<p>My biggest fear about the SATs right now. (It could pertain to ACTs, also.)</p>
<p>Objectively, I received a good score, but I would really like to raise it up by a hundred point or so. I worry that my score might actually drop though. Maybe not overall, but in one particular section -- like reading/writing in my case, because I did much better on those sections than usual... to the point that I worry that it was luck. (aksdjfads;klj if only I had done like I usually do on math!!)</p>
<p>has this happened to anyone? getting a significantly lower scores on their second/third tries?</p>
<p>I did get a lower score on my second try. I had about 1780 on my first, and i think 1700 on my second, but it didn’t bother me because the schools that I applied to took the best scores and combined them. overall i got 1810</p>
<p>If you look at your score report online (perhaps on paper too), there are statistics as to exactly what percentage of people who re-took at your score went up, down or stayed the same.</p>
<p>I received a high score in Math, and lower scores in Verbal the first time. The opposite was true the second time. I’m not sure what others have done, but I took tons of practice tests each week in between the two sittings, specifically targeting those two initially-lower sections, and I’m sure that helped. That was just my case, though.
About your statement on luck - I’ve noticed that on test days, my performance on real tests also tend to be higher than during practice tests, probably because I can concentrate better…but I also make random stupid mistakes, especially during Math, which is probably the easiest to ‘mess up’ on assuming you already ‘know’ all of the test material.
Bottom line - Most colleges either superscore or ‘look at all your test scores’, so I’d say if you feel like you can improve, study your past mistakes and go for it.</p>
<p>I took the ACT my third time and received a 29. The first two times I received a 26. On practice tests I received 30-31s so the first two tests were very uncharacteristic of my ability. Try again, you will do better IF YOU TRY!</p>