How many times is too many to take SAT?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with posters saying not to retake. If she can get over 50% for schools she wants to apply to, why not?

You should advise according to this student's goals, not your own belief system.

If you want to say, she doesn't need higher math if she is non-STEM, and here is why I think that, that's a different thing.

The very question being asked by PP is driven by a belief system. A belief that scoring 2% higher on the SAT really makes a difference on one's application. A belief that attending a school that is rated top 20 on an absolutely bullsh*t calculation by a defunct magazine is a meaningful reflection of one's worth or predictive of one's future.

Right...all beliefs here...

Except the OP specifically asked what colleges will think about multiple attempts.

But keep keeping the rest of us in line!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD got 1520 first time and then dropped to 1500 second. She is debating whether to take again. Does it look bad to colleges to take it three times, esp if she doesn't improve? We realize that 1520 is generally a great score but we know that for top schools it's average. For context, she did a handful of test prep sessions before each of her two test dates and a couple of practice tests. Was hoping to improve to 1550 or greater after first score. Currently a junior (MCPS), so would register for the Aug date if doing it again. We are inclined to have her not test again- but would appreciate perspectives from parents who've been through it

Only Georgetown and CMU require applicants to report all scores. The rest will not know how many times your student took the test.

That said, I wouldn't spend effort retaking a 1520. I'd leave it up to her.

[Anonymous]

cut S off at 3

[Anonymous]

Last year the Common App asked for the highest scores in each section, dates of the highest scores, and number of times taken.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last year the Common App asked for the highest scores in each section, dates of the highest scores, and number of times taken.

Common App asks for the number of tests the applicant wishes to report, not the number taken.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with posters saying not to retake. If she can get over 50% for schools she wants to apply to, why not?
.

The reason why not is because taking it. 3rd time takes Ike and emotional energy on something that will have minimal impact on her chances of admssions. T colleges simply don’t make their admissions by taking applicants with the highest test scores. Her scores are already high enough. At this point, she needs to invest her time and emotional energy into the things that are much more likely to matter in the decision making, especially her essays. She doesn’t need the distraction of a 3rd round of testing while she does that.

A non-college reason not to take them again is that she simply doesn’t need the stress. My goodness, she’s a teenager. Ease up and take the pressure off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges won’t know how many times you took it. Just report the two that you use to super score. Is her second one is worse than the first for both sections? If not, you can use the best section scores to super score. Now, my impression from doing a lot of research is that there is zero difference between 1520 and 1550 for the purposes of most college admissions but I don’t think it would hurt to take another test. There is randomness to it. My kid had 1520 on the first try. Didn’t prep at all for the second and got 1570.

OP here. 770 verbal on both, 750 math on first 730 on second. Focused most of her prep on improving math between 1st and 2nd but didn't pan out. Doesn't want to major in STEM. We (including DD) all agree that really no difference between 1520 and 1550 but with all the focus on "what's the middle 50%" for various schools potentially on the list, that's where we get a little tripped up. 1520 puts her in the middle 50 but not at top or above for some schools.

Of course this is all a little nuts--I get that. DH and I both scored in 1300s 30+ yrs ago and were thrilled- hate that there is so much pressure on these kids that 1520 doesn't feel like a home run. Nonetheless, thanks to all offering opinions. It actually is very helpful to read others' thought processes and experiences.

Yes it is all a little crazy! If you have already done test prep (With a professional tutor), it's not likely you will see much more of an increase without intensive additional prep (as in 15+ hours and tons of outside work from your kid). My own kid did 4 hours of test prep after a practice test. First practice test after that was what they finally got. Did 3 additional practice test and ALL hovered around (within 20 points) of the ultimate best score. So unless your kid is really committed and does Intensive prep, you probably have found their range. And a 1520 is an amazing score!!! However, it's really not worth the added stress.

Colleges where a 1550 is the middle point, are a crap shoot anyhow; and it sounds like that will be all of your reaches. The added 30 points likely will not make a difference, especially if not applying as a stem major. I'd personally focus on finding a great set of reach, target and safeties, and focus on the essays and interviews/demonstrated interest. Oh, and focus on letting your kid enjoy the summer and their senior year. They have enough stress and your DD has an amazing score already. Focus on finding the right college list for her. There are too many people who stress over increased scores and trying to make everything perfect, and yet come April of senior year didn't get into their reaches or most targets because they were all schools with low acceptance rates. Focus on finding great choices that your DD would love that have higher acceptance rates and then find the reaches she wants to shoot for

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD got 1520 first time and then dropped to 1500 second. She is debating whether to take again. Does it look bad to colleges to take it three times, esp if she doesn't improve? We realize that 1520 is generally a great score but we know that for top schools it's average. For context, she did a handful of test prep sessions before each of her two test dates and a couple of practice tests. Was hoping to improve to 1550 or greater after first score. Currently a junior (MCPS), so would register for the Aug date if doing it again. We are inclined to have her not test again- but would appreciate perspectives from parents who've been through it

Once you’re up at 1520, I doubt that it will make much difference when it comes to top schools. They evaluate holistically, Joy based on a few points difference on test scores. Once you’re at 1520, you’re high enough to be in the game. As an example, my GD got into Harvard with 35 on her ACT a few years ago. Her younger sister came along 2 years later with a perfect 36 on her ACT, was waitlisted at Harvard, and was never called off the WL. Being slightly higher on the test didn’t matter; it was something else that made the difference.

When you’re talking about “top schools”, the odds are against every single applicant unless they’re hooked. They’re a reach regardless of how well qualified a candidate is. It needs to be approached as a reach and effort needs to go into creating a balanced list of schools that she will be happy with.

Going from 1520 to 1500 means she has plateaued. She’s reached her ceiling. There’s no point in taking it again, and no kid needs the pressure of taking it repeatedly in hopes of eking out a few more points which probably don’t matter anyway.

To come full circle on my GD, She was WL’d or rejected at several other T20’s in RD, but she was also accepted at several T20s. It was a painful lesson, but if you cast your net wide among the level of schools your kid is qualified for, you’ll likely eventually find a match. But also being realistic, it’s getting harder and harder right now and will be for a few more years. When schools like BU and Northeastern are receiving 80 and 90,000 applications and are accepting only 14% and 7% respectively, you know that the world has changed. Time to adjust.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Taking it again will not only be a waste of time, it will be a major distraction. She should be putting her energy this summer into her essays. Parents should check the common data set for each school she’s interested in, look at section C7 where they have a grid listing 19 separate items that factor into a school’s decision making for admissions. Come up with a plan for his to present her application to each of the schools she’ll apply to, given whatever is listed as most important on that grid. It takes time to do this for each school.

Overemphasizing test scores is ignoring the fact that a number of other factors go into admissions decisions. Those other factors need at least as much time as has gone into test prep and taking the tests. Once she has gotten a 1520, she’s already aced the test. Congratulate her, Pat her on the back, and move forward to the next things that will actually be more significant at this point in gaining admission to wherever she wants to go.

Yes!!! She has already earned her "lottery ticket" to the top schools for the test portion. The 30 points difference on the SAT won't matter

[Anonymous]

This is my question too. My 11th grade DS wants to retake SAT on June 7, it’s 4 weeks away. His highest score is 1420
740 (math) he’s looking at engineering programs like Purdue, etc. we’re in MCPS public and he’s got an excellent GPA in the most rigorous courses. This will be his 3rd time if we say ok. I think it’s too much. Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is my question too. My 11th grade DS wants to retake SAT on June 7, it’s 4 weeks away. His highest score is 1420
740 (math) he’s looking at engineering programs like Purdue, etc. we’re in MCPS public and he’s got an excellent GPA in the most rigorous courses. This will be his 3rd time if we say ok. I think it’s too much. Thoughts?

Three times is fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is my question too. My 11th grade DS wants to retake SAT on June 7, it’s 4 weeks away. His highest score is 1420
740 (math) he’s looking at engineering programs like Purdue, etc. we’re in MCPS public and he’s got an excellent GPA in the most rigorous courses. This will be his 3rd time if we say ok. I think it’s too much. Thoughts?

Nothing to lose.

[Anonymous]

99% of time scores actually drop after the 2nd attempt.


But colleges wont know. So have at it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD got 1520 first time and then dropped to 1500 second. She is debating whether to take again. Does it look bad to colleges to take it three times, esp if she doesn't improve? We realize that 1520 is generally a great score but we know that for top schools it's average. For context, she did a handful of test prep sessions before each of her two test dates and a couple of practice tests. Was hoping to improve to 1550 or greater after first score. Currently a junior (MCPS), so would register for the Aug date if doing it again. We are inclined to have her not test again- but would appreciate perspectives from parents who've been through it

Only Georgetown and CMU require applicants to report all scores. The rest will not know how many times your student took the test.

That said, I wouldn't spend effort retaking a 1520. I'd leave it up to her.

If I was making admissions decisions I would look unfavorably upon a student who took the SAT a second time after achieving a 1520 their first attempt. It reflects a lack of critical thinking and a misunderstanding of how one should prioritize various metrics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:99% of time scores actually drop after the 2nd attempt.


But colleges wont know. So have at it!

Seems questionable. Source?