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THIS POST IS BASED ON these statements found elsewhere:

SERIOUSLY, so would a 1600 URM get in anywhere?

++++Let me put it this way...there are less URMs that are able to get 1600 than there are olympic gold medalists, astronauts, living nobel laureates, 4 star generals...and none of these get rejected.
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OK, so I'm a low income, first generation URM with a 4.3 GPA and 4 APS this yr.

My SAT practice tests are 1380-1450.

Should i study for SAT non stop to get the elusive 1600, and even let my GPA drop.

I go to a school that gives 4-5 hrs of hw a nit and if i knew that 1600 URM are that much of a shoe in i would have never gone to this school.

Should i study LESS for my 4 APs and more for SAT I?
Note: SAT2s: 800,770,760,720(on fourth language)
I also have a 5 on AP WH from last yr (self-taught)

By Haiyaa (Haiyaa) on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 10:20 pm: Edit

NO! The SAT I is not that important if you're a URM. A 1450 would get you in practically anywhere. Just keep studying at a reasonable pace, and don't let your grades drop. Besides, studying your butt off won't guarantee you a 1600.

Look at your GPA and number of APs this year. You've got nice SAT II scores to go along with that. Don't sweat it. Come the day you take your SAT I, you'll do great!

By tt on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 10:22 pm: Edit

What URM are you?

By mikemyers on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 10:24 pm: Edit

thanks..thats what i was thinking too.

but that comment really made me feel like DAMN! If other URMS are that bad, then why am i killing myself? Lets just say getting straight A's in my school requires your being an insomniac.

OK, well, any other tips? LOL, i think im looking for an excuse to slack off

By mike myers on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 10:24 pm: Edit

im 100% Dominican (born there too)..hispanic.

By hjkhj on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 10:28 pm: Edit

Do NOT take the SAT lightly. If your are a URM, doing average to bad doesn't count highly against you...and thus means very little. BUT if you do well...it counts for your FAVOR tremendously and will probably be weighted heavier than anything else. I agree with that original posting, a 1600 by a URM would probably get that person into the college of his or her choosing.

By Mesmerizing on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 10:32 pm: Edit

yes but is it worth dropping GPA and getting bad APS? NO

By mikemyers on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 10:35 pm: Edit

Hey now, when i said i'll slack off that means getting B's etc.

If i get straight B's, my GPA would still be around 4. (A B=4.0 in AP) Plus, I'm not going to flunk the Ap tests.

This is my REAL question. I want to register for the April SAT. Should i spend my free time studying MORE for the SAT or reviewing for the AP tests (not far from April).

By zoomzoomzoom-- on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 11:15 pm: Edit

if studying for the SAT I will only bring you down to a 4.0 GO FOR IT! Honestly you are in if you can write a good essay...maybe try to break 1500. Dont kill yourself over the perfect score.The SAT is so random that you could do nothing BUT study and still not get it. So balance ur time a bit. Prep but dont slack off.

APs are only huge if you want sophmore standing, which requires all 5s these days. Id say study in moderation for AP until after the April SAT (the 5th)...then you can go into AP prep mode and study for those.
BTW, FOUR?!! Which ones?

By mikemyers on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 11:23 pm: Edit

Spanish AP: automatic 4 at least (Im Dominican remember)

English AP: I need help with the multiple choice...essays are ok. HEY, studying for their passages would be like studying for the critical reading. EPIPHANY!

Latin AP: Well i dont know..this seems like i need to study a lot. Im really good at latin (thats where my 800 SAT 2 is from) but 1800+ lines! a review is a definite.

THE KILLER: US history AP.
OK, this is my WORST class. I got 2 B's so far and i remember ZILCH. I hate this class so much that i dont even pay atention. If i dont study I WILL get a 2...has anybody taken it..is it that hard and detail-centered??

THANKS AGAIN

By harvard-bound on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 11:38 pm: Edit

N o s c i e n c e ? H A!

Those are the easy APs..study for the SAT man! I

took US History and got a 4. I bs-ed the DBQ and

[educatedly]guessed on like 1/3 of the multiple

choice, so don't get too stressed out. I thought

you got a self-taught 5 on WH...what the hell?

How can you hate US hist and do so well on AP world? NE. Dont stress. BE HAPPY =).

By deek on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 11:41 pm: Edit

well i loved that class (US History) and actually passed with a 95 average (the highest in my class) and i still only got a 2 on the AP test. i really screwed up. i guess the only hard part is the essay portion. study writing essays on those history matters. i will take it again i hope to score at least a 4 this time.

By fhjsir on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 11:42 pm: Edit

since when do ppl double space on this discussion board! Odd-ball.......

By frustrated on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 11:45 pm: Edit

deek,
that can only mean two things.

1) You're a terrible test taker, or at least were that day (sick or w/e)

2)That 95 average meant squat. Maybe your school is incredibly easy and didnt cover the material.

I never took the Hist AP...i took the spanish tho. MUY dificil! of course im not a native speaker. LOL, there should be a Engligh Language AP where we talk about pictures!

By liar liar pants on fire on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 11:50 pm: Edit

ASSIDUOUS URM...thats a good one!
looks like somebody has a fancy smanshy thesaurus!

By cbfohbdofhgkjfdn on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 11:53 pm: Edit

there is only ONE assiduous URM in all of america...and her name is condoleeza rice.

all other URMs are liars.

By mikemyers on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 12:01 am: Edit

come on now... what would i get out of lying??
Oo i fooled a few people who i dont know at all...how exciting!

I think not. So to those rational people who actually BELIVE me, please respond.
I would like more tips on AP prep too.
Thanks, a URM..really!

By try on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 12:02 am: Edit

Affirmative action is bullsh*t. Act like you are white, and try as hard as you would if you were white. Because if you go to a really prestigious school that you didn't earn by merit, you're not gonna be respected among your peers.

By no one on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 12:07 am: Edit

Which goes to prove there are always idiots on both sides of a debate.

There are plenty of URMs that could have gotten in based on their merit. Stop insulting them.

By no one on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 12:07 am: Edit

Message above was to cbfohbdofhgkjfdn

By mikemyers on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 12:10 am: Edit

OH NO YA DONT!!

Dont let this post turn into another pointless AA discussion.

I asked for advice, not irrelevant opinions. Thanks in advance

By big momma on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 12:16 am: Edit

what kind of a school gives 5 hrs of hw?????????/

BLESS YOU CHIL'

By no one on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 12:20 am: Edit

THIS POST IS BASED ON these statements found elsewhere:

SERIOUSLY, so would a 1600 URM get in anywhere?

++++Let me put it this way...there are less URMs that are able to get 1600 than there are olympic gold medalists, astronauts, living nobel laureates, 4 star generals...and none of these get rejected.
************************************************


So why did you put that part if you didn't want it to turn into an AA debate?

By mikemyers on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 12:24 am: Edit

im sorry if it sounded like an attack.
OBVIOUSLY AA is very relevant in college admissions, and is huge in the kind of TEST-PREP advice i want to get.
I just dont want comments like "AA is bullsh*t"

Thanks for posting something tho, its just not exactly what i asked for.

By FCK THE SAT, GO AP on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 12:40 am: Edit

WHICH LATIN AP ARE YOU TAKING? VERGIL/LIT?

i TOOK THE LITERATURE LAST YR...freakin harddddd.

COGITO, ERGO SUM
-DESCARTES

By Munchymnm (Munchymnm) on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 02:07 am: Edit

dont sweat APUS history. I did most of the work in the beginning of the year and slacked off towards the end. I thought I was screwed for the exam. My teacher gave us practice multiple choice tests and I was getting hardly more than half right. I was sure I would get a 2. I studied the time period for the DBQ like mad (and I think I aced that part of the test). Then I bought the Princeton Review's AP American book about a week before the exam. I read through it and then surfed around the net and found a couple of good exam review sites. Although I did not feel so hot about the test after taking it (I was still convinced I'd have a 2) I ended up getting a 4. I think it was my last minute review that paid off. I think that if you start reviewing AP AMerican after taking the April SAT1 you will have more than enough time to ensure that you get a 4 or 5 on the exam. I planned to study after I took the SAT1, procrastinated (I dont reccommend it), ended up studying the week before and did just fine. Best of luck.

By hi on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 06:36 am: Edit

you can only study so much for the SATs. the only time consuming study is memorizing vocab words. just get a 1450+ and you will probably get into harvard yale or princeton.

By aha!! on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 09:45 am: Edit

mikemyers, I think I remember you from an earlier post. you go to school in boston if I am not mistaken and your father is a janitor. YOU CAN'T FOOL ME!

By Liz (Liz) on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 12:39 pm: Edit

Study, but don't overdo it. Do the ten real SAT's and maybe barrons. Once you take enough practice tests and understand your mistakes (maybe memorize word lists, but I don't think that's neccisary) you'll pretty much reach your limit. Absolutely do not sacrifice grades for SAT

By Fish3715 on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 01:51 pm: Edit

Keep in mind that the SAT is available almost every month (for 20-something dollars). APs cost almost $80 each and are only available in May. If you want to study so much, take the SAT in June/autumn.

By mikemyers on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 01:54 pm: Edit

LOL, aha! yes you're right.

I wasnt fooling you, just starting over i guess. THAT post was ruined by some racist guy who made crass comments and the thing got erased. YOU'RE good! become a detective now.haha

By mikemyers on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 01:59 pm: Edit

sorry for the double post

fish3715, I would..except i have yet to take an OFFICIAL SAT I..only practice tests. so i don't want to procrastinate too much.I've memorized like 700 words already and i think i might forget them by June (that can't be a good sign).

By smorgezboard on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 03:07 pm: Edit

From what you've listed, the only AP that needs you're attention is history. There's an awesome site called apstudent.com that summarizes everything. Use the weeks after the SAT to review history and the night b4 each AP to brush up on others. (English and Spanish you seem to be all set for)

By Down with AA on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 05:14 pm: Edit

A black kid with a high GPA and a 1600= Guaranteed admissions to any school
A Chinese kid with a high GPA and a 1600= Rejection from half the schools he applies to.

By mikemyers on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 05:17 pm: Edit

DAMMIT I KNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo

I TOO am against AA (i would like it to be based only on economic status, not race).but the fact remains...it's THERE, and no i'm not going to sit here and let that opportunity pass me by. So, please take your negative comments to "Affirmative Action:good, a response to the rest" and others feel free to answer the questions I have asked. Thank you.

By Fish3715 on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 05:22 pm: Edit

Mikemyers, isn't the SAT in May (I'm asking because it was in May last year)? If so, you only have to wait another month.

By Fish3715 on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 05:24 pm: Edit

I meant if you wanted to prepare for the APs and study more for the SAT I.

By mikemyers on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 05:27 pm: Edit

i want to take the SAT as soon as possible so i could have more time for the APs; there might be one in May but i KNOW theres one in april so im taking that one.

I would never take 4 APS and an SAT in the same month..can you say
s-t-r-o-k-e?

By Nostalgia on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 07:00 pm: Edit

Hey if you get into some ivy i wouldnt be pissed.its the sped URMs that pis!s me off. 4 APs, 750+ SAT2s..looks like you are somewhat assiduous. good luck and YES, study more for SAT I first. You dont want to get a 1200 on the April test and then have to worry about it next yr.

By Fish3715 on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 07:24 pm: Edit

Whoops. I meant I thought the SAT was in May instead of April (like last year), so if it was, you only have to wait one more month until the June SAT (so you would take the APs in May then the SAT in June; sorry for the confusion).

Good luck

By Fish3715 on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 07:29 pm: Edit

Speaking of a "s-t-r-o-k-e-," last May, I had to take the SAT I, 2 APs, and an AP class final exam within 2 weeks. Practically died. Defintely spread the tests out if you're able to.