<p>I read the links you provided…it’s pretty clear you didn’t read the ones I furnished! And I can’t address what you propose on your son’s scores because talking in percentiles can mean many things. The percentile assigned to a score will be different depending on whether the test group is 7th vs. 10th. (Are you saying he has his junior PSAT score?) Also, the PSAT is actually structured differently than the SAT, so it’s not a fair apples/apples comparison. It doesn’t really matter, I see clearly the jump in math you’re focused on. Again, without more, that increase means little. Of course, having taken alg and geom would cause his score to improve to a certain degree, but there were likely other factors in play. SAT I math improvements more often reflect maturity and skill-development in problem-solving, test taking strategy and time management. (Has your son been a lifelong reader? The consistently high CR score suggests that.) None of this changes anything. Testing well doesn’t have any bearing on ability to make a certain grade, just as making an A doesn’t insure you’ll produce a perfect test score or making a C will insure you’ll produce an average score. If you’re really concerned about your son’s intellectual ability to master math concepts to the degree required to support his physics, CS or other interests, you will drop this whole SAT thing like a hot potato!</p>
<p>On the issue of rank, another head-banger. Just ask your son! For good or bad, because of the statutory rank-based admission schemes to our state flagships, every Texas HS kid knows his rank! </p>
<p>His GPA sounds good in a vacuum; rank puts it in local context, i.e., how well did he do compared to his peers at the same school? That is what most Texas schools consider. Yes, he could move to a less competitve school and perhaps improve his rank (it’s not a given). Why a parent would put a bright kid in a less competitive HS environment is beyond me, especially when you are projecting your son in STEM studies at a state flagship. Understand that even if he ends up below the top % he needs for auto admit, he will still be a very strong applicant because the admission counselor will know the value of his rank from that particular HS, i.e., they know the hard and easy schools, too, and accord value to rigorous prepatory education.</p>
<p>You keep waving the culture card as justification. What does he think about the possibility of being in an academic environment where he may be challenged less by teachers and peers? Which HS does he believe will better prepare him for college and life? Does he feel the rich, white vs. Hispanic tension you do? Honestly, I think you will be surprised by his answer to that one. In my experience, this generation of kids looks at these kinds of things a lot differently than their parents!</p>
<p>Speaking of culture, is being an Aggie your son’s idea? How much time has he spent on campus? It’s a great academic institution in certain fields of study, and it offers lifetime networking. But most people find the Aggie culture pretty strong…you either love it or go somewhere else. College Station itself can be a big positive or negative, depending on the kid. If your son is sure he wants to be an Aggie, that makes his college application process pretty straightforward! You can shift from focusing exclusively on admission to looking at things like possible honors and/or research paths, scholarships, financial aid if needed, extracurriculars of interest, and of course, the corps!</p>
<p>If your son isn’t 100% sure about TAMU, then he needs to do some web research and take a few roadtrips to some contendors to help him figure out what he’s looking for in a good college match. If you can study up and go with him, even better. Depending on his rank, and considering his predicted SAT, he may be a candidate for some pretty nice honors program + merit money at some schools, which might influence his application strategy. </p>
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