<p>In November, I posted that DD took her SSAT exams when she had bronchitis. She did as well as she could considering she was sick. We both knew the results wouldn't be fantastic due to her illness. </p>
<p>She retook the exams December 8th.</p>
<p>Her vebal and reading scores improved but they were already good (She tested 97% in both categories. The math scores improved significantly. She went from 44% to 67% in Math. Her overall average increased by 9%.</p>
<p>Retaking the test was a superb idea. I don't know how the schools will look on a dramatic improvement in one month. Should she mention in her essays that she had bronchitis on the first exams or do we just leave it alone and let the results speak for themselves?</p>
<p>I think I would consider sending an email to each admissions office which explains that her new scores show a dramatic improvement because she was sick during the first go round. My son also showed a dramatic improvement, but we did not preselect schools for the scores. Best of luck to your daughter on this journey!</p>
<p>I think you could send a note, but I don’t think it really matters. From the outside everything seems to magnified, but honestly - on the Admissions side this happens even among some students who were not sick. Students seeing the test for the first time, those who were nervous, etc. sometimes show a dramatic increase from one test to another. Most schools look at the highest scores and ignore the lower ones. Most will just assume the student had a “bad” day. It happens. </p>
<p>I worry that trying to explain the child had bronchitis as an explanation for low grades looks too “helicopterish” and sends up more red flags than you want to eliminate.</p>