Why are test-takers encouraged to not retake?

Test Preparation
1

<p>This is something I’ve wondered about for a while but haven’t talked about. Many times in the forum I see kids gunning for Ivy Leagues who have SAT scores ranging from about 2170-2250, sometimes higher and sometimes lower, who ask, “Should I retake?” And the answer the vast majority of the time is:</p>

<p>"Colleges don’t see a difference between a 2200/2250 to a 2350+. Focus on SATIIs and ECs, and you’re good.”</p>

<p>This is a backwards statement. I have a few problems with it. The first is that colleges do see a difference between the applicant with a 2250 and a 2350 – they even see differences between kids with low 2300’s and high 2300’s.</p>

<p>For proof, look at the acceptance rates at HYPM based on SAT score percentiles: <a href="http://i./paC0mK4.png%5B/url%5D">http://i./paC0mK4.png</a>. Scores nearing perfect experience a sharp increase in odds of admission, regardless of school. At Princeton and Yale you can actually see curves in the data that show that a score in the 98th percentile (~2200) actually falls in the worst place possible. At Princeton, the difference between a 2200 and a 2400 is a full 30% admit rate.</p>

<p>The conclusion: increasing your SAT score into that 2350+ space will significantly increase your chances of admission.</p>

<p>Some will argue that those high scorers typically have stronger ECs to compliment them. That’s a matter they can duke out, but I err on the side of caution. These strong schools want two types of kids:</p>

<ol>
<li> Kids with excellent ECs</li>
<li> Kids with excellent scores to balance the EC kids</li>
</ol>

<p>And most kids aren’t number 1. Therefore, you stand the best chance by fitting the mold for number 2.</p>

<p>My next problem with the statement is that it insinuates that if the test taker chooses to take the SAT I again, his SAT II scores or ECs will suffer. This is bull because, first of all, any SAT I scorer in the 2200s can and will reach 2350+ with time and preparation. I prepare by waking up every Saturday morning and taking an SAT exam. I promise you that 95% of kids out there are not studying for their SAT IIs or doing ECs at 6-10 in the morning. Time is not an issue. It’s more work, but with proper scheduling, will not affect scores.</p>

<p>In conclusion, if you’re worried about your SAT score and it falls in the bottom range of Ivy League standards, it is worth your time to retake and get a higher score. Just be sure to prepare adequately and study in addition to your other responsibilities, not instead of them.</p>

2

<p>http [:] //i.imgur [com] /paC0mK4.png</p>

3

<p>Where did you get that picture?</p>

4

<p>The picture is from “A revealed preference ranking of U.S. colleges and universities.”</p>

5

<p>What you’re mistaking here is the relationship between correlation and causation. Read this blog post from the MIT admissions blogs.</p>

<p>[The</a> Difficulty With Data | MIT Admissions](<a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/the-difficulty-with-data]The”>The Difficulty With Data | MIT Admissions)</p>

<p>" Now, I and others are on the record as saying that we admit people, not test scores, and that in any case there is really not a difference in our process between someone who scores, say, a 740 on the SAT math, and someone who scores an 800 on the SAT math. So why, as the commentor asks, is there such a difference in the admit rate? Aha! Clearly we DO prefer higher SAT scores!</p>

<p>Well no, we don’t. What we prefer are things which may coincide with higher SAT scores. For example, a student who receives a gold medal at the IMO is probably more likely to score an 800 on the math SAT than a 740. But if we take an IMO medalist (with an 800) over random applicant X (with a 740), does that mean we preferred an 800 to a 740? No. It means we preferred the IMO medalist, who also happened to get an 800!</p>

<p>What’s happening here is a fundamental confusion between our admissions process and the results of that process. When we say that the admit rate for students with a 750-800 was 15%, it does not mean that the chances of a given applicant who scores between 750-800 if 15%. It means that those students whom we chose to admit included 15% of those who scored within the 750-800 range. It’s a subtle distinction, but an important one in understanding the agency of admissions."</p>

6

<p>Shh. Mass media interpret all statistics to imply causation 100% of the time.</p>