SAT Scores?

On the ACT I received Math: 26 English: 25 Science: 30 and Reading: 31. When I took the SAT I received a 590 on math and 620 on critical reading. I know that these scores are on the low end of the spectrum but I was wondering if these make me not qualified in the eyes of USMA and USNA. Although to make up for these low scores I have a really high class rank (top 5%) in an extremely competitive school and a good GPA with 3.9 unweighted and 4.3 weighted with about 10 IB and AP classes along with numerous honors courses. I have not received a 3Qd letter yet from USMA which I am starting to get worried about as I am qualified medically and passed the CFA. Are these test scores holding me back from getting academically qualified?
 
I would read previous threads. Many answer your questions. 3Q letters are up to the RC. In some regions, they may or may not distribute the letters. Best bet might be contacting their office. Tests scores are important but aren't always deciding. I believe the academic qualifications include your leadership roles in school, sport, etc as well.
I would think that future test dates for this cycle are late, but of course one way to improve your WCS is to perform better of tests. Your rank is very important (there's a video on youtube where the Director of Admissions for USMA, Col. Deborah McDonald, stated that if test scores are low, your ranking (not GPA since it could be inflated) and courses that you took will be heavily scrutinized). By the looks of it, it seems you have taken very challenging courses.
I had sort of similar stats to you last year, was denied to both academies, decided to retake the SAT (improved from about 1200 to 1460 math and critical) for this year. Down the line, MAPS may be the the admissions decision for you since candidates who are accepted to MAPS are usually academically disqualified. Hope this helps.
 
Sorry, misread the information. Not sure about USNA but 3Q letters for USMA is up to RC.
 
I understand that USNA does not give 3qd letters, but I was just worried about them since I have not received one from West Point and I completed the applications the same day (Dec. 1) and have had no correspondence from either academy after completing the applications. I did get a notification from my congressman that I had received a nomination, but that's it.
 
NCCandidate,
You completed the application a month ago...that isn't that long ago...especially since the office was probably closed for two consecutive four-day holiday periods. And your application is probably at or towards the end of the queue -- I am sure there are PLENTY of candidates who are ahead of you in the review process. It may be a VERY long time before you hear anything. I highly suggest that you work on Plans B and beyond and if you have completed all of them, then you need to distract yourself for the next few months. At this point, no one can really answer when you may receive any correspondence prior to April 15.
 
Thank you usnabgo08. Is it too late to take the next SAT? I am fairly certain the rest of my file is really competitive, but I believe my SAT scores are really holding me back. If it is too late is there a chance that USNA will still take with my lower end SAT/ACT scores? I have two nominations (representative and presidential) and am medically qualified. Have three varsity sports with multiple varsity letters. Eagle Scout, NHS, Drill Team Captain, Rifle team captain, JROTC officer, Senior patrol leader for my boy scout troop, along with numerous other achievements and activities.
 
The answer to your question is found on the admission's website, but the short answer is yes.
 
Most everyone thinks their school is competitive. When SAT and ACT scores are less than stellar but the applicant has extremely high class rank and GPA it makes one wonder how challenging the school really is.

I have never really believed in test anxiety or that "someone is a poor test taker".

Hard work makes up for a lot, and in my book is even more important than IQ. The only thing that counts though, is what the academy thinks.
 
Does SA know how many times student took SAT, I was advised to not take too many?? Better to study butt off & take SAT 1-2times?? My son took once end of freshman year after studying all summer for 3 months with tutor and did very well. Think better to invest in tutor than take test many times??? Also does SA know when a child took SAT? Is there bonus points for freshman with high test score vs a senior??
 
Most everyone thinks their school is competitive. When SAT and ACT scores are less than stellar but the applicant has extremely high class rank and GPA it makes one wonder how challenging the school really is.

I have never really believed in test anxiety or that "someone is a poor test taker".

Hard work makes up for a lot, and in my book is even more important than IQ. The only thing that counts though, is what the academy thinks.

Gotta disagree with you on this one, Maplerock. Test scores are not always indicative. I know a girl who goes to a selective school for gifted kids, is top 3% of class in northern VA, 4.6 GPA, has 2 patents, runs her OWN business, and on and on. She's brilliant. Her SAT score is 1950. It seems she should easily pass 2000 but she can't. She's taken it four times. What does make sense to me is that sometimes these top kids take the math concepts which are tested by the SAT during 8th and 9th grades. By the time they take the SAT they are in calc AB/BC and the simpler concepts are a distant memory, and those skills are quite rusty. I can't speak to the reading portion, though.
 
On the ACT I received Math: 26 English: 25 Science: 30 and Reading: 31. When I took the SAT I received a 590 on math and 620 on critical reading. I know that these scores are on the low end of the spectrum but I was wondering if these make me not qualified in the eyes of USMA and USNA. Although to make up for these low scores I have a really high class rank (top 5%) in an extremely competitive school and a good GPA with 3.9 unweighted and 4.3 weighted with about 10 IB and AP classes along with numerous honors courses. I have not received a 3Qd letter yet from USMA which I am starting to get worried about as I am qualified medically and passed the CFA. Are these test scores holding me back from getting academically qualified?
I think your competition is more with your district? You got the nom maybe because your SAT was higher than others within nom pool?? maybe within your slate your SAT is above average;) I am assuming you live in state NC, and if SA needs to fill a spot in ur district NC you have the nom and good chance:) best senerio you get in, very good is you go to prep, and good is you do ROTC a year & reapply;). Trust me one year of sacrifice is nothing to fulfill a life dream:)
 
Gotta disagree with you on this one, Maplerock. Test scores are not always indicative. I know a girl who goes to a selective school for gifted kids, is top 3% of class in northern VA, 4.6 GPA, has 2 patents, runs her OWN business, and on and on. She's brilliant. Her SAT score is 1950. It seems she should easily pass 2000 but she can't. She's taken it four times. What does make sense to me is that sometimes these top kids take the math concepts which are tested by the SAT during 8th and 9th grades. By the time they take the SAT they are in calc AB/BC and the simpler concepts are a distant memory, and those skills are quite rusty. I can't speak to the reading portion, though.
Yes you are right cuz SAT math goes up to Alegra 2?? there is thing called test anxiety, many kids do well in essay and other test in familar setting, but get super nervous on multiple choice and standardized test. Doesn't mean they are not smart but their nerves are getting in the way, yes maybe those kids will not do well in SA setting cuz of rigid lifestyle??? To those hopefuls don't be so down, you worked hard and super if you get in but if not remember that rejection means redirection:)
 
Does SA know how many times student took SAT, I was advised to not take too many?? Better to study butt off & take SAT 1-2times?? My son took once end of freshman year after studying all summer for 3 months with tutor and did very well. Think better to invest in tutor than take test many times??? Also does SA know when a child took SAT? Is there bonus points for freshman with high test score vs a senior??
Academies know only the scores you send them. However, every person from every Academy has encouraged my son to take the tests as many time as you can. It makes sense since the academies superscore, and even if some subscores on a test are terrible, if one or two is an improvement on your previous high score in that section, you have improved your position. They do not count it against you, and consider it a reflection on your commitment and perseverance.
 
I know a girl who goes to a selective school for gifted kids, is top 3% of class in northern VA, 4.6 GPA

Getting good grades in high school does not show intelligence, it shows perseverance, hard work and dedication. Putting substantial effort into a class will get you an A. There are many intelligent people that get poor grades simply because they are not hard working people. Similarly, there are many not so intelligent people that get good grades in high school because they are hard working people.

has 2 patents, runs her OWN business, and on and on.

That doesn't really equate to intelligence either for the same reasons good grades don't.

top kids take the math concepts which are tested by the SAT during 8th and 9th grades..
Those questions are probably not the ones those kids are missing. The ones they are missing are probably abstract concepts that they never learned.

Here is an example of a question most of those people are probably missing: How many odd integers greater than 500 and less than 1000 have an even digit in the tens place?

You never learn how to do questions like that in 8th or 9th grade or any grade in high school. It's not something that's taught, and most of the questions that are missed on the SAT by those "top kids" are probably on things that were never taught. To solve these types of questions you have to use numerical reasoning(or you have to memorize how to do these types of questions, but there are so many abstract questions that could possibly show up on the SAT it would be extremely difficult to learn how to do all of them if not impossible), which is a skill a lot of people lack. If the test were as simple as memorizing formulas everyone would get a perfect score, but it's not. You have to possess skills that aren't really taught, that are fairly innate, such as numerical reasoning and logic. School math is a lot more concrete than SAT math, and IMO, rightfully so, because they are 2 different metrics intended to measure 2 different things.

I can't speak to the reading portion, though.
The same is true for the reading portion. You have to have strong critical thinking skills to get a high score.

The SAT isn't a test where anyone can just work hard and get a 2400. I bet if everyone on the planet dedicated their entire lives to doing well on the SAT, the vast majority would still not get a 2400. Basically anyone can work hard and get an A in a class. If everyone on the entire planet dedicated their entire lives to getting an A in chemistry, I bet the vast majority would get an A in chemistry. Hard work will help you on the SAT but hard work alone will not carry you to a spectacular score.
 
Yes you are right cuz SAT math goes up to Alegra 2?? there is thing called test anxiety, many kids do well in essay and other test in familar setting, but get super nervous on multiple choice and standardized test. Doesn't mean they are not smart but their nerves are getting in the way, yes maybe those kids will not do well in SA setting cuz of rigid lifestyle??? To those hopefuls don't be so down, you worked hard and super if you get in but if not remember that rejection means redirection:)
http://www.businessinsider.com/kobe-bryants-daughter-on-being-clutch-2014-11

This is a great way to approach the SAT IMO^
 
Yes you are right cuz SAT math goes up to Alegra 2?? there is thing called test anxiety, many kids do well in essay and other test in familar setting, but get super nervous on multiple choice and standardized test. Doesn't mean they are not smart but their nerves are getting in the way, yes maybe those kids will not do well in SA setting cuz of rigid lifestyle??? To those hopefuls don't be so down, you worked hard and super if you get in but if not remember that rejection means redirection:)

Well, if you're correct, how does that bode for the new 2nd Lt when his squad is under attack? There's a pretty good chance for nerves then. I have never bought the whole test anxiety thing. If you'd give a kid a test over something they know, and care about, will they perform poorly? Kids that can perform under pressure are exactly the kind I want defending our country.
 
Getting good grades in high school does not show intelligence, it shows perseverance, hard work and dedication. Putting substantial effort into a class will get you an A. There are many intelligent people that get poor grades simply because they are not hard working people. Similarly, there are many not so intelligent people that get good grades in high school because they are hard working people.



That doesn't really equate to intelligence either for the same reasons good grades don't.


Those questions are probably not the ones those kids are missing. The ones they are missing are probably abstract concepts that they never learned.

Here is an example of a question most of those people are probably missing: How many odd integers greater than 500 and less than 1000 have an even digit in the tens place?

You never learn how to do questions like that in 8th or 9th grade or any grade in high school. It's not something that's taught, and most of the questions that are missed on the SAT by those "top kids" are probably on things that were never taught. To solve these types of questions you have to use numerical reasoning(or you have to memorize how to do these types of questions, but there are so many abstract questions that could possibly show up on the SAT it would be extremely difficult to learn how to do all of them if not impossible), which is a skill a lot of people lack. If the test were as simple as memorizing formulas everyone would get a perfect score, but it's not. You have to possess skills that aren't really taught, that are fairly innate, such as numerical reasoning and logic. School math is a lot more concrete than SAT math, and IMO, rightfully so, because they are 2 different metrics intended to measure 2 different things.


The same is true for the reading portion. You have to have strong critical thinking skills to get a high score.

The SAT isn't a test where anyone can just work hard and get a 2400. I bet if everyone on the planet dedicated their entire lives to doing well on the SAT, the vast majority would still not get a 2400. Basically anyone can work hard and get an A in a class. If everyone on the entire planet dedicated their entire lives to getting an A in chemistry, I bet the vast majority would get an A in chemistry. Hard work will help you on the SAT but hard work alone will not carry you to a spectacular score.

Frenzy, you're a candidate, yes? It's in the realm of possibility that us old folks have a bit more life wisdom than teens...... I agree with you that strong critical thinking skills bode well for the SAT. However, if you think that a high SAT score indicates intelligence more than running a solid business or stellar grades, then you and I differ on the meaning of the word intelligence. I further agree that an SAT score is a way to "standardize" candidates and is a necessary tool. I'm making the assumption you have strong scores. Congrats on that accomplishment. However, my hat hangs on the WC concept. In the long run of life, an SAT score means little.
 
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Well, if you're correct, how does that bode for the new 2nd Lt when his squad is under attack? There's a pretty good chance for nerves then. I have never bought the whole test anxiety thing. If you'd give a kid a test over something they know, and care about, will they perform poorly? Kids that can perform under pressure are exactly the kind I want defending our country.

Maplerock,

The SAT has little bearing whatever on how an officer will perform when a squad is under attack, unless that battle is a four hour sit down test. How one performs in that arena is the result of exhaustive training, and those who are weak are summarily weeded out in that process. I don't have an opinion on "test anxiety" but SA's exist to prepare leaders for the future. If you get 100 points more than me, or I you, that has no bearing on the kind of officer and leader either of us might become. One, or ten, questions in difference between 17 year old kids really is not material.

A standardized test does not predict judgment in the fog of war. In fact, going "strictly by the book" seldom works in real time.

I want leaders who can succeed, ultimately, under pressure. Leadership and perseverance are not measured on the standardized tests. Fact is, like the CFA, the stadardized tests should probably be, at best, pass/fail.

Give me a leader who is intelligent, and who really is a leader. One who has been tested in a wide range of situations. I'll sleep very well with him/her defending our country.
 
Yes you are right cuz SAT math goes up to Alegra 2?? there is thing called test anxiety, many kids do well in essay and other test in familar setting, but get super nervous on multiple choice and standardized test. Doesn't mean they are not smart but their nerves are getting in the way, yes maybe those kids will not do well in SA setting cuz of rigid lifestyle??? To those hopefuls don't be so down, you worked hard and super if you get in but if not remember that rejection means redirection:)

Well, if you're correct, how does that bode for the new 2nd Lt when his squad is under attack? There's a pretty good chance for nerves then. I have never bought the whole test anxiety thing. If you'd give a kid a test over something they know, and care about, will they perform poorly? Kids that can perform under pressure are exactly th
Maplerock,

The SAT has little bearing whatever on how an officer will perform when a squad is under attack, unless that battle is a four hour sit down test. How one performs in that arena is the result of exhaustive training, and those who are weak are summarily weeded out in that process. I don't have an opinion on "test anxiety" but SA's exist to prepare leaders for the future. If you get 100 points more than me, or I you, that has no bearing on the kind of officer and leader either of us might become. One, or ten, questions in difference between 17 year old kids really is not material.

A standardized test does not predict judgment in the fog of war. In fact, going "strictly by the book" seldom works in real time.

I want leaders who can succeed, ultimately, under pressure. Leadership and perseverance are not measured on the standardized tests. Fact is, like the CFA, the stadardized tests should probably be, at best, pass/fail.

Give me a leader who is intelligent, and who really is a leader. One who has been tested in a wide range of situations. I'll sleep very well with him/her defending our country.
Absolutely, and not different from what I posted. I want sharp, focused leaders. Not people that freak out under pressure, whether it's a test or a firefight. As I said, work ethic is important, and I never said we need more brainiacs... just people that don't flounder under pressure.
 
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