Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 10:54     Subject: Superscore vs. “One and Done”
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:They don't care. Not one iota. They want to know that you can do reasonably well and then they evaluate applicants on other things. they are crafting a class, not a cohort of testing-taking robots.

I also have 2 Ivy league kids who both got on unhooked.

Visiting the one right now and this kid was saying at dinner last how many kids they meet with ACT scores of 33, 34, etc. I don't recall how this came up but the kid was saying "the obsession with scores is such a DC thing."


💯
My kid is at an Ivy with a 33.


Of course they are. The Ivies only admit kids scoring 33 or below. The test scores they advertise? Made up lies.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 10:47     Subject: Superscore vs. “One and Done”
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:They don't care. Not one iota. They want to know that you can do reasonably well and then they evaluate applicants on other things. they are crafting a class, not a cohort of testing-taking robots.

I also have 2 Ivy league kids who both got on unhooked.

Visiting the one right now and this kid was saying at dinner last how many kids they meet with ACT scores of 33, 34, etc. I don't recall how this came up but the kid was saying "the obsession with scores is such a DC thing."

It’s a chicken-and-egg problem, though. With all their talk of “context,” elite colleges keep saying that though there are different rules for other kids, they won’t admit students from high-performing DMV high schools without those high scores.


Not really. People who are focused on this don’t realize that it doesn’t make you memorable. Scores and grades are not memorable. It has to be something niche - an interest that your kid has, a passion they explored to the expense of everything else, that will make them memorable. And they’ll be able to write about it well.

Find a passion.


This. Find a passion, focus on this. get the best grades you can. be a likable person--be the kid that teachers say about "THIS kid is the best the year, the hardest worker, the one who has that it factor, the one I see changing the world in 20 years." teachers can see it. Walking around the Ivy and meeting all my kids' friends I can see this about so many of them. And many more who didn't get in but that's the game.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 10:32     Subject: Superscore vs. “One and Done”
I realize this is a different type of school, but we recently went to a Naval Academy info session and they encouraged the kids to start taking the tests as early as reasonably possible and to take it as many times as reasonably possible. This was also encouraged for ROTC candidates. Interestingly they superscore across platforms, so if you're "best" Math score was ACT and "best" Reading/Writing was SAT they use that, although you don't have to take both.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 10:27     Subject: Superscore vs. “One and Done”
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:They don't care. Not one iota. They want to know that you can do reasonably well and then they evaluate applicants on other things. they are crafting a class, not a cohort of testing-taking robots.

I also have 2 Ivy league kids who both got on unhooked.

Visiting the one right now and this kid was saying at dinner last how many kids they meet with ACT scores of 33, 34, etc. I don't recall how this came up but the kid was saying "the obsession with scores is such a DC thing."

It’s a chicken-and-egg problem, though. With all their talk of “context,” elite colleges keep saying that though there are different rules for other kids, they won’t admit students from high-performing DMV high schools without those high scores.


Not really. People who are focused on this don’t realize that it doesn’t make you memorable. Scores and grades are not memorable. It has to be something niche - an interest that your kid has, a passion they explored to the expense of everything else, that will make them memorable. And they’ll be able to write about it well.

Find a passion.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 10:22     Subject: Superscore vs. “One and Done”
Anonymous wrote:They don't care. Not one iota. They want to know that you can do reasonably well and then they evaluate applicants on other things. they are crafting a class, not a cohort of testing-taking robots.

I also have 2 Ivy league kids who both got on unhooked.

Visiting the one right now and this kid was saying at dinner last how many kids they meet with ACT scores of 33, 34, etc. I don't recall how this came up but the kid was saying "the obsession with scores is such a DC thing."


💯
My kid is at an Ivy with a 33.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 10:20     Subject: Superscore vs. “One and Done”
DS got into a top SLAC (aka SWAB) and he superscored. No issues.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 10:18     Subject: Superscore vs. “One and Done”
Kid is at HYP… doesn’t matter.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 10:05     Subject: Superscore vs. “One and Done”
Anonymous wrote:They don't care. Not one iota. They want to know that you can do reasonably well and then they evaluate applicants on other things. they are crafting a class, not a cohort of testing-taking robots.

I also have 2 Ivy league kids who both got on unhooked.

Visiting the one right now and this kid was saying at dinner last how many kids they meet with ACT scores of 33, 34, etc. I don't recall how this came up but the kid was saying "the obsession with scores is such a DC thing."

It’s a chicken-and-egg problem, though. With all their talk of “context,” elite colleges keep saying that though there are different rules for other kids, they won’t admit students from high-performing DMV high schools without those high scores.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 10:05     Subject: Superscore vs. “One and Done”
They AOs don't care. If they allow superscoring, most students do this.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 10:03     Subject: Re:Superscore vs. “One and Done”
That is not a part of holistic admissions. Get smart on what T25 colleges want. It’s not only test scores. It’s a small tiny piece of the puzzle that is forgotten about the minute you walk through the door. Test scores, and grades get you in the door. And they are never referred to again.

Everything else matters then.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 09:56     Subject: Superscore vs. “One and Done”
Anonymous wrote: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.


No. Most top schools don't spend a lot of time focusing on ACT/SAT score. They glance at the numbers you self-report for the most part and move on. Having a higher test score if they are test required helps their ranking.

There are two exceptions that I know see all the scores: MIT and Georgetown. My DC isn't applying to either so not sure how they interpret big swings in scores.

Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 09:53     Subject: Re:Superscore vs. “One and Done”
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.


Who gave you that terrible advice.

As an example, MIT would likely reject your kid if they had taken it twice because it shows a narrow-minded view on testing vs going out and accomplishing other things.

Head AO is routinely asked if a kid with say a 1570 should take it again and he routinely tells people they won’t look kindly on someone who does.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 09:44     Subject: Superscore vs. “One and Done”
Nope. Score and test date are viewable by reader.

Still doesn’t matter, although I agree a one shot 1600 is notable
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 09:43     Subject: Superscore vs. “One and Done”
They don't care. Not one iota. They want to know that you can do reasonably well and then they evaluate applicants on other things. they are crafting a class, not a cohort of testing-taking robots.

I also have 2 Ivy league kids who both got on unhooked.

Visiting the one right now and this kid was saying at dinner last how many kids they meet with ACT scores of 33, 34, etc. I don't recall how this came up but the kid was saying "the obsession with scores is such a DC thing."
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 09:42     Subject: Re:Superscore vs. “One and Done”
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.


Similar situation, and we were advised the opposite: our child got a 35 (36M/36E/34R) when they took the test in junior year and were told that the score would jump the hurdle at every school, to the extent it matters. We were told to use time/energy/emotions on grades, ECs, and taking a deep breath.