Break Out the Number Twos
Make sure they’re sharpened and at the ready!
Admit It! You are not excited about spending the upcoming Saturday morning at an SAT test center (let’s not even mention how unexcited you are to spend your Friday night worrying about what will happen on Saturday morning). We think it’s fair to qualify standardized tests as a necessary evil. They’re no one’s favorite activity (well, maybe they’re the College Board’s favorite activity or whomever manufactures number two pencils – I mean really, wouldn’t those go by way of the dodo bird if not for standardized tests?) but they’re a part of life, a rite of passage, an application must-have (at least for most colleges and universities).
So for those of you spending your Saturday morning in what feels like purgatory, a few helpful thoughts from those of us who have lived through it and who now review the fruits of your Saturday morning labors:
Don’t psych yourself out (i.e. calm down). The SAT is no way defines who you are as an applicant or as a person. Your name will never be replaced by a summation of scores (by admission officers or anyone else). Your application is the culmination of 18 years, not four hours. Your SAT is one component of many; not the sole factor on which you will be evaluated. Putting too much pressure on yourself to reach a magic number that you think you need in order to survive the college admission process will likely only see diminishing returns.
Strategize. For the SAT specifically, most if not all schools superscore (meaning we take your best components from each of the sections and add them together to get your best composite score). So assuming this is not your first attempt at the test, make good use of your time. If you knocked the Critical Reading out of the park the first time you took the test, focus on the math section. Prep for it, study for it, and don’t sweat the Critical Reading part. That score you already have in the bag.
Know your role. What tests are you expected to take? Sure most schools require an SAT or an ACT (although not all – test-optional admission processes exist) but do they require the ACT with writing? Do they require SAT subject tests? Don’t take tests that aren’t necessary (unless you love sterile classrooms and the smell of freshly sharpened number two pencils on Saturday mornings).
So to all our standardized-test-taking warhorses out there, good luck. Oh, and one more tip. Listen to what your parents have to say about eating a good breakfast (it couldn’t hurt right), and bring your number two pencils.
Wendy Livingston ’03, M.Ed. ‘09
Associate Dean of Admission
PS: For those of you thinking about applying Early Decision, we will get your October scores in time to be reviewed during that process (and if they arrive slightly after the November 1 deadline that’s just fine). October ACTs will not, however, be able to be considered during Early Decision.
Comments are closed on posts older than one year, but we still want to hear from you. If you have a comment or question for us, please email admission@wm.edu.
Good to know that Oct ACT’s won’t make it in time.
FYI – as a student about to take the SAT – it isn’t “soul factor:” it’s sole factor.
@Abby, clearly you are more ready for the SAT than I am (that or I have learned not to write blogs while on a 6:00am flight)!
If I am applying early decision, will my November SAT scores be considered? I’m thinking it might be too late!
@Sarah, unfortunately November SAT scores do not arrive in time to be considered during Early Decision. The October SAT is the latest exam that we can consider.
The ACT on october 27th will not be considered for ED? what if that is what we want to send, and the first time we have taken it?
@Chloie, do you have any other standardized tests completed? Say an SAT? If so you’ll need to send that. The ACT generally doesn’t get reported until the end of November which is too late to be considered for Early Decision.
Do we need to send our October SAT scores with the rush sending, or can we send them normally?
@Sara, you should be able to send then normally.
Okay great, thanks! And I already sent my common app. Is it okay if I forgot to report that I took the october SATs? I’m still going to send an official report. I just assumed because I didn’t have scores yet, I shouldn’t self-report yet. Already sent common app in 🙁
@Sara, it might be a good idea to email admission@wm.edu. In that email let us know you already submitted your Common App but foregot to note that you took the Oct. SAT. We’ll add that email to your file and that way we’ll know to be on the lookout for new testing. Without it we wouldn’t know to look.
I love these blogs, this answered all of the questions I had. Thanks so much!
@Thaddeus, so glad you enjoy them. We’re also glad they prove helpful.
Thank you for the info. I agree with Thaddeus, these blogs are great!
Agreed with both of the above 🙂
I was so riled up before I wrote my SATs. They were challenging, sure, but not worth the emotional duress. Just focus in on areas of lower proficiency, and let your hard work take over when you write the tests.
Good luck, everyone!
I’m so glad you posted this! There was a mistake on my October SAT ticket and I wasn’t able to take it then so I was about to call the school and see you accept the November one for early decision. I love reading these blogs!
@Chloe, so glad you like the blogs but I think you mis-read. The last test that can be considered for ED is the Oct. SAT. The Oct. ACT and the Nov. SAT cannot be considered during ED.
@Dan, totally agreed.