Does a high superscore mean less than a high single score?

Parent Cafe
1

The first time I took the SAT, I scored a 1370 on the 1600 scale. I got -4 on Reading and Writing to receive a score of 740 and a -15 on math to receive a score of 630.

My second time taking the SAT, I scored a 1390 on the 1600 scale. I got a 690 in Reading & Writing (didn’t study and very difficult passages) and a 700 in Math.

If I take my superscore from my first English section (740) and my second Math section (700), I have a cumulative score of 1440.

However, I haven’t been able to break a 1400 in one single sitting. Would a college prefer someone who got a 1440 in one sitting over someone who got a 1440 through superscoring?

Should I take the test again to see if I can bring my English back up to where it was while keeping my improved math score? And possibly score higher than a 1440 in one sitting? Or is it not worth my time? I am currently a junior and just finished my first semester.

2

This is totally college dependent. Some places superscore for admission, others don’t. Some superscore for admission but not for scholarship consideration.

Where are you applying that you need a higher SAT score?

3

There are two parts to that answer.

First, there are schools that do not superscore. To those schools, you have a 1390, which would obviously not be as competitive as another applicant with a 1440 single sitting, which means a 1440.

Then there are schools that superscore. According to what they say, both 1440s are exactly the same. Do they subconsciously note the difference? Do they even see that it’s a superscore? Who knows. Everything schools publish and say, they’re the same.

Unless you know all the schools you’re applying to, there’s a chance some will be single score. You’ve shown the capability for both scores, it’s still early in HS, you have time to prep, and three sittings isn’t overkill. If you have time to properly prepare, I’d suggest one more try in the Spring.

4

A subset will plug the (super)score into an admission formula and use it that way.

But for those which do a human review, whether the reader sees the several scores or just one superstore, and whether the reader cares about the difference, may not be knowable to the applicant.

5

I am not a believer in superscoring. The better students (test takers) will do well on all sections at once- not focusing on one at the expense of others. You do need to see what the schools you are interested in do, as above.