<p>I was speaking to a friend who's just visited two colleges that I am applying to- a safety and a reach for me. She asked me how many more times I am planning to take the SAT (I've taken it once) and I told her twice. She told me both colleges had told her that they look down on taking the SAT more than twice.</p>
<p>I understand that, but I'm a bit torn. I'm safely over the SAT range for one of them and in the middle of the range for my reach. Is it better to apply to the school where I'm middle of the road with a middle SAT score to respect their preference of only taking the test twice, or is it better to score above range on the third sitting?</p>
<p>Bah, humbug. I don't think colleges care if you're significantly upping your score each sitting. Seriously, it's not like taking the test is a bad thing :P</p>
<p>My guidance counselor told me, before break started, that you should try to nail the SAT in two tries because that is what schools like to see. She also said that you should try your hand at the ACT because, in her view and our school's view, it is the better test.</p>
<p>Just for clarification, she was refering to two very specific schools, and what she had been told (I need to check by whom) while visiting their campuses, not in general. :) I was planning to take it three times but am told that my reach school frowns upon taking it more than twice, and am wondering if it is better to take it more than they like and score big than to take it as many times as they apparently like and score in the middle.</p>
<p>I took this straight from ECOS Princeton Review. See how you fit in with the verbal and math; it seems they don't care about the writing and only one school in the country does, Northwestern, and that's because they are a journalism school. If you want some security then try getting into the 1380+ range, verbal and math.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Average SAT: 1336
SAT I - Verbal Range (25-75%): 630-730
SAT I - Math Range (25-75%): 620-710
Average Verbal SAT: 674
ACT Composite Range (25-75%): 27-31
Average ACT: 29
Average High School GPA: 3.70
Students in top 10% of HS class: 54%
Students in top 50% of HS class: 97%
Students from Public School: 62%
<p>it's not bad to take it more than 3 times. I know someone who took it basically everytime they offered it and she was accepted into most of the ivies including yale (her #1) and all the UCs. So I don't really see a problem in taking it that many times. Although, I agree, that taking it as many times as my friend did is pretty insane, but I guess.. whatever it takes, works!</p>
<p>Does anyone here happen to know if Cornell, UChicago, Northwestern, JHU, or Carnegie Mellon [i.e. my laundry list of colleges] care about taking the test more than twice?</p>
<p>Cornell University is where I want to go. I basically figured that the SAT isn't for me, and I'm working on prepping for the June ACT. I do better on the practice tests, and I feel more comfortable. Anyway, I think you shouldn't go over 2 times for Cornell University. For Northwestern, it is understandable that you go over because that is the only school in the country that accepts the writing score since it is mainly known for journalism. However, for Cornell, since they really don't care about the writing, technically, you shouldn't need more than 2 times or so to nail it.</p>
<p>most liberal colleges recognize that SAT has a practice factor into it and will accept 2 times. you really shouldn't be taking the test more than 2 times.</p>
<p>Seriously, though, I don't know anything about how the colleges you're looking at view it. You could ask, or you could take it again. Three times isn't usually that bad, I think.</p>
<p>Maybe applying ED to those schools will help my case just a little bit. EC's are decent and GPA is good, but the SAT scores aren't too great. I'll go ask when I visit these universities during spring break. Do you think high subject test scores will make up for my SAT scores?</p>