The Experts on Admissions to Top Colleges - Ivy Compass

Q & A: Computer Science and Standardized Testing Question

Posted by Erin Lewis at 6:46 am

Q: My son took the SAT this summer and scored 770 in Writing, 800 in Critical Reading and a 690 in Math.  He will be a junior in the fall.  I am concerned that his lower math scores will take him out of Ivy League competition.  He would like to study Computer Science at a school like Harvard or MIT.  Do you have any advice?

A: First, congratulations!  A combined score of 2260 on the SAT I is generally considered strong at most schools.  Since your son has set his sights on these two very competitive schools and this specific major, you are right to question whether the 690 in Math will adversely affect his chances of admission.  If your son indicates that he wishes to study computer science on his application, admissions offices will expect him to have strong quantitative skills.  For example, his score of 690 falls below the middle 50% of students who took the SAT Math Test and were admitted to MIT in 2009 (their range was 730-800).  As such, I have a few tips for your son:

1. Take the SAT I practice test with a goal of scoring 700 in Math.  If he is scoring above 700, this could give him a good boost of confidence and he should register for the fall or winter SAT I test date.  If his score is not improving on practice tests, he should not spend any more time obsessing over one sub-score and go on to tip #2.

2. Focus on doing well in challenging math courses (and computer science courses, if available) during his junior year.  Admissions offices will want to see that he is capable of performing in the most rigorous courses available to him—especially math courses in his case.

3. Make sure he highlights any compelling information about his computer science background in his college application.  Has your son won any awards related to computer science?  Has he used his programming to design tools, programs or websites?  Has he used his talents to help others?  Does he take computer science courses at a community college, through an AP program or an IB course of study?

Keep in mind that your son’s scores will more than qualify him for admission to a number of selective schools in the U.S.  Once he indicates an interest in computer science at Harvard and MIT, he raises the admissions offices’ interest in his candidacy as a computer science student, but he also raises the expectation that he will be a strong quantitative student.  If he gets competitive scores on the SAT II Computer Science Test, Math II, Physics, AP Computer Science, IB Computer Science or other quantitative standardized tests, this could also help convey his interest and ability in math and computer science.

Lastly, your son should consider all of his strengths as a candidate.  Perhaps his other interests might be equally compelling to an admissions office without ever mentioning his intended major.  Remember, students are not required to declare their majors at most liberals arts colleges at the time of application.  Your son may be just as compelling as an all-around student as he is a budding computer science student.

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