have scored much higher than your perceived performance would indicate. what score do you think you made? what tests were they?</p>

<p>i would listen to your parents. debate tournaments, particularly people who are in highschool debate, are pretty lame in general. you will also have a lot of opportunities to go to other tournaments</p>

<p>you don’t want to be sitting in a dorm room of a state school one year from now filled with disappointment, regretting that you didn’t take the SAT II when your parents told you and instead went to a lame debate tournament</p>

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This depends on the school. Many schools are perfectly satisfied with only the ACT.</p>

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<p>What the ****. </p>

<p>First of all, you’re posting on a college forum for neurotic high school students and parents. How not lame could you be? Also, you seem to be implying that I’m pretty lame myself. Maybe you shouldn’t have bothered responding then.</p>

<p>And why do you think just because I don’t take the SAT IIs I will not be able to get into a good college? Even without them, I think I am a pretty good shoo-in for your school, Vandy. I doubt that many people send in their scores to that school anyways.</p>

19

<p>Debate is one EC that can really help you get into college. From the PBS website:</p>

<p>“The Wall Street Journal report did specifically highlight a “consistent trend”—one that forensic coaches have known for a long time—that dedicated participation in drama and debate has significantly increased the success rate of college applicants at all schools which track such data. State and national award winners have a 22% to 30% higher acceptance rate at top tier colleges and being captain of the debate team “improved an applicant’s chances by more than 60% compared with the rest of the pool,” according to the report. This is significantly better than other extracurricular activities that tend to recruit from the same pool of students as forensic teams such as school newspaper reporter (+3%), sports team captain (+5%), class president (+5%), and band (+3%). Even without winning major awards, participation in speech and debate develops valuable skills that colleges are seeking out and that is reflected in the above average acceptance rate (+4%). Colleges and universities today are looking for articulate thinkers and communicators who will become active citizens and leaders of tomorrow.”</p>

<p>Go to the tournament.</p>

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<p>No luck here. Neither my coach nor my parents wanted to let me go. The thing is, I probably won’t have that much time to even study for the December SAT. Blegh. I seriously don’t see what the difference would be between taking this one and the January one.</p>