1
4 years ago
Admissions Advice

In what situations should I consider going test-optional for elite colleges?

I'm a rising senior and have not done the SAT yet. I live in El Salvador, and or now the only sure test date is in October and I want to apply early to an elite college.

elite
preparation
SAT
1
7
🎉 First post
Let’s welcome @lzuniga to the community! Remember to be kind, helpful, and supportive in your responses.

Earn karma by helping others:

1 karma for each ⬆️ upvote on your answer, and 20 karma if your answer is marked accepted.

4 answers

0
4 years ago

I suggest that if your SAT score ends up being around the average or higher than the average SAT score for that school, you submit it. If not, it would be better not to submit it!

0
0
4 years ago[edited]

[deleted]

0
0
4 years ago[edited]

Because many colleges are going test-optional due to the pandemic, it really is up to you. I've learned that the UC system including schools like UPenn, UChicago, Harvard, Cornell, and other schools, has waived that requirement (you can find a more extensive list online). I would suggest you take the test in October, and see what your results are. If you don't think that those scores accurately represent your academic abilities, then I would recommend you to not submit them. However, they do provide more insight into your profile. I've searched that also most schools will accept October submissions for early decisions, such as the Ivy-League schools. Hope this helps!

0
0
4 years ago

The only schools that are elite that are test optional are the U California system with UCLA and Berkeley included. All of the other top 25 or so as of this moment are not test optional but is playing on waiting and seeing. I believe more concrete info is going to be announced by July. So going test optional is not really a good idea for elite schools.

But many schools are test optional and if you go to CommonApp you can do the Find My College search and select test optional. And research from there.

You more or less need SAT or ACT for top 25 schools but some schools are test flexible such as Drake which offers two paths in admissions replacing tests with an interview.

0
What are your chances of acceptance?
Your chance of acceptance
Duke University
Loading…
UCLA
Loading…
+ add school
Your chancing factors
Unweighted GPA: 3.7
1.0
4.0
SAT: 720 math
200
800
| 800 verbal
200
800

Extracurriculars

Low accuracy (4 of 18 factors)

Community Guidelines

To keep this community safe and supportive:

  1. Be kind and respectful!
  2. Keep posts relevant to college admissions and high school.
  3. Don’t ask “chance-me” questions. Use CollegeVine’s chancing instead!

How karma works