<p>Most of the students with scores below the 25-75% ranges at Ivies are hooked. They’re URM (Native American, black, or Hispanic) or legacy (that’s just a boost though, not a hook) or recruited athletes or development candidates (someone close to them donated millions. It’s very rare). Low income and special circumstances can explain a score to some extent, as all Ivies do have holistic admissions and will take into account the background of applicants, but if one has lower SAT scores, one’s better off being hooked than low income.</p>