Superscore or one sitting

[Anonymous]

My junior got an 800 math last fall. He took the SAT again at school this week. He’s convinced he didn’t max out in math again. Do schools look negatively on super scores vs single sitting? His English score still has room for improvement and he’s unsure whether it would make sense to take it again, or to submit his score from last fall only.

Obviously he doesn’t yet know his score but he is worrying about the issue and thinks that even if you super score colleges see both scores not just your strongest.

[Anonymous]

I truly think they don't care. If they superscore, they want your highest scores. It makes their stats look better too.
Even Georgetown, who wants all scores, told me they really only look at your highest scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My junior got an 800 math last fall. He took the SAT again at school this week. He’s convinced he didn’t max out in math again. Do schools look negatively on super scores vs single sitting? His English score still has room for improvement and he’s unsure whether it would make sense to take it again, or to submit his score from last fall only.

Obviously he doesn’t yet know his score but he is worrying about the issue and thinks that even if you super score colleges see both scores not just your strongest.

My kids each took the SAT two times. First, they don't actually know how they did because some of the questions are experimental so they could have messed up questions that don't count toward the score. Second, if he is thinking about cancelling, I recommend against it because as you noted, most schools superscore, so a higher English score would be great. Finally, just see what they get and how they feel about it and whether they want to take it again. In my case, both of my kids got an 800 math the first time, and lower scores on both sections their second time, and they did not want to take the test a third time so the first time was it.

Besides MIT and Georgetown, no other schools care about how many sittings and they all want the superscores because it helps raise the SAT medians of their first-year class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I truly think they don't care. If they superscore, they want your highest scores. It makes their stats look better too.
Even Georgetown, who wants all scores, told me they really only look at your highest scores.

That’s good feedback, thanks

[Anonymous]

They only care about the highest superscore to make their stats look good. They don’t care how many times you took it

[Anonymous]

Depends on the school. Look at whether the CDS references a composite or a superscore. If it’s composite, then student should aim for 75th percentile in a single setting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depends on the school. Look at whether the CDS references a composite or a superscore. If it’s composite, then student should aim for 75th percentile in a single setting.

What does that mean?

[Anonymous]

The don't care.
Of all the things they're juggling when reviewing an application, this is at the bottom of the list. Test scores in general are pretty darn low on the list even when they're required.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My junior got an 800 math last fall. He took the SAT again at school this week. He’s convinced he didn’t max out in math again. Do schools look negatively on super scores vs single sitting? His English score still has room for improvement and he’s unsure whether it would make sense to take it again, or to submit his score from last fall only.

Obviously he doesn’t yet know his score but he is worrying about the issue and thinks that even if you super score colleges see both scores not just your strongest.

My kids each took the SAT two times. First, they don't actually know how they did because some of the questions are experimental so they could have messed up questions that don't count toward the score. Second, if he is thinking about cancelling, I recommend against it because as you noted, most schools superscore, so a higher English score would be great. Finally, just see what they get and how they feel about it and whether they want to take it again. In my case, both of my kids got an 800 math the first time, and lower scores on both sections their second time, and they did not want to take the test a third time so the first time was it.

Besides MIT and Georgetown, no other schools care about how many sittings and they all want the superscores because it helps raise the SAT medians of their first-year class.

If they got 800's why would they take it again?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My junior got an 800 math last fall. He took the SAT again at school this week. He’s convinced he didn’t max out in math again. Do schools look negatively on super scores vs single sitting? His English score still has room for improvement and he’s unsure whether it would make sense to take it again, or to submit his score from last fall only.

Obviously he doesn’t yet know his score but he is worrying about the issue and thinks that even if you super score colleges see both scores not just your strongest.

My kids each took the SAT two times. First, they don't actually know how they did because some of the questions are experimental so they could have messed up questions that don't count toward the score. Second, if he is thinking about cancelling, I recommend against it because as you noted, most schools superscore, so a higher English score would be great. Finally, just see what they get and how they feel about it and whether they want to take it again. In my case, both of my kids got an 800 math the first time, and lower scores on both sections their second time, and they did not want to take the test a third time so the first time was it.

Besides MIT and Georgetown, no other schools care about how many sittings and they all want the superscores because it helps raise the SAT medians of their first-year class.

If they got 800's why would they take it again?

PP said 800 in math, so presumably they took it again to improve their English score.

[Anonymous]

Does your son have accommodation? If so, there is an asterisk right there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depends on the school. Look at whether the CDS references a composite or a superscore. If it’s composite, then student should aim for 75th percentile in a single setting.

What does that mean?

Don’t assume. Look at each schools’ common data set (or website) to see if the score range listed is a composite score (single setting), or superscore. My DC had her heart set on Northwestern and thought her 33 superscore/32 composite ACT was good enough. But NU specifically looks at the composite. She was advised to retake and bring up the composite (not simply focus on her weaker sections). Second time she scored a 34 composite (35 superscore) and was admitted ED.

My point is to always read the fine print on the testing piece.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The don't care.
Of all the things they're juggling when reviewing an application, this is at the bottom of the list. Test scores in general are pretty darn low on the list even when they're required.

Agreed. We focus on test scores bc it's so much clearer and controlled than the many other pieces of the process, but unfortunately has the lowest returns.

[Anonymous]

super scoring helps colleges look good vis a vis their own reported scores. so they're fine with it.

also, you report what you report. would a reader notice a score that's 800/800 both from same date? sure! but it can only help, not hurt

I disagree that test scores aren't important. they're really important. for HYP, they won't differentiate much - but all the unhooked applicants are kids with 1530 plus. For schools that are in the T20-40 range, they matter a ton. for schools in the t50-100 range, a high school brings almost automatic merit.