SAT score and colleges perspective

[Anonymous]

Hello, Is it normal to have a significant increase in SAT score the 2nd time? DD's 1st SAT was in 1310 and 2nd SAT 1500. DD does not want to give the SAT again and is happy with 1500 but concerned that some colleges require all SATs to be reported so how will it look? How important are the SAT scores in the application process....

[Anonymous]

You may get better responses if you ask to have this moved to the Colleges forum.

[Anonymous]

thank you

[Anonymous]

Congrats! Very few colleges require all scores. You should be able to submit just the second sitting to most colleges. Exceptions would be Georgetown, a few others (and, of course, test blind colleges).

[Anonymous]

Many schools require all scores but still only look at the superscore. It is pretty rare for schools to not superscore (UMich is one - they take your highest composite test date.)

1500 is great score. If it is the top 25% of admitted students at the school the student is applying to, it can be helpful.

If it is between the top 50 and 25th percentile it won’t be the thing that determines non-acceptance.

Lower than 50th percentile, and it may not be helpful.

I am a test prep tutor and I have many students who increase 200-400 points, depending on where they start. I also have students who start in the 1400s or at 1500 and want to retest and are able to move to 1550+. These latter students are generally only kids who are applying to top 10 schools, or who have significant disparities in sub scores (a 1410 w a 640/770 split, for example) or who really didn’t study much the first time and now recognize that with some targeted help and practice that they can do 1500+.

Post-pandemic, there is no place that will read a subsequent worse score negatively.

Please don’t be the student who gets a 1500 and waits until Sept or Oct of their senior year that it would’ve been helpful to have more SAT points. Every year I have one of those. I get better improvements when kids commit to taking a series of tests a month apart over 2-3 test dates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many schools require all scores but still only look at the superscore. It is pretty rare for schools to not superscore (UMich is one - they take your highest composite test date.)

1500 is great score. If it is the top 25% of admitted students at the school the student is applying to, it can be helpful.

If it is between the top 50 and 25th percentile it won’t be the thing that determines non-acceptance.

Lower than 50th percentile, and it may not be helpful.

I am a test prep tutor and I have many students who increase 200-400 points, depending on where they start. I also have students who start in the 1400s or at 1500 and want to retest and are able to move to 1550+. These latter students are generally only kids who are applying to top 10 schools, or who have significant disparities in sub scores (a 1410 w a 640/770 split, for example) or who really didn’t study much the first time and now recognize that with some targeted help and practice that they can do 1500+.

Post-pandemic, there is no place that will read a subsequent worse score negatively.

Please don’t be the student who gets a 1500 and waits until Sept or Oct of their senior year that it would’ve been helpful to have more SAT points. Every year I have one of those. I get better improvements when kids commit to taking a series of tests a month apart over 2-3 test dates.

Thank you for the details! very helpful!

[Anonymous]

100 point overall improvement for every 12 month advancement in age -- is standard.