Help on the SAT and ACT please.

[Danman]

Originally posted by: PsychoAndy

Originally posted by: zippy

Originally posted by: PsychoAndy
Good grades != smart

I think good grades indicate intelligence more than good SAT scores do.

They indicate a good work ethic, perhaps, but I wouldn't use it as a basis for intelligence. Same with standardized tests, nothing's perfect. If I took 6 periods of weight training, team sports, and office aide, and 1 period of English 4, I could have a 4.0. Would I be smart and intelligent? I know plenty of people with 3.7-4.0 unweighted GPAs that wouldn't know their ass from a hole in the ground.

Okay Andy, but am I one of those students? Last year I BUSTED my ass. This year I'm headin for the Dual Enrollment classes and my computer classes. I think that will play into affect.

 

[Imdmn04]

Originally posted by: zippy

Originally posted by: PsychoAndy
Good grades != smart

I think good grades indicate intelligence more than good SAT scores do.

Good grades indicate you are a hard worker, not necessary intelligence. Contrary to your statement, I think the test shows more about your true abilities because you have to perform under pressure. That is why college grades are more emphasized on tests/exams than homework.

 

[BigJimbo]

make sure you study!!! i got screwed out of a FULL RIDE to FIT (7-10g a semester) now im at BCC and paying for my college...

remember dont guess on SAT
and to Guess on the ACT (for the ones you dont know of coarse)


looks like were neighbors Melbourne, FL anyway what my buddy did is when his girl went to FSU he went to TCC (Tally CC) he bombed out his SAT and ACTs like me look into a CC over in O-town youll prob find something or maybe a tech school (this is if you fail!)

 

[Storm]

I feel old... 😉

I didnt know the ACT had become that important to be requirement...
Also did the SAT get harder or something because the kind of courses
and grades should warrant a higher score... The only fix to that is to
get those Barron's SAT books with the practice SATs and do every one
of them in test like situations. Before that or while doing that take a
review course like Princeton's or Kaphan(sp?). Those courses offer tips
and tricks plus more practice tests.

Oh yea almost forgot... Don't worry about what your gf does or wants to
go because chances are that relationship wont last even if you both go to
UCF. You both could be sure that you want to marry the other but once in
college theres a chance that could change.

 

[xuanman]

Originally posted by: Imdmn04

Originally posted by: zippy

Originally posted by: PsychoAndy
Good grades != smart

I think good grades indicate intelligence more than good SAT scores do.

Good grades indicate you are a hard worker, not necessary intelligence. Contrary to your statement, I think the test shows more about your true abilities because you have to perform under pressure. That is why college grades are more emphasized on tests/exams than homework.

whether the SAT indicates "intelligence" or not, the reality is that it is important in college admissions, so to the original poster, study hard and take lots of practice tests. for those interested in the SAT/ACT and the debate over standardized tests, Nicholas Lemann's wrote a really good book The Big Test about this issue...

 

[DanFungus]

yeah, I also suggest that between the time now and the time you retake the tests, take as many practice tests as possible. I went from like 1050 (practice tests and PSAT) to 1300 even (real SAT I just took) after taking Kaplan Prep thing, but I think what helped me most was just the repetition of taking the test so many times that I just built up the stamina to sit there for 3 hours and to utilize my brain for that long.

 

[TNTrulez]

Cal pwn UCF.

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: Imdmn04

Originally posted by: zippy

Originally posted by: PsychoAndy
Good grades != smart

I think good grades indicate intelligence more than good SAT scores do.

Good grades indicate you are a hard worker, not necessary intelligence. Contrary to your statement, I think the test shows more about your true abilities because you have to perform under pressure. That is why college grades are more emphasized on tests/exams than homework.

that's bull... sat doesn't measure intelligence at all, are you kidding me? half of it measures how many words you can cram into your memory, and the other half measures how well you can dig up math you haven't used for god know how long.

and in college, those that do well in a course are the ones that know the material, not the ones that are just intelligent.

 

[Jfur]

Originally posted by: gopunk

Originally posted by: Imdmn04

Originally posted by: zippy

Originally posted by: PsychoAndy
Good grades != smart

I think good grades indicate intelligence more than good SAT scores do.

Good grades indicate you are a hard worker, not necessary intelligence. Contrary to your statement, I think the test shows more about your true abilities because you have to perform under pressure. That is why college grades are more emphasized on tests/exams than homework.

that's bull... sat doesn't measure intelligence at all, are you kidding me? half of it measures how many words you can cram into your memory, and the other half measures how well you can dig up math you haven't used for god know how long.

and in college, those that do well in a course are the ones that know the material, not the ones that are just intelligent.

gopunk is correct --- SAT correlates somewhat with how well people do in their FIRST year of college, nothing more. It certainly does not measure "intelligence."

 

[DanTMWTMP]

why how bad can it be...just study harder....i got 1330 for doing nothing...and i wanted a 1400...coudln't get in UCLA, but got in UCSD...i probably coudln't have made up my mind of both schools if i was accepted to both (got wait listed for UCLA)......and in so. cal....anything below a 4.0 weighted score meant n00b...probably differeint in the east...also anything under 1200 = ultra n00b.....probably my high school had too many nerds..

 

[LS20]

so, in general, would you say that intelligent people tend to score higher or lower than average on the SATs?

thank you.

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: DanTMWTMP
why how bad can it be...just study harder....i got 1330 for doing nothing...and i wanted a 1400...coudln't get in UCLA, but got in UCSD...i probably coudln't have made up my mind of both schools if i was accepted to both (got wait listed for UCLA)......and in so. cal....anything below a 4.0 weighted score meant n00b...probably differeint in the east...also anything under 1200 = ultra n00b.....probably my high school had too many nerds..

In Charlotte NC, at Providence HS, most who are taking AP classes, etc, have 4.5-5.0s weighted GPAs. Under 4 isnt considerd newb, it either means you are a slacker or you really are stupid. As for SAT scores, the people who make those good grades usually get 1350-1500. Most of my friends made 1450s, one made a 1520. Point is, its not really different here in the east. Also just depends on the school. Im only a junior in HS now, and I took the SAT in 7th grade (960), but didn't do so hot. And I made a measely 1120 on the PSAT my Sophomore year.


LS20, higher.

 

[DanTMWTMP]

ah ic...well, it does seem like we have a pretty intelligent group here in ATOT...hehe, probably most of u have had higher high school stats than i did...but neways cashman, good luck! just study them words and numbers aha

 

[Bound_Vortex]

Cashman,
First off, your gpa should be solid enough to get you to UCF. In my experience, the teacher recs are the most important. Fortunately I was lucky enough to have two incredible teachers my senior year. I don't know if they helped me or not in my collegiate appllications, but I know they didn't hurt.

To improve your SAT score, take a Princeton Review course..they are top notch, also, if you have the option take the act over the sat, guessing is beneficial on the act and punishes you on the sat

good luck

 

[alpineranger]

If I were in your position I'd try to retake the test again, and study before you do so. I knew a guy in high school who kept taking the SAT until he go the score he new he could get. First try, he got a 1450, second time around, 1300, third time 1600.

I think I got a pretty good score, I had a good high school GPA and lots of extras (eg. 1000+ hours of community service), yet I didn't get into most of the schools I applied to. Some of the schools claimed I messed up parts of the application, and I did have the lowest Math (SAT I) score of any of my friends even thought I only missed a single problem. However, I think the thing that hurt me most was my essay, which I didn't work on as much as I should have. During the application process, I became increasingly apathetic about college, and the amount of time I spent on my applications reflected this.

After looking at the essays you posted, I would say that your essays warrant some serious attention. The subjects are workable, but (please don't take this as a personal affront) the two pieces sound like something you spent a total of 5 minutes working on. You want to send a message to the readers about the sort of person you are: an interesting person with intelligence, passion, eloquence, and all those other redeeming human virtues. Get someone to help you with your essay, put a lot of thought into it, don't hesitate to ask others for their opinions and constantly revise.

 

[heartsurgeon]

[

 

[PsychoAndy]

Originally posted by: cashman

Originally posted by: PsychoAndy

Originally posted by: zippy

Originally posted by: PsychoAndy
Good grades != smart

I think good grades indicate intelligence more than good SAT scores do.

They indicate a good work ethic, perhaps, but I wouldn't use it as a basis for intelligence. Same with standardized tests, nothing's perfect. If I took 6 periods of weight training, team sports, and office aide, and 1 period of English 4, I could have a 4.0. Would I be smart and intelligent? I know plenty of people with 3.7-4.0 unweighted GPAs that wouldn't know their ass from a hole in the ground.

Okay Andy, but am I one of those students? Last year I BUSTED my ass. This year I'm headin for the Dual Enrollment classes and my computer classes. I think that will play into affect.

Hell if I know. Your AP scores weren't too stellar. Like I said, just because you bust your ass doesn't mean you're smart.

 

[LANMAN]

I say you need to study. That usually helps. 😉

j/k

Good luck on the test!! 🙂

--LANMAN

 

[flot]

Well, I don't know how it works at UCF, but some of the comments in here seem a little delusional. If a school gets 15,000 applicants, do you really think they read 30,000 essays in a 2 or 3 month period? Doubt it... The vast majority will either go into the "automatically accept" bin or the "automatically deny" bin.

SAT and ACT scores are very important. They are an EASY sort for schools - it's a no brainer for a school to say "Well, if you get > 1400 on the SAT then you're in." There are many other factors (including GPA) but remember that GPAs aren't in any way consistant across schools - you may have gotten a 4.0 at the easy school in your county, but someone else that got a 2.5 at the magnet school down the street actually did a lot more work. (interestingly, colleges do know about things like that too)

Anyway, my point is - numbers matter - you shouldn't freak out as your GPA will help, but you should also be SERIOUSLY studying for your retakes. Get a book of practice tests, read some of the test-taking-techniques books, etc. GET OFF OF ANANDTECH FOR A WHILE.

I was ranked in the bottom 15% of my graduating class on GPA, but was easily in the top 15% on my SAT scores, and had no problem getting into the engineering school of my choice.

 

[xuanman]

Originally posted by: flot
Well, I don't know how it works at UCF, but some of the comments in here seem a little delusional. If a school gets 15,000 applicants, do you really think they read 30,000 essays in a 2 or 3 month period? Doubt it... The vast majority will either go into the "automatically accept" bin or the "automatically deny" bin.

SAT and ACT scores are very important. They are an EASY sort for schools - it's a no brainer for a school to say "Well, if you get > 1400 on the SAT then you're in." There are many other factors (including GPA) but remember that GPAs aren't in any way consistant across schools - you may have gotten a 4.0 at the easy school in your county, but someone else that got a 2.5 at the magnet school down the street actually did a lot more work. (interestingly, colleges do know about things like that too)

Anyway, my point is - numbers matter - you shouldn't freak out as your GPA will help, but you should also be SERIOUSLY studying for your retakes. Get a book of practice tests, read some of the test-taking-techniques books, etc. GET OFF OF ANANDTECH FOR A WHILE.

I was ranked in the bottom 15% of my graduating class on GPA, but was easily in the top 15% on my SAT scores, and had no problem getting into the engineering school of my choice.

yeah, basically gpa/standardized tests serve as a cutoff, so if you don't meet the minimum thresholds, most places will automatically ding you.

 

[Undeniable]

Dont ever bother talking to me again, until you learn how to grow up and act like a man. Take those essays off this thread or take my name out of them before I contact a mod and get you banned. You've gone too far this time Dan, where do you get off putting my full name in an entrance essay to a major university, especially an essay full of lies.