<p>I added a little explanatory note at the end of the application. It explained that, since the country I am originally from does not offer the SATs, my scores were not as good as they could have been. I know they might not care much about my excuses;however, will that note put me at any disadvantage? what do you think?</p>
<p>I would say that more than have no positive effect (which it won’t) that’s the sort of thing that would actually **** off ad coms. It sure ****ed me off just reading it.</p>
<p>My 0.02</p>
<p>well, I thought that is what the additional information section was about. I dont know why a small paragraph would anger them.</p>
<p>Because it’s useless information. And it makes you look like a whiner. And it’s a ■■■■■■■■ excuse. I don’t even understand what the heck your excuse is. At least “my dog ate my homework” makes sense.</p>
<p>what I was trying to tell them is that I could not possible prepare for the test that is simply not offered where I was before. I was not trying to make an excuse, I just gave them additional information.Whether they want to hear it or not is one thing, and whether it helps them explain the reasons behind is another. My question was not about that.</p>
<p>Your question was whether to do what you propose – two CU people on here call it an excuse, you call it additional information – would put you at a disadvantage. My opinion is that it would.</p>
<p>I still don’t understand this. Are you saying that the SAT is not administered somewhere? If so, what the hell does that have to do with your ability to study for it? Does amazon.com not deliver to wherever you were? Are you incapable of buying a test prep book?</p>
<p>hahhaa Columbia2002, you probably never been anywhere further than north America or western Europe. I will be honest - NO, where I lived there is no amazon service, and there are no preparation books . The only international test that you can get ready for there is Toefl. I did not even know what the SAT was until recently. </p>
<p>Moreover, please stop trying to be witty in your responses, it comes out very rude. I did not come here to be overlooked by some “CU people” just because where I lived there is no amazon or SAT.</p>
<p>It’s your fault for not researching American universities. It’s not adcoms’ problems.</p>
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<p>I’ve been to third-world countries and crapped in public squat toilets where the floor is covered you know what. Why would you make such an assumption?</p>
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<p>This is complete BS. There are kids from all over the world who go to Columbia, and they seem to manage w/o making excuses about their SAT scores. People make due. You could have figured out a way to get a test prep book. A while ago, an adcom told me about some applicant from rural China who traveled 18 hours for his Columbia interview.</p>
<p>I never said that it was their “problem.”</p>
<p>I am not from china. Where I was it did not matter how far I would travel for an interview, it was simply not there.</p>
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<p>G’ddamn it, you completely missed the point. I was just using the China interview kid as an example of someone who made due and went beyond the call of duty to pursue his goals of attending a top university. Nobody said you were from China, or that you could have traveled to an interview. That you missed the boat here is very telling.</p>
<p>China is a large country. Where I was I could possible found something in 18hours traveling time, but in that case I would have to go abroad; I could not do it. I did not have enough money or anyone to take me to another country because of a prep book. I know what your point was but in my case I doubt it would work. I was underage, my father was overseas, and my mother dead, I could not travel alone to wherever the hell those books are sold.</p>
<p>OMG, why do you keep talking about China??</p>
<p>I think the larger issue is actually one that I didn’t catch. And it’s one that poster xSteven raised. It’s not that you couldn’t buy a prep book. It’s that you “did not even know what the SAT was until recently.” As xSteven said, you can’t research US colleges? You don’t have internet where you come from?</p>
<p>And you still don’t get it. You could have found a way to get a test prep book. You seem to be full of excuses for why you couldn’t have. Did you not have any way to get a delivery? Has nobody in your country ever bought an SAT prep book?</p>
<p>I’m not trying to justify his excuse/additional info, but I’m just saying, it may not be as easy to access these things as you guys think. He probably didn’t explain his exact situation very well. Also, the same people at columbia from all over the world may not have been in the same kind of situation. Many may have been able to afford ordering books etc. I had to study for SAT without classes or w/e too, but his case may be a bit different.</p>
<p>It doesn’t have to be easy for him to get books. The issue is whether it’s reasonably possible to get them. And I have no doubt that it would have been easy for him to realize that the SAT is required for US colleges.</p>
<p>Oh well in that regard I have to agree with you there because the fact that he’s posting shows he obviously has internet. I guess he procrastinated a bit too much.</p>
<p>Ok, I can see how this thread is going to go- back and forth bickering on logistics- so let me clarify my initial post.</p>
<p>I absolutely do feel that it was a bad move on your part. You can hope that it doesn’t hurt (if you’re freaking out for say a 2280) but it will certainly not help you because:</p>
<p>A) Yes, it absolutely is an excuse. You know it (no matter what logic you may be working by), we know it, and they- who work through 15,000+ applications EVERY year- certainly know it. Ask yourself this: would you be disclosing this “additional information” if you were proud of your score? Of course not.</p>
<p>Relevant additional information is, in my opinion, information that affects the administrative side of your application. It is an optional space where you can mention delayed test results, mix-ups in recommendation letters, or <em>extreme</em> circumstances pertaining to your file (say a family death on the morning of the test- which is still an excuse but a sustainable one). Sometimes the best thing to do is to leave it blank.</p>
<p>Just because the space is there; does not make it room to try spin a certain aspect of your file…especially not the most objective information they have in judging your academic capabilities (which in its purest form, really doesn’t have anything to do with you having a Princeton Review Guide).</p>
<p>B) As far as excuses go…it’s a pretty terrible one. Horrible. The country you’re originally from doesn’t offer the SATs?..Ok. The first thing that comes to mind is “so what?”. You still took them, in your current country. If you’re able to find a way to take them; you definitely could find a way to prepare for them.</p>
<p>And btw, the SATs are supposed to be a review of your entire skillset. It is to put it mildly; the great equalizer. You’re basically associating your country of origin as a dampening factor for all of your academic performances. Was it not a factor when you took AP classes as well? </p>
<p>So by that logic you’re implying that all of your good grades are inflated because of a skewed system and inferring that the SAT score is the only info that accurately reflects your real academic success since it puts you on the same level as every other applicant.</p>
<p>And really dude…C’mon. If you could find a way to take the test; you could find a way to get the right preparation; who are you kidding? I don’t care what obscure nation you may come from. Hell, internet connection basically equals endless free SAT study material and yes the ad coms know this! </p>
<p>C) The admissions process is a competition. Nothing else. It’s X number of qualified applicants for a third of the available positions. This basically means that the ad com aren’t looking for reasons to let you in! They can’t be! </p>
<p>Even if your score sucks, you have to hope that your file as a whole is well-rounded and unique enough to make up for it- which actually does happen. Rely on this and on your recommendation letters; not on half-baked BS excuses with enough holes to strain pasta through!</p>
<p>D) It leaves a bad taste as to your strength of character. The kid who can’t own up to his grades and thinks he can BS ad coms or get pity. Not exactly an ivy trait. Again, sometimes the best thing you can do is leave that space blank. It would say a lot more about who you are as a person, I feel.</p>
<p>P.S. I’m sure you can find a way to spin and explain point B) but the truth is, you asked for our opinion on this and this is it. This is what the ad coms will also most certainly think as well. You’re not the first applicant to try to downplay a bad score (and no offense, but you’re really bad at it, mate).</p>
<p>It was a bad move on your part; simple as that. Depending on your score though (1400 or 2100) this may be a non-factor leaving your chances to get in intact.</p>
<p>Cheers,</p>
<p>You haven’t even told us about your score. Complaining about a 1400 is different than complaining about an 1850. You haven’t given us information about your situation, of course people are going to oppose you. We don’t even know what country you’re referring to.</p>
<p>uhhh… what a bunch of angry people… they can not even explain something without being rude. “where the hell” did I come from? what are you talking about? where the hell did you all come from? On this forum people tend to go much further than what the original poster is asking about. If you really need to write something, please go a write it somewhere else.</p>