Tests & Test Preparation | adMISSION POSSIBLE®

GOOD ENOUGH TEST SCORES TO GET INTO COLLEGES

One of the first things students want to know is what test scores are good enough for them to get into the colleges they like. Any student can “guesstimate” the chances of being a good candidate by comparing his or her SAT (or ACT) scores with the scores of previously admitted students.

At this point, some colleges use the combined score of Critical Reading, Math and Writing, with a possible total of 2400, while other colleges are using just the combined Critical Reading and Math score with a possible total of 1600. Check individual college admissions websites for what scoring system they use.

U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges, hard copy and online versions provide the Median SAT 25th - 75th SAT or ACT percentile scores for combined Math and Critical Reading scores only of admitted students. To understand what Median 25th - 75th percentile scores are: in a range from 0% to 100%, 1/4 of the accepted students scored at the lowest end (0 - 25%), half scored between the 25th - 75th percentile, and 1/4 scored at the highest end (75% - 100%). These scores are critical in determining what chance you have of getting accepted to schools.

adMISSION POSSIBLE® TIP! Over 800 colleges and universities in the US (including the highly respected Sarah Lawrence, Lewis & Clark, Bates and Bowdoin) are test optional colleges. A list of colleges that no longer require test scores can be found at the FairTest website: http://www.fairtest.org

COMPARING YOUR TEST SCORES WITH SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS

To get an idea about how to compare your test scores with accepted students at one college, according to the latest U.S. News’ America’s Best Colleges, the 25th-75th percentile range of accepted students at Wake Forest is 1260-1400.

A lot of factors go into admissions decisions besides test scores, including grade point averages, quality of essay writing, the depth and quality of extracurricular activities, counselor school reports and teacher recommendations, and also how carefully an application has been completed.

If, however, you want to get an idea about how your test scores compare with those of previously accepted students, let’s see how that might happen with one college’s test scores as an example. According to U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges latest edition, the 25th-75th percentile range of admitted students at Wake Forest College is 1240-1400 (Remember, U.S. News is only publishing scores that are a combination of Math and Critical Reading.

adMISSION POSSIBLE® TIP! The more competitive a school is, the more important SAT scores are. High SAT scores alone don’t get you in, but low scores can keep you out.

VERY GOOD CHANCE	GOOD CHANCE	NOT VERY GOOD CHANCE
If your own SAT scores (or ACT equivalent) are at the high end of Wake Forest’s 25th - 75th percentile scores or higher (high 1300s to 1400 and over), they are at the top of the Wake Forest candidate pool. Your chances for admission are probably very good.	If your SAT scores (or ACT equivalent) are in the middle of Wake Forest‘s 25th - 75th percentile range (somewhere in the 1300s), you probably have a good chance of being accepted.	If your SAT scores (or ACT equivalent) are at the very bottom - and especially if they are below - Wake Forest‘s 25th - 75th percentile range (mid 1200s to 1240 and lower), your chances for acceptance are not very good.

Good news: Wake Forest is a test optional school now! The above scores are just “guesstimates.”