<p>D hasn’t taken the SAT yet, just psat as a sophomore (221) - got 800 on physics and math 2. do colleges really put importance on SAT II scores (I hope so!) She’ll be a junior next year - also got a 5 on AP physics</p>
<p>High SAT II scores would obviously be looked upon favorably, but I doubt they could save an absolutely horrid SAT I score.</p>
<p>Frankly, though, if she got a 5 on AP Physics, I very much doubt she’ll have any trouble with the childish math on the SAT I–and if she’s picked up a book in the past year, her CR and W scores won’t be bad either.</p>
<p>Thanks - she’s got high ambitions for schools (caltech, mit). High School population is mostly mediocre - only 1 to 5 kids go to an ivy or near-ivy. She’s ranked 1 in about 350, and plans on 5 ap classes in junior year. Anything to recommend to up her chances her top 2 choices?</p>
<p>Both are important, but I’d give the tip to the SAT I. However, with a 221 on the PSAT as a sop, she’s likely to do well on the SAT. She just has to prep for the essay and review SAT math (a little harder than what’s on the PSAT and way below Physics math).</p>
<p>Tips: Keep taking the hardest schedule possible, including college courses if possible. Do ECs that she likes and which help build a portrait of who she is. Don’t worry about the mediocre HS, that can actually help as she should get great LORs and really stand out (our HS is similar). Good luck, she looks like she’s on the right track.</p>
<p>If she’s looking at MIT and Caltech, I’d recommend you to look on the MIT and Caltech boards here and kinda get the gist of the student body and communities at the two schools. If you dig a little deeper, you’ll find the students’ perspective on admissions.</p>
<p>Don’t get cocky with SAT 1 math. Even though the math itself is pretty easy, the questions rely a lot more on logic and your interpretation of the questions, which can be pretty challenging. Also, it’s very easy to make careless mistakes, and with a very strict scale, you have to be very careful.</p>
<p>make sure your daughter applies as engineering for MIT so she gets in</p>
<p>^At MIT you apply to the entire university and not to a specific department, like engineering. So putting engineer on her app wouldn’t affect admission decisions because adcoms know that kids are fickle and will most likely change their minds.</p>
<p>You hit the nail on the head Hippo…</p>
<p>I did better on Math IIC than the SAT I math, no joke. Even if you can do math (Math IIC which tests math skills more than logic/application), you can fall apart on the SAT I (which I do continually)!!</p>
<p>thats cause sat math 2 is a test that determines KNOWLEDGE whereas sat math 1 measures REASONING or APTITUDE.</p>