If you take the SAT and you do not do well, should you take the ACT?
"That is really up to you and how you are approaching the tests. For some, it will help; for others, studying will help; for others, the standardized tests just do not reflect their ability -- period."
- Allen Pritchard, Assistant Director of Admissions, Randolph-Macon College
"Generally speaking, students achieve similarly on the SATs and the ACTs. It would be a rare case that a student does much better on one than another. It is important to take the exam that is most commonly taken by the students at your high school. Most schools have, over time, developed some curricular strategies to prepare you for the test that is most commonly given in your area. I do not support taking extra tests -- it just produces extra anxiety."
- Ann Fleming Brown, Associate Dean of Admissions, Union College
Is there a formula that admissions offices use to rank prospective applicants that depends upon, say, grades, SAT, SAT II, AP classes taken, or extra activities?
"No formula per se, but we do have rating guidelines -- for both the "academic side" and the "personal side" of candidates."
- Lynne M. Stack, Director of Recruitment, Wheaton College
"No formula here -- schools are different and people are too."
- Allen Pritchard, Assistant Director of Admissions, Randolph-Macon College
"There is not an algebraic formula that is used, but some indicators do place an applicant in highly admissable range. Students who have a combination of top grades (As or top ten percent) with testing in the top percentiles are the most attractive applicants to any college. Although some of these factors are purely quantitative, there are many other less measurable factors that contribute to the rating and success of the applicant in the admission process. Sadly, there are times when competitive colleges must choose among the academically qualified. Extra-curricular activities and leadership certainly play a critical role in that kind of decision. Contact with the college may also be viewed as important. Most colleges now have the computer capability to know whether you have visited the campus, interviewed, or attended a reception. Be sure that you take advantage of those opportunities. Finally, too often students miss the opportunity to carefully craft an application. A thoughtful essay, good clear information about your activities, and meaningful extra submissions (poetry, newspaper articles) can add so much, tipping the formula in your favor."
- Ann Fleming Brown, Associate Dean of Admissions, Union College
"Not at most selective liberal arts colleges. Some universities do have a grid of simple SAT/ACT and GPAs (often recalculated) that determines his or her admission. Others have a complex multiple regression formula that weights certain factors and computes a predicted first-year GPA. They then take the top ones. Of course, in any institution there are always exceptions to the rules. You just need to find out if you are exception-al."
- Mike Sexton, Dean of Admissions, Lewis & Clark College
Do colleges look at all your SAT scores or just the best one? And, will most colleges look at the best scores from different sittings or from just one sitting?
"A number of years ago, the Naval Academy was the only place I heard of that averaged scores. Be sure to ask each school, but I would bet that most will look at the highest verbal and highest math."
- Mike Sexton, Dean of Admissions, Lewis & Clark College
"We take the best from different sittings, or the best combined. I actually recommend that students take the test with either the Math or Verbal in mind because it makes it easier to study and focus."
- Allen Pritchard, Assistant Director of Admissions, Randolph-Macon College
"At Union, in the way we currently read, we see your best testing first. We see all of your testing last. We are happy to rely completely on your best tests, even if they are from different test dates. Although we will look at your best tests, we expect you to use moderation in the number of times you have taken the SAT. I have reviewed a folder of a student who took the SAT twelve times. I think it is sad that he could not have found better ways to spend time."
- Ann Fleming Brown, Associate Dean of Admissions, Union College
What role does the SAT play in admissions process of your school?
"The role of the SAT in the admission process at the College of St. John is different than at most colleges because of the importance that is assigned to three required essays. These reflective essays can literally make or break an admission application at the College of St. John. On the opposite end of importance are SATs, which are optional. If they are in the file they are considered; if not, we do not ask for them. We do not place much stock in their ability to predict success at the College of St. John."
- Larry Clendenin, Director of Admissions, College of St. John
"Not very much to Wheaton, as all standardized tests are optional for admission (with the exception of TOEFL for non-native English speakers). Required credentials such as the transcript play a much more significant role in the process."
- Lynne M. Stack, Director of Recruitment, Wheaton College
"The standardized test (SAT I or ACT), along with all other recommendations, interviews, etc., is all supplemental to the academic snapshot we get from the 3+ years of secondary school work. That combination of curriculum, grades, and trends tells us more about the student than the SAT. Tests usually corroborate the academic performance. A great test score is not going to make three years of bad performance go away."
- Mike Sexton, Dean of Admissions, Lewis & Clark College
"I would feel better if you asked, Have you given any thought to the kind of intelligence that standardized testing purports to describe, and the kind of intelligence that these same tests miss the boat on? Does your college faculty worry about this at all?"
- Brian Hopewell, Dean of Admission, Lyon College
"The role of the SAT/ACT is to give admissions professionals the opportunity to review each applicant from one standard perspective. It is, however, the least important part of the admissions requirements after the (1) choice of college-prep courses taken in high school, (2) grades received in those courses, (3) number of honors/AP courses taken and the scores on those AP exams, (4) overall GPA on a weighted or non-weighted scale, and (5) rank in class."
- Scott Healy, Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Ohio State
"Would you believe me if I said that the SAT is the least important credential for admission to Union College? During the last ten years SATs have not filled the testing requirement. This year, in an effort to provide greater access, we have made SAT Is one of three sets of tests you can submit. Realize that if your test scores fall within the middle 50 percent of the tests scores for our college or others, you testing will be completely disregarded, in favor of the quality of your courses and your grades, as your application folder is evaluated. When you compare your test scores to those colleges publish, rely only on the range of test scores. Never fix on one particular score. Recognize that tests are only one credential in a folder full of far more meaningful information."
- Ann Fleming Brown, Associate Dean of Admissions, Union College
How much do SAT IIs matter?
"We do not require them at Lewis & Clark."
- Mike Sexton, Dean of Admissions, Lewis & Clark College
"Not very much to Wheaton, as all standardized tests are optional for admission (with the exception of TOEFL for non-native English speakers). Required credentials such as the transcript play a much more significant role in the process."
- Lynne M. Stack, Director of Recruitment, Wheaton College
"The use of SAT IIs are not required at the vast majority of large flagship universities for the admissions process. However, they may be very important to the student in terms of his/her first-semester courses and provide another basis for academic advisors. They also provide for the student their knowledge base in relationship to others who took that exam throughout the country. It is a good measure for students who want to know their knowledge base on a national level."
- Scott Healy, Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Ohio State
"I tend to adopt the Mayor Daly approach. Take them early, take them often. It does not matter much to me if students do the SAT II or the Original Flavor. What matters is that they be done with as much gusto and with as little fear and loathing as possible."
- Brian Hopewell, Dean of Admission, Lyon College
"Union favors the use of SAT IIs and would even declare that they are more useful than the SAT Is. Why? SAT IIs allow us to see how you have achieved in a particular subject area and with a circumscribed curriculum. That is the way college courses are typically taught. Your aptitude and general knowledge may bring you success on Jeopardy, but colleges want to know how you write and whether you can solve problem sets in physics."
- Ann Fleming Brown, Associate Dean of Admissions, Union College
