Superscore vs. “One and Done”

[Anonymous]

Do colleges/universities give greater weight to “one and done” scores vs. superscores ACT or SAT? Assuming the difference is apparent in the reporting.

Asking this in the overall context of scores being just one piece of the overall puzzle.

[Anonymous]

I think it depends on the college.

[Anonymous]

one and done is not reported on the CDS and thus colleges don't care

still, you can't help but notice a 1600 in one sitting and will be commented on

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it depends on the college.

Very few colleges require all scores -- I think only MIT and Georgetown. Most others accept self-reported superscores, so they won't even know if the score was achieved at a single sitting or over six attempts.

[Anonymous]

Some schools don't take superscores.

If a school superscores, I don’t think it matters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it depends on the college.

Very few colleges require all scores -- I think only MIT and Georgetown. Most others accept self-reported superscores, so they won't even know if the score was achieved at a single sitting or over six attempts.

On the common app you have to give the date of the score, so the schools have access to the information that the scores come from different sittings. Whether they relay that information to the reader is another question, and also the readers may not care.

[Anonymous]

^ this is correct. they can see the dates.

but it mostly doesnt matter

[Anonymous]

Not a big deal at all.

Superscore only shows that your kid took it twice. Which almost every kid does.

Superscoring has been around for decades. Nothing new.

[Anonymous]

The vast majority of schools do not care. But it's VERY nice for your kid! Congrats!

[Anonymous]

THEY DO NOT CARE- I have 3 Ivy league kiddos.

[Anonymous]

My kid took the ACT once and got a 36. Subject scores were all 36 exceot for one 35. We were told this will not be an advantage and could actually be seen as a negative because "taking it again to fix that 35 would show perseverance". Kid chose not to take it again and we agreed.

[Anonymous]

Usually doesn't matter unless the school indicates they want to see all scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid took the ACT once and got a 36. Subject scores were all 36 exceot for one 35. We were told this will not be an advantage and could actually be seen as a negative because "taking it again to fix that 35 would show perseverance". Kid chose not to take it again and we agreed.

That's absurd. There are very kids with 36s to begin with. NO AO will care that one subject score is a 35, especially if taken in one sitting. Fhs. There is no universe in which that will make or break an application.

But why do posters keep saying they won't know if it's a single setting? The Common App asks for the test dates, so obviously there is interest in knowing. I don't think this will make or break an application either, but it might be noted.

[Anonymous]

When they are sent from the testing company, it does note on the score if the test was taken more than once but not how many times. So they would know if it was taken more than one if a superscore is used and they would know if it was taken more than once even if a single test was reported that yielded the stated results if the kid took the exam more than once.

[Anonymous]

The application reader rarely knows as the computer file just lists best score for each section.