SAT Scores: Ten Point Increase Can Get You In (updated) — from your Dallas SAT tutor
“The potential benefits of test preparation are clear,” according to a new study from the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Even a gain as small as ten points on the SAT can significantly impact an admissions decision at some schools, especially if you’re applying to a selective school.
The study also found that 21% of the schools admitted to having an SAT cutoff score and 24% had an ACT cutoff score — as in, ‘If you don’t get X on the test, you won’t get in, no matter what your grades are.’
It’s worth noting that both the College Board and the ACT folks encourage colleges to use the tests as part of a more holistic admissions process — and that the researchers seemed surprised by many of the results of the study. (The cutoff score information was a surprise to me.)
To read the whole study, click here.