Do colleges care at all if a ACT/SAT is one sitting or superscored?

[Anonymous]

my kids kid a 1540 in the first sitting (paper test) and have gotten different messages regarding to be one and done and another counselor who says to take again...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were at a Georgetown information session not too long ago. Georgetown requires all scores be submitted. The admissions rep running the session said that while they expect to see more than one, "a whole page of scores" is not what they expect to see.

I interpreted that to mean that for Georgetown, diminishing returns is real

I wish all schools required submission of all scores. Starting at ACT27 and getting 35 eventually is very different than the 35 on one try.
Especially with certain private schools having 40% of kids get extra time

You're mixing up two different issues.
1) Well-off kids are in substantial test prep that's going to help them anyway. Yes, your kid may improve each time they take the real test, but that's not the major thing driving inequity.
2) Extra time on test given due to learning disabilities isn't indicated to colleges. Not sure how you know 40% of kids get extra time at certain schools, unless you're employed there in some capacity supporting special needs, in which case you shouldn't be gossiping on DCUM about confidential matters.

I thought colleges knew about extra time on sat or act?

No. Accommodations are not indicated on score reports. Because they aren’t an “edge”, they are an issue of accessibility. No one reports that their kid with 20/400 vision wore glasses for the test, either.

My dyslexic kid literally can’t read fast enough to get through all the material on the reading comp section. With extra time, DC can just finish the section and scores strongly (but not knocking it out the park—no 750-800 scores here).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:my kids kid a 1540 in the first sitting (paper test) and have gotten different messages regarding to be one and done and another counselor who says to take again...

#humblebrag

Unless your child will die if they don’t get into Harvard, the 1540 is an excellent score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:my kids kid a 1540 in the first sitting (paper test) and have gotten different messages regarding to be one and done and another counselor who says to take again...

#humblebrag

Unless your child will die if they don’t get into Harvard, the 1540 is an excellent score.

Not a humblebrag...I'm under the impression this score is good enough to be in the conversation and then its grades, rigor ECS, awards, etc. that make the admissions decision. College counselor seems to think this score could be a barrier.

[Anonymous]

When people say it might matter a little, that is honestly generally not true. There are ONLY a few schools that require all test administrations (Georgetown, MIT). Almost all of the other schools won't care OR won't even know. Like they couldn't factor it in if they wanted to. The majority of schools have folks self report SATs and then have them send them in once accepted (or committing). So if you report a 35, they won't even know if it's one setting or not. So unless your kid is planning to apply to Georgetown or MIT, I would not have them sit for the test again.

[Anonymous]

In what world is a 1500+ score a barrier? Again, unless HYP is the absolute be and end all, in which case it’s a crapshoot even if you have a perfect score, a 1540 is excellent.

[Anonymous]

Many schools do not require an official score report with the application; it’s self-reported, which means they have no idea how many times the kid took the test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In what world is a 1500+ score a barrier? Again, unless HYP is the absolute be and end all, in which case it’s a crapshoot even if you have a perfect score, a 1540 is excellent.

This. No one is going to the “no” pile because “only” a 1500. Anyone who tells you that is oversimplifying the process because they can’t quantify and control for the other variables like ECs and essays and recs. So they grasp the only things that ARE quantities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.
Sitting 1: 32, due to low English section.
---->Learned comma rules, etc.
Sitting 2: 34,

Superscore: 35

Worth taking again to get a single sitting 35?

Do schools care?

For ACT you have to report a single highest composite. You can’t superscore the composite on the common app. Though you then fill in with dates the highest si scores. UVA also requires you to report the single highest composite score from one sitting.

So your kid would report 34 as single highest composite and then provide the highest score from each subset with the test date it was achieved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here.
Sitting 1: 32, due to low English section.
---->Learned comma rules, etc.
Sitting 2: 34,

Superscore: 35

Worth taking again to get a single sitting 35?

Do schools care?

For ACT you have to report a single highest composite. You can’t superscore the composite on the common app. Though you then fill in with dates the highest si scores. UVA also requires you to report the single highest composite score from one sitting.

So your kid would report 34 as single highest composite and then provide the highest score from each subset with the test date it was achieved.

^ when you send the schools the superscore it will provide results from every test that you used a subscore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many schools do not require an official score report with the application; it’s self-reported, which means they have no idea how many times the kid took the test.

For act—you have to put dates from the test used for the 4 subsets and you have to report a single composite (that isn’t superscored-just highest one from one sitting)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:my kids kid a 1540 in the first sitting (paper test) and have gotten different messages regarding to be one and done and another counselor who says to take again...

It depends on whether it will be stressful to take it again for any reason (test prep, test scheduling etc). If it is low (or no) stress, I would say take it. Maybe you hit a 1580 next time which could little slightly better. If it will take away time from other important things, don't do it. The expected marginal benefit is low (even at the super top schools).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many schools do not require an official score report with the application; it’s self-reported, which means they have no idea how many times the kid took the test.

For act—you have to put dates from the test used for the 4 subsets and you have to report a single composite (that isn’t superscored-just highest one from one sitting)

So is it better to take the SAT? You don’t have to report the single composite with the highest score on the SAT? I wonder why the distinction?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sure on a tiny level, it is noted those who do it in one setting.

Is it? I hope so. Superscoring is just more evidence of the dumbing down of expectations.

Superscoring has been around for decades. I graduated high school in 1993 and there was superscoring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When people say it might matter a little, that is honestly generally not true. There are ONLY a few schools that require all test administrations (Georgetown, MIT). Almost all of the other schools won't care OR won't even know. Like they couldn't factor it in if they wanted to. The majority of schools have folks self report SATs and then have them send them in once accepted (or committing). So if you report a 35, they won't even know if it's one setting or not. So unless your kid is planning to apply to Georgetown or MIT, I would not have them sit for the test again.

So wrong!!! You have to report a highest single composite in one sitting on the common app (Not a composite single score). You lost the highest subscores under that with the test date for each.

So if your highest composite is a 34- with a superscore composite 35. 34 is what gets reported for single highest composite.

And for those prone to cheating they require an official report after committing so if you lie your offer will be rescinded.