Hey, I am thinking about getting into one of the top colleges, but I’m unsure about the SAT scores. Can anyone shed some light on the scores I should target? Don’t want to aim too low or unrealisticly high.
Absolutely! For the most selective colleges, such as the Ivy League schools, Stanford, and MIT, you should aim for an SAT score of around 1500 or above to be competitive; these institutions typically report 25th-75th percentile SAT scores in the 1430-1570 range. But remember, SAT scores are not the only consideration. They also look at other aspects of your academic profile, like your GPA and course rigor, so make sure those are strong as well!
For slightly less selective but still very prestigious institutions - think Duke, Johns Hopkins, Vanderbilt - you should aim for a score of around 1450 or more. Their 25th-75th percentile SAT scores tend to fall in the range of 1380-1530.
For public universities, the target score varies widely. At highly selective public schools like the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Michigan, you'll want to aim for an SAT score well into the 1300s or 1400s.
Keep in mind that a strong SAT score can help set you apart, but it's not everything. College admissions also take into account other factors such as your extracurricular activities, essays, and recommendation letters. And of course, you'll want to apply to a range of colleges (safety, match, reach) to increase your chances of getting accepted somewhere you're excited to attend.
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