<p>FAP: I don’t know if colleges make such complex calculations with SAT subscores. I think if he is at 40th percentile for CR and W, he will clear the initial filter and then his chances will be governed by how strong he looks on the math/science side. If there is a strong showing on the English Lit subject test (or AP), that would make up for the less than stellar CR and W subscores. And then of course there are the essays and LORs.</p>
<p>FAP, I think it might depend on the school. If it’s a science-techie kind of place and the applicant is a science-techie kind of kid, CR and W scores in the 40% range shouldn’t be an obstacle if the SAT math and SAT II subject tests in relevant fields are strong. If it’s more of a humanities-social sciences kind of place, these scores might be more worrisome; not disqualifying, to be sure, but other parts of the application would need to be very strong. So, for example, at Cornell the score profile you describe would probably work very well for Engineering but less well for Arts & Sciences, unless your kid is definitely aiming at a math-science type major. At most LACs, 40th percentile in CR and W would be a little “iffy”; but at a techie school like Harvey Mudd 90th percentile M would probably outweigh the CR and W scores. Just my guess, of course.</p>
<p>The data also suggest that extremely high CR scores are much rarer than extremely high M scores. I should think that would make the extremely high CR scores much sought-after. At least that’s what I’m hoping as my own D’s scores skew heavily in that direction.</p>
<p>Not sure if this has already been discussed, but D received an email from URochester with a link to this article about the debate of the importance of SAT testing. I have not finished it, but wanted to get the link up in case others want to read.
<a href=“http://enrollment.rochester.edu:81/CT00033801MTcxMzAyMAAA.HTML?D=2009-05-25[/url]”>http://enrollment.rochester.edu:81/CT00033801MTcxMzAyMAAA.HTML?D=2009-05-25</a></p>
<p>Hope all had a nice long weekend. Some of us spent too much time on C.C!</p>
<p>For those eager to get started on next year’s apps, you can get a ‘sneak peek’ of next year’s Common Application which is available on the CommonApp website, with this year’s changes highlighted. Well, actually, here’s a link:</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/Docs/2009-10CommonApp_highlightedUpdates.pdf[/url]”>https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/Docs/2009-10CommonApp_highlightedUpdates.pdf</a></p>
<p>Thanks, vicarioussparent.</p>
<p>For any other kids who misplaced their NMSC letters, just call and give the college names over the phone. They do not give out the login information over the phone, but were happy to note the college names, intended major, and intended career. Phone number again is (847) 866-5161.</p>
<p>WhirledPeas–thanks for the link to the SAT article. One thing I don’t understand is why schools are so clear in asking for the ACT with writing as a substitute for the SAT plus subject tests if they think the SAT writing section is not that useful. What’s so much better about the ACT writing section? The prompts are somewhat different (my D likes them better), but they are otherwise the same exercise.</p>
<p>Thanks for the link to common app. It looks like it officially goes online July 1st.</p>
<p>OK, let me ask this question here…</p>
<p>If naviance shows that a particular school never rejected an applicant with your student’s scores and grades would you consider that school a safety even though the published data may have your student below the average scores and/or grades?</p>
<p>Now assume that there are sufficient data points.</p>
<p>Hip Hip Hooray! Just got a text from my son confirming that he got all A’s this semester, so he can exempt all but the lamest of finals (football final?? ;)) and he will apply for college in the fall as a salutatorian!! </p>
<p>No worries about the top 10%!!! Yay!!!</p>
<p>Congrats, ag54!!! What a relief!</p>
<p>What wonderful news! Congratulations!</p>
<p>Thanks to vicariousparent for posting the link - I printed out all 15 pages so I can follow along on my GS’s application! What a job!</p>
<p>—I would like to share the news that my ‘littlest’ GS (age 13 - living in London) ) has been accepted to Winchester College (school founded in the 14th Century!!) Of course this is what would be called a ‘Prep’ school in the US. </p>
<p>Thanks for letting me be a bragging Grammy!</p>
<p>Holy Cow, ag54! That’s awesome! Great news!</p>
<p>ag54, congratulations. you’ve probably been holding your breath!
bubbe, congratulations to your little one.</p>
<p>QM- for schools where D falls above the naviance stats even with lower published data from the schools, D and I are considering them safeties. I’m not sure if below the mid 50%, maybe a match? If you or she could talk to the regional rep who knows your school you might get a better picture? If she is in the lower half of the mid-50% but still above 25% it could probably be ok assuming holistic admissions and bringing other strengths along with the app.</p>
<p>congrats to ag’s S and to Bubbe’s GS13!</p>
<p>I don’t even want to look at the common app link yet! :eek:</p>
<p>Thanks y’all!! I had to post, I was busting with excitement. It has been such a stressful semester knowing all that was on the line - my poor son has been a wreck!! (which means I have too :()</p>
<p>Good luck to all your kids in this stressful last semester before their SENIOR year!!! Yikes!!</p>
<p>ag54 - Congrats to your son! How great that you have that wonderful news already. Takes off some of the senior year pressure, I’m sure. D’s school uses the GPAs from the senior mid-year grades to determine Val. and Sal.</p>
<p>Cool that kids with an A average get exempt from finals. That doesn’t happen here at all. And what’s this about a football final? lol</p>
<p>Congrats to your 13 year old GS, Bubbe. Wonderful news there too. Feel free to brag away!</p>
<p>vp - thanks for posting that link - will definitely forward to D so she can take a look (will she? I don’t know, but I hope so).</p>
<p>QM - I wouldn’t necessarily consider a school like that a safety. For example, it looks like Tufts hasn’t rejected any students from D’s school in her range, but I still can’t consider it a safety for her - it’s just too competitive. I think it depends on the type of school it is - how competitive, etc. </p>
<p>astromom - I don’t get that about the ACT with writing either. And boy, do I wish that more schools counted the SAT writing section!</p>
<p>Ya, I question the “football final” too! haha Every class has to have a “final” so heavens knows what’s on that one!!</p>
<p>The way the exemptions work at our school is that for each year, you get an exemption provided you have a b or better in the class, so Jr’s get 3. Since my son took AP English and AP American History, he doesn’t have to take those finals (unless he needed them to help bring up a grade), so he is exempting pre-AP Calculus, pre-AP Physics, and Computer Science, he will take the Journalism and football finals which should both be a joke.</p>
<p>As for applying as a sal, or val, at our school, your gpa and rank are set at the end of your junior year for college application purposes, so if you are currently one at the end of jr year, you can claim it on your apps - BUT, if you want to walk across the stage at graduation as a sal or val, you have to keep your grades at that level through the fall semester of senior year.</p>
<p>My 2nd son was a val and truly wanted to “walk” as one in June, so he had to work hard in the fall to keep straight a’s. My youngest, at this point, says he doesn’t care about the walking part - I hope he changes his mind. Anyway, they should be working hard just for the sake of working hard!!! No Senioritis!!! ;)</p>
<p>Thanks for explaining about how the val/sal thing works. At D’s school, although the GPA that appears on the final junior year report card is the one that is sent to colleges, the school doesn’t rank. So, unless you’re in first place (the highest GPA in the class is included on the junior transcript), you don’t really know where you stand. Also, because the grades at D’s school are out of 100 rather than ABC grades, it makes it harder to know whether the person in first place at the end of junior year will be the same in January. That hasn’t been the case the past two years.</p>
<p>ag54:</p>
<p>Congrats to your S! I know from CC how important rank/placement in class is for Texas residents hoping to go to UT. Way to bring it home at the end of junior year.</p>