ACING THE SAT: The Beginning
03-01-2010 06:14
к комментариям - к полной версии
- понравилось!
[показать]So, as one can easily figure from my last post, retaking and doing very well on the SAT is one of my main objectives for year 2010. When I took test in 2006, I got a composite score of 1990 (710 Math, 650 Writing, and 630 Critical Reading), which was 93 percentile (meaning that I did better than 93% of test takers). It was a sufficient score to get into a very decent school had I not been an international student with no money. Since in Spring of 2011 I'll be trying my luck and applying to a bunch of almost impossible to get into schools (for someone with my financial means), I decided that, by next winter, I need to raise my score to 2200 (out of possible 2400), which should put me into 99th percentile.
In order to be able to properly track my progress, I've just spent 3 hours taking the official practice test on the collegeboard.com website, and was positively surprised with the results. The good things are: (1) I've improved my Critical Reading score by 130 points, therefore turning my weakest section into the strongest. (2) 650 for Writing section that I got in 2007 included points for the essay (which was very crappy, by the way); today, I got 620 for multiple choice part only. If I had written the essay at least as crappily as in 2007 and got the same 8 points for it (instead of 0 that I got today), my writing score would have been 720, which is 90 points improvement.
The bad part is that my Math score dropped by 90 points and turned from my strongest section into the weakest. This, however, does not worry me at all because going trough all the preparation material that I have, I'll easily correct this and bring my Math score back to 2007 level. Therefore, assuming that I am able to at least maintain today's Critical Reading and Writing scores throughout this year and do nothing to improve them, I should easily get combined score of about 2190. Taking this into consideration, I raise my original goal and now want 2300!
[показать]
вверх^
к полной версии
понравилось!
в evernote
[показать]So, as one can easily figure from my last post, retaking and doing very well on the SAT is one of my main objectives for year 2010. When I took test in 2006, I got a composite score of 1990 (710 Math, 650 Writing, and 630 Critical Reading), which was 93 percentile (meaning that I did better than 93% of test takers). It was a sufficient score to get into a very decent school had I not been an international student with no money. Since in Spring of 2011 I'll be trying my luck and applying to a bunch of almost impossible to get into schools (for someone with my financial means), I decided that, by next winter, I need to raise my score to 2200 (out of possible 2400), which should put me into 99th percentile. In order to be able to properly track my progress, I've just spent 3 hours taking the official practice test on the collegeboard.com website, and was positively surprised with the results. The good things are: (1) I've improved my Critical Reading score by 130 points, therefore turning my weakest section into the strongest. (2) 650 for Writing section that I got in 2007 included points for the essay (which was very crappy, by the way); today, I got 620 for multiple choice part only. If I had written the essay at least as crappily as in 2007 and got the same 8 points for it (instead of 0 that I got today), my writing score would have been 720, which is 90 points improvement.
The bad part is that my Math score dropped by 90 points and turned from my strongest section into the weakest. This, however, does not worry me at all because going trough all the preparation material that I have, I'll easily correct this and bring my Math score back to 2007 level. Therefore, assuming that I am able to at least maintain today's Critical Reading and Writing scores throughout this year and do nothing to improve them, I should easily get combined score of about 2190. Taking this into consideration, I raise my original goal and now want 2300!
[показать]
Комментарии (9):
Is raising your score can help to lower the tuition? Sorry, maybe I missed something
CrimeanGurl
03-01-2010-06:36
удалить
No, raising my score can help me to get accepted to a university that offers financial aid to international students. It is only one part of the application that is taken into consideration, along with student's GPA, application essays, extracurricular involvement, and a few other things.
Ответ на комментарий CrimeanGurl #
Ok, now I understand, good luck then, you can do it!
did you go to college or uni back in Russia?
I am trying to figure out why I missed such a significant part of the university acceptance process as "taking the SAT test." Because I have several years of uni from overseas? Or acedemic counsellors just failed to mention it?
I am trying to figure out why I missed such a significant part of the university acceptance process as "taking the SAT test." Because I have several years of uni from overseas? Or acedemic counsellors just failed to mention it?
CrimeanGurl
03-01-2010-07:14
удалить
I did go to the university for two years before coming to the US. I, however, never mentioned it when applying because I didn't want to deal with any of the problems that might have arisen because of me being a transfer student (one is automatically considered a transfer student if he or she took a certain numbers of classes on the undergraduate level ).
SAT scores are far from being crucial for someone who is not applying as a freshman. Perhaps, this is why your counselors have never mentioned it. There are even some universities that claim not to take into considerations scores if the test was taken after the student went to college for at least one year.
I know that if I retake the test next winter and get a super high score, it probably won't mean even half as much as if I was a freshman. I would have never bothered to do it, if I wasn't an international student with financial aid needs. I want to take it again just to make sure that if don't get in any of those colleges I strive for, it won't happen because I didn't do every single thing possible.
What school do you go to?
SAT scores are far from being crucial for someone who is not applying as a freshman. Perhaps, this is why your counselors have never mentioned it. There are even some universities that claim not to take into considerations scores if the test was taken after the student went to college for at least one year.
I know that if I retake the test next winter and get a super high score, it probably won't mean even half as much as if I was a freshman. I would have never bothered to do it, if I wasn't an international student with financial aid needs. I want to take it again just to make sure that if don't get in any of those colleges I strive for, it won't happen because I didn't do every single thing possible.
What school do you go to?
MiaGellar, for now I am taking classes from the Community College (in Cleveland area). But this coming fall I'll be able to transfer to a university. Perhaps, Cleveland State. I might move to a diff. state (depends on my job), then I'll have to play by ear... As you can see, nothing's set in stone. So I am also trying to get in a better shape as a far as my grades and scores:)
I did take the translated school transcript and they accepted quite a few of the classes...I thought it was useful.
I did take the translated school transcript and they accepted quite a few of the classes...I thought it was useful.
CrimeanGurl
03-01-2010-08:16
удалить
ALI*lu*YA, if you have a green card or citizenship, it is much easier to get some financial aid, especially in public schools. As an international student, I am not only ineligible for scholarships and financial aid in 99% of colleges, but also have to pay out-of-country tuition, which is often more expensive than out-of-state. This 1% of colleges that offers financial aid to international students happen to be extremely selective; this is why I need every possible thing in my arsenal. Whether or not you should spend time and money on taking SAT depends on how difficult it is to get into the university you chose. If it is an average (not in a bad sense of this word) public school, then good grades can be more then enough to get in. After you're in, you should qualify for a number merit-based scholarships and will, most likely, also be eligible to file FSFA (assuming you do have green card or citizenship).
Ответ на комментарий CrimeanGurl #
I see. Good luck!
Комментарии (9):
вверх^
Вы сейчас не можете прокомментировать это сообщение.
Дневник ACING THE SAT: The Beginning | CrimeanGurl - Моя новая звездно-полосатая жизнь |
Лента друзей CrimeanGurl
/ Полная версия
Добавить в друзья
Страницы:
раньше»