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asymmetrical SAT scores?


cathmom
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I'm wondering what your experiences have been with low scores on one section of the SAT, but high scores on another. I have a child who will likely do phenomenal on the verbal and writing parts, but bomb the math section. I'll be lucky to drag her through Algebra 2 by graduation. What did colleges think? Did your student with scores like this get accepted at colleges? and other questions like that! Thank you!

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That fits many of us and she really won't be the only one. They'll think that she's a smart, verbal kid who isn't good at math. That fits many of us I'm sure. At some schools yes, this will hurt her, but at many it won't be a huge problem. And, since she's not good at math she's likely going to be happier some place where that isn't a problem so it all works out. What I would suggest is that she should really develop her verbal strengths and she be prepared to demonstrate the depth of her education in these areas.

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I have read that a very low score is easier to bring up than an average score. I imagine it's because "average" is a wider range. If you really target practice in the kind of math questions that are asked, you might be able to get her into a higher score bracket. Because many schools maximize the scores by taking the best from each area, that can be helpful if she does better on just one SAT.

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A friend of our dd scored an 800 on CR and a very high score on writing, but just barely average on math. She still received a good academic merit scholarship and got into a special LA scholars Learning Community that comes with a few perks. She is majoring in Creative Writing, so math won't get in her way.

 

I do think that her math score kept her from getting a little better scholarship, but she still got a good one.

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I think if the overall score is decent (within average range of the college) you are fine - better, even, if one score is higher than another as it shows above average ability in that area. A kid with a 27 but much higher in one area than another might look better than someone who got that 27 with across the board similar scores.

 

Of course, getting high scores in, say writing but saying one wishes to be a math major might not go over as well (same for a high math, low English score claiming a desire to major in English. Go with your strengths!)

 

My son got low average scores in math, science, on ACT and SAT - and top scores in English, writing. His ACT was 27, Sat score comparable. He got top merit scholarships.

 

Back in the day, I got poor scores in math but top scores in English. My kid brother got almost the exact same scores in opposite areas!

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Will she do better in science than math? If so you may wish to consider the ACT over the SAT as presenting a more well rounded picture of her.

 

I'm sorry to say my only IRL with what you describe got into the chemical engineering program of his choice, but I don't think that will work in your case.

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Ds did extremely well on the math portions of his SAT and PSAT. The critical reading/verbal sections...not nearly as well. He is not a reader. He plans to be an engineer/programmer.

 

He is doing tons of SAT prep to get his verbal score up by June for his second SAT. He's not prepping math since he is in college trig currently at school.

 

He'll take the ACT also.

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My dd was scoring near the top with English and Reading, high average in science and low average in math. WE knew she could only take the ACT. She is in college with a full tuition scholarship and is getting A's in math anyways. (Turns out that she had a non math disability that was making it hard to do math the easy way and so she did things the hard way which takes too long so now she gets extra time on tests and normally gets 100s).

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Thanks for the suggestion about the ACT. It's not the usual test where I grew up so I never think of that first. I did read a book comparing the two a few years ago, thinking it might be better for my older dd, but it was a tossup for her. However, for the child I'm referring to in this thread, the ACT might really be better. This girl has a loathing for math like I've never seen LOL.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Cathmom,

I think most colleges do want their students to be fairly well-rounded and not completely "bomb" one section... but that being said, I'm sure it will depend a lot on what your daughter wants to major in. For example, if she's applying to an art school, math will surely be less of an issue than if she is applying to an engineering school.

 

I would suggest working on her math skills, but also taking advantage of the exceptional reading and writing skills she already has.

 

Best of luck!

-Learning Ally Mom

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