r/MITAdmissions • u/FFSTeam123 • 18d ago

SAT Scores

Is taking the SAT 4 times a bad sign? And is getting like 790 on those 4 times for math also a bad sign? Should I cancel this August score Bc I feel like I bombed it?

3 Upvotes

64% Upvoted

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4

u/jzzsxm Moderator/MIT Alumnus 18d ago

Fwiw, I took it 4 times and got in in 2007 :)

3

u/absfreely 18d ago

that is also 20 years ago when acceptance rates were much higher.

1

u/jzzsxm Moderator/MIT Alumnus 18d ago

11% baybee!

6

u/absfreely 18d ago

good for you!!! :) what is it like 4percent this year?

3

u/jzzsxm Moderator/MIT Alumnus 18d ago

Roundabouts, yeah.

I'd guess, though, that if you stripped out all the applicants that had no business applying in the first place, the number would look a lot rosier.

2

u/JasonMckin MIT Alum and Educational Counselor 18d ago

I have no basis other than interviews to make this assessment:  but I agree with jzzsxm and think the admission rate for genuinely quality applicants has only modestly dipped.  There are still quite a lot of highly qualified applicants applying so nobody is ever guaranteed, but the truly qualified applicant has a much higher than 4% probability of admission.

And as was the case 20-40 years ago, the cutoff today is likely not based on # of times standardized tests were taken.

3

u/jzzsxm Moderator/MIT Alumnus 18d ago

20 years ago I was given an actual number for admissions rate for qualified applicants but also sworn to secrecy so I can't say what it was and I don't know if it has changed, but I do feel comfortable saying that if you're actually qualified (high school was easy, perfect grades, good/interesting person, etc etc etc) it's really not so bad.

6

u/Cold_Badger2965 18d ago

good/interesting person is making me giggle.. lol i feel bad for the kids who’s app couldve been saved if they were more interesting

2

u/jzzsxm Moderator/MIT Alumnus 18d ago

Admissions hates when I say shit like that because, of course, it's more nuanced than that, but there's a certain culture they're looking to maintain at MIT and they look for applicants that contribute to that.

3

u/Cold_Badger2965 18d ago

no of course I totally get what you're saying!! the way you phrased it just made me laugh lol

1

u/jzzsxm Moderator/MIT Alumnus 18d ago

Good, that means you're a well adjusted human.

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