Posts tagged SAT

I've just started looking into Bennington, and I read somewhere that your ACT/SAT scores aren't necessarily as important there as they are elsewhere. Is that true? I love learning, but my test results don't always give me the kindest reflection. Bennington looks like a fantastic place to be, and I really hope that I have a shot at going there. — Asked by Anonymous

First of all, when I googled “test stress” this image came up. SOMEONE TELL ME WHY.

Second of all, we are SAT optional, so if you feel like your scores say something about you (and many students do), you are welcome to submit them and we will consider them as part of your application. However, we also recognize that standardized test scores are not always a reflection of a student’s intelligence. Some people just AREN’T good test takers, and that is okay if you have other things to offer! We look at your essays, your interviews, your grades from high school, any supplemental material, etc. and feel that in most cases that is plenty to know if you are a thinker, a maker, and someone who could contribute to our community. We care about rigor, but we don’t think that how intelligent you are can be fully expressed by numbers on a page. Hope that helps!

-Riley

So, if one had a low SAT score would you recommend that he submit it, or no? Probably the latter, I'm assuming. — Asked by Anonymous

Why bother? We’re test-optional for a reason; if there’s any concern that your SAT/ACT scores might negatively impact your application, you have the luxury of not having to send them. So don’t!

-Evan ‘13

How concerned is admissions with SAT scores? — Asked by Anonymous

Bennington is an SAT optional school. Only about 35% of applicants submit their SAT scores. There is no penalty for not submitting SAT scores. 

In general, no part of an application is looked at in isolation. If you chose to submit them, they are important for what they contribute to your personal story.  

Kevin ‘13

I'm more of an ACT person than an SAT person- if you send one score instead of the other, is your application looked at any differently? — Asked by Anonymous

Basic answer is either ACT or SAT scores are optional for the application, so don’t worry about it.

The reason for that is that we’re looking at the sum of the whole student, from your GPA, to your interview, to your writing samples, to any supplemental material you choose to include. So you could choose to submit a really impressive art portfolio or documentation of an independent science project you did, which could have just as much weight as your test scores. So if you’ll get a better score on the ACTs, by all means submit that.

Liam