<p>Barristerdad, have you had a good look at the common data sets for top schools? When you take a close look you understand that for the unhooked candidate, SATs matter much more than many people here acknowledge. A 700 in any section is simply sub par at the top schools, and when you consider that 40% of every class have a hooked, it becomes clear that a candidate who does not have a hook and scores 700 is unlikely to be admitted. Every college counselor we consulted (including former ivy adcom) with 3 kids advised retaking a 700, even before things became as nuts as they are today.</p>