SAT Reasoning or Subject Tests in Oct? Help Please

Test Preparation
1

<p>I, as you may have figured out from the title, am in a bit of a pickle as to which to which SAT to take on Oct. I am a rising senior and I know that I have time to take both, but the Oct. test would probably be the last test that would come in before I had to turn in EA applications. I’ll start by putting my stats so that you can get an idea of where I stand when it comes to the admissions process thusfar.</p>

<p>GENERAL INFO
-Sex: Male
-Race: White
-Location: Public highschool in Oklahoma (don’t know if the state matters)</p>

<p>ACADEMICS
-GPA: 4.0 unweighted; about 4.5ish weighted
-Rank: top 5% of class; about 10 out of 550ish
-ACT: 33 sophomore year; 30E, 32M, 35R, 36S (I’ve always wondered if they care what grade you were in when you got your score)
-SAT: 780M, 710CR, 730W; 2220 or 1490 total
-SAT II: Math II - 760, Physics - 800
-AP: Took Lang, Calc AB, and Physics C Mech. and felt great about all of them. Unfortunaetly, I haven’t gotten them back yet, but I’ll post when I do in July.
-APs for next year: Calc BC, Euro, Lit, Physics C E&M, Chem
-I will also be attending a course on Cosmology at Colorado College this summer with a full tuition scholarship through the Southwest Highschool Scholars Program
-National Merit Finalist (going to be)
-Valedictorian</p>

<p>EXTRACURRICULARS
-President and Founder of Philosophy Club
-Head Programmer and Captain of Award winning and World Championship Finalist FIRST Robotics Team
-President of Mu Alpha Theta
-Paid TA in robotics summer classes for middle schoolers
-Paid TA in vocal music, comedic acting, and commercial acting summer classes for elementary schoolers
-Homeland cashier (represent)
-Math tutor
-Acting outside of school for 7 years and leads in summers musicals for the past three years
-soccer for 12 years including highschool soccer freshman and sophomore years
-Cross Country Letterman freshman and sophomore years
-There’s a little bit more but it’s mostly lame stuff so I’ll leave it out.</p>

<p>OTHER ADMISSIONS TOPICS
I feel like my essays will be strong but an interview will be my strongest non-academic portion of an application. I’ve done acting and speech competitions for years and I’ve been told that I’ve grown into “quite the charismatic young man.”</p>

<p>DILEMMA
I just got back my third Reasoning test attempt and my first Subject Tests. My Reasoning Test scores have increased quite significantly each time that I’ve taken it (2010 to 2140 to 2210; not superscoring), so I’m confident that it would increase once again if i were to take it in Oct. On the other hand, if I were to take the Subject tests I could retake the Math II and hopefully get an 800, take the English test and possibly another, and be eligible to apply to Harvard or Princeton, both of which require three subject tests (my mom only makes $38,000 a year so I could go to many top tier schools for free or virtually for free if I could somehow manage to get in). I am planning on applying to the University of Oklahoma as a safety, several top Liberts Arts Colleges such as Carleton, Grinnell, and Reed, and an ivy just to see what happens.</p>

<p>QUESTION
When you take into account the rest of my application (other test scores, extracurriculars, major (physics), homestate, schools I’m applying to), would a higher SAT Reasoning test score or more Subject Tests be better for the schools that I’m looking at?</p>

<p>Thanks for all of your input!</p>

2

<p>Somebody? Any and all input would be appreciated.</p>

3

<p>Anybody at all? Nope?</p>

4

<p>I’d say go for the subject tests. I’ve seen multiple people say that once you get above the 2200 range, it’s a) difficult to raise your score by much, if at all, and b) it’s most likely negligible to admissions. Either way, you’re scoring in the 98-99 percentile of all high school seniors. And that way, you can use the October date for subject tests and be able to apply to HP.</p>

5

<p>Thanks karabee.</p>

<p>I’ve heard recently that you can take the Oct. and Nov. SATs and still get both back in time for applying EA to schools. Is this true?</p>

6

<p>It would depend on the school - some schools have EA date of Nov 1 so obviously the Nov SAT writing would be out for those schools. The Oct writing would be cutting it close.</p>

<p>The majority of schools that I have seen however have an EA date of Dec. 1. Nov writing would be close.</p>

7

<p>Take both since HP don’t have early admission</p>

8

<p>I’d suggest that you take the Subject tests first in October then the SAT Reasoning in November.</p>

9

<p>Chill out a little. You come across as too high strung and needy (“Some say I have grown into a charismatic young man.”) Dude, I am sure that some say that and that many more will, just don’t let YOU be one of them. Also, how can you be ranked 10 out of 550 and be the valedectorian? (hint: that is a math question.) Your scores are fine and your grades are fine. Concentrate on writing a great essay (Have someone older proof it for you, so you don’t say anything silly (again.)). Being from Oky will help a little, but don’t count on it too much. There a re many great colleges out there, several will invite you to be a part of their community.</p>

10

<p>I’d agree with shaheiruddin, since if you plan on applying to any ivies, it is not good to miss any of their requirements. So decide now if you plan to apply. However, your SAT scores are fine. Even if you decide not to apply, you still might consider forgoing taking it again. And if you’re thinking of taking Lit, don’t. It would be much easier studying for just about anything else (with the obvious exception of language tests). Unless you don’t mind getting a low 700 after putting a lot of effort, take something easier, like another science or USH.</p>

11

<p>Sorry if I came off that way glido. It was supposed to be a bit of a joke actually, but I can definately see how it came off as quite pompous. I have been told that in the past, and it’s one of the main things that I’m going to keep from seeping into my application. I’ve just always found that I’ve been very good a speaking in front of adults, how about we change it to that.</p>

<p>And about the valedictorian thing, my school has a very strange system, as do almost all oklahoma public schools that I know of. We have upwards of ten valedictorians a year because the requirements are not that you are ranked number one in your class. Instead, you have to have all As in every class you take in highschool and you have to take a certain number of honor and AP classes in certain subjects.</p>