All of my kids have just taken the SAT, so I haven’t really paid much attention to the ACT threads. Do the ACT curves also vary this much from test to test?
I do wonder what is going on at the College Board. It looks like they eliminated 4 questions from the June SAT. Shouldn’t the test questions be thoroughly vetted before the exam is released? Having to remove 1 question on a test is bad enough, but 4 questions? Also, why did it take so long for the June results to be released? My D took the test in March, and I think they released scores the same month.
Really appreciating everyone’s insights and thoughts. I am so sensitive about the standardized testing thing. I had high grades and mediocre test scores. Test taking was never my strength. Neither was math. S19 is taking after me, even with his PSAT.
What I didn’t have, though, that our kids do are tons of test optional school options. My recommendation will be for S19 to consider the ACT and retake the SAT in August. And, we can boost up the list of test-optional schools to give him some confidence. There are already a few on the list. I’m thinking that if we cover all the bases, he can go into his applications feeling positive no matter what happens with test scores.
The thing is that I had been concerned about him getting his heart set on Penn State main campus. Admissions is all about the numbers there. This means that he will not apply to PSU early in the rolling admissions cycle. He’s just gonna have to regroup and refocus.
@dfbbdfbb congrats to yiur D! @carolinamom2boys congrats to your S! @infintewaves have him try the ACT. S19 did not qualify for NM on the SAT but had a high score on the ACT. Maybe his skills are better shown on ACT?
We are back from several college tours and it’s hard to believe the app process is starting! I’m not ready to go through this all over again! And sad the last kid will be preparing to leave!
@peachActuary73 - Sorry to hear that. Which ones did she take? We started talking about them again yesterday, and we’re still not sure which ones S should take. He started doing some practice questions for the Math 2 and is not feeling great about it. He thinks it would require more studying than he wants to do or has time for.
@peachActuary73 - S19’s Subject test in Physics was in “ok” range, not surprising since he took it without having AP Physics, but not what he was hoping for. Math was also a little lower than he hoped. Not sure if he’ll choose to retake - only his dream/reach requires them, and it’s such a long shot anyway.
Same here, @peachActuary73 , I’m so sorry. My D is devastated. She had some high reaches on her list that I’m not even sure what to do about now. Scores for APs were really great so she was feeling very positive, but these scores were not good. I don’t think she has it in her to take them again.
Add us to the list of disappointed SAT subject test score recipients. My D received a less than stellar Math II score. We are very lucky to not have any schools on her list which require these. Consequently, we believe she is done with standardized testing (did fine on her SATs in March) and will now turn her focus to the essay.
Sending good testing vibes to those who will retake!
D was really pleased with SAT Bio but disappointed with math. She is going to forget about any more math tests and take the SAT lit in August. Honestly, given her testing skills, and her intended major, I think the Lit is a better choice. Few of her colleges even want these tests.
Am I right that she can send only the Bio from that test date and the Lit from a second date?
Thanks, @elena13@parent2one@SunnyFlorida22 . She took US History, Physics, and Math. She didn’t really prepare until the week before from another state, so I can’t attest to how much time she really devoted. Still, the math was surprising 700, after 780 on the SAT I and 5 on BC Calc. That score is well below the mid 50 percentile at her reach school. Low 600’s on the others.
@InfiniteWaves I hear you. Putting my “support” pants on, too. Got to keep this in perspective and calmly strategize.
@peachActuary73 my son scored around what your D scored on math and while she might be bummed about 700 you have to put Into perspective. There are a lot of really bright SAT II math test takers and just getting a few wrong can put you in the 700 range. I think the colleges would obviously love to see an 800, but really a 700 is a solid score and it shows she knows her stuff and is a decent taker. I don’t think a 700 plus on nay of the tests is a deal breaker. I think the schools just want to see if the kid really knows the material or not, and with a 700 I think it shows they know it.
My son is a decent math student, not a math genius, and I know that even if he studied his brains out all summer he’d still probably not get an 800. I’m fine with that.
Maybe should could find one more test that she feels good about and take one more round of tests. Try to submit two scores around 700?
Again, I don’t see those tests as deal breakers.
@peachActuary73 If she really wants that 800 on Math 2, she will have to do some serious review. S19 just got a 5 on BC Calc as well and, looking through the SAT2 review book, is definitely rusty on some pre-calc stuff. These SAT2 tests are not for the faint of heart. They take time to prep for if the student expects high scores. Also, I sent you a PM with a few other ideas…
Sorry for the rough news about June’s testing. Nice increase for D19’s SAT this time, and she’s boycotting SAT2s, so we can kiss standardized testing goodbye! This new score tempts us to shift strategies and explore a few more reaches…
We are skipping the SAT IIs entirely. Kiddo has one more sitting of the ACT this coming weekend, and boy do I wish it was over. He has asked me to sit with him and help him study. I do it, but that means that I’ve got to sit through him beating himself up over things. I remember a bunch of this stuff but clear explanations of math concepts has never been my forte. He gets all mopey and miserable, but when I suggest we should stop reviewing he gets all panicky about his score.
Standardized testing is a horrible invention.
But on the brighter side, we discussed the applications last night after our study session and kiddo has decided to drop two schools off of the maybe list. This brings us to 5 maybe + 7 definite, with 5 safeties, 3 matches, 4 reaches. It feels like we have too many safeties but I’m happier to have that than the situation we started at, with way too many reaches and nary a safety in sight.
Somehow Stanford snuck onto his list. I’m willing to foot the bill for an application, but at the moment it feels less like a lottery ticket and more like ‘you’ve got to be kidding me’.
S19 also opted for minimal testing. He has one SAT score and one ACT score (no essay on either) and they are nearly equivalent, with the ACT just slightly better. He has one or two schools on the tentative list that only seem to report SAT scores on their websites and on CDS. For those, I guess I should send both scores so they can get a reportable data point from him? For most, I think I’ll just send the ACT score. It looks like all of his application fees will be over $125 so I’m not sending any scores I don’t have to send.
Sorry to hear that the June curve didn’t work out in favor of many of your kids - between the brutal curve and the removal of questions, it sounds like CollegeBoard dropped the ball on this one. Mine was lucky to get one with a generous curve the first time around (he got a 780 math with 3 incorrect answers in October and it looks like that would be a 700 on this test!)
D19 got her Math II and Physics scores. Math II was quite good – not an 800, but high enough that she should submit it to her schools. Physics was good, but slightly below the 50th percentile. As she said, “pretty good for teaching myself 75% of the material” [she wants to major in particle physics but her school didn’t offer AP Physics]. But I think it is not a good score for the one science-focused school she’s applying to that requires the subject tests. Not sure yet whether I think it’s a good idea to submit it to the schools for which the subjects are considered.
Regardless of the scores, she says she is done with the subject tests. She plans to take the August SAT. And that’ll be the last SAT regardless of the score.
Condolences to everyone whose kiddos got scores that weren’t what they were expecting or hoping for, particularly on the main SAT. That curve does sound absolutely brutal and unclear to those looking from the outside.
agree that the subject test population consists of the brightest kids and that is why the percentiles look so humbling, But on Math2, you can actually get several (think it is up to 5 wrong) and still score an 800. You actually get 0 points for leaving an answer blank while a deduction of 1/4 point for a wrong answer, so it is a better strategy not to guess on the math subject test, but to go ahead an guess on the regular SAT. But on the regular SAT, it is true that a few wrong, can put you into low/mid 700 territory.
But I’ve heard that any subject test score that starts with a 7 is fine to submit
I’m starting to feel glad that S never bothered with the SAT. That really stinks!
I’m also feeling thankful to have this forum and especially this thread to share ideas and get feedback. After reading these comments today and seeing the very low enthusiasm of S for the SAT Math2 I’m going to agree that he should forget that one for the August date and just do Lit and one of the History tests, probably World. He may throw Spanish in there just to see, but I’m also glad for all your wisdom about that subject given how difficult it seems to be.
FYI, I never realized this with my D17 or maybe it was different for the schools to which she applied, but a number of schools on his list don’t require the official ACT report. He can just self-report scores on the Common App and then have the scores sent later if he decides to attend. That will save some money! My work on completing our spreadsheet is paying off!