With the recent release of the May 7th SAT scores, thousands of students are discovering that their scores are not what they had hoped for. If you find yourself in this situation, don't panic. You still have plenty of time to improve your situation, and you have lots of options even with less-than-ideal SAT scores.
First, keep your SAT scores in perspective. All highly selective colleges have holistic admissions -- they are looking at your whole application, not just a few numbers. A winning essay, strong letters of recommendation, interesting extracurricular activities, and your demonstrated interest can all help make up for middling SAT scores. Most important of all is a strong academic record, for a high GPA with challenging courses is a better indication of college success than standardized test scores.
That said, at the country's most selective colleges, low SAT scores can be a huge handicap and might get your application rejected pretty quickly. Luckily, it's May and you still have time to improve your situation. Consider these options:
- Study and take practice tests this summer, then retake the SAT in the fall. Nearly all schools consider only your highest scores. (Read When Should I Take the SAT?)
- Try the ACT. The ACT and SAT are quite different, and students who do poorly on one sometimes do well on the other. Nearly all colleges will accept either exam. (Learn about the differences between the ACT and SAT)
- Apply to one of the more than 800 test-optional colleges. The list includes some excellent colleges and universities.
- Browse the hundreds of college profiles to find schools where your scores seem to be in line with the admissions standards
Comments