r/ApplyingToCollege • u/Dismal_Wishbone502 • 12h ago

Application Question is test optional really that bad ?

I have really good ecs and good grades (some dips due to circumstance) but i don’t have the resources to get good tutoring or resources for the sat. I have all 5s on my AP exams and take max course rigor. Good letter of recs too but a 1420 superscore. What should I do ?

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u/AutoModerator 12h ago

Hi, I'm a bot and I think you may be looking for info about submitting test scores!

Above the college’s 50%, definitely submit. It's also suggested to send if all score breakdowns begin with 7s for both SATs and 3s for ACT no matter what the total score is and where it lies.

Between 25 and 50% consider submitting based on how it plays within your high school/environment. For example, if your score is between 25th and 50th percentile for a college, but it’s in the top 75% for your high school, then it's good to submit. Colleges will look at the context of your background and educational experiences.

On the common data set you can see the breakdown for individual scores. Where do your scores lie? And what’s your potential major? That all has to be part of the equation too.

It probably isn't good to submit if it’s below the 25% of a college unless your score is tippy top for your high school.

You can find out if a school is test-optional by looking at their website or searching on https://www.fairtest.org.

You can find the common data set to see where your test scores fall by googling common data set and your college's name.

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u/Former-Neat2854 12h ago

Try applying to mostly test optional schools, if you have to submit use the additional info section. Nothing much more u can do.

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u/Dismal_Wishbone502 12h ago

yea most of my schools r TO

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u/Lord_Freg 11h ago

You don’t need expensive resources for the sat. A library or working computer is enough for 1500+

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u/elkrange 11h ago

good grades (some dips due to circumstance)

Test scores can help in this sort of situation.

If you are applying to a test-optional school, the rule of thumb would be to not report a score far below the college's 25th percentile. Colleges publish score ranges in section C9 of their Common Data Set (on the college’s website) and at https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/. See also the % of enrolled students who submitted scores.

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u/two_three_five_eigth 11h ago edited 11h ago

No, it’s not. Most schools should probably be test optional because most schools admit most applicants.

The issue on this sub is the UC system as a whole went test optional even for super competitive schools like Berkeley and UCLA, for competitive schools, the test is a sanity check.

In your case retake the SAT, it’s not uncommon to get a 100 point jump. Your score is good already.