<p>I took SAT1 once in my sophomore year twice in my junior year, about once every half a year.</p>
<p>Since my last score still can't reach my dream school's average n I plan to take it again. And this time Im sure I can make it.(at least 200 higher than my best score already have)But some people say that a record of having taken the test four times will impact the admission...And ask me not to take the test again...</p>
<p>Like some people may think that you have disabilities in studying...
People may think you are not well organized...
People may think you are paying too much on the SAT rather than real academic things...</p>
<p>I know my reasons are not any of above.And I think I should say something to explain this in the additional info in my app.
But some people say that the staff in admission office are just too overworked to check your additional explanation...</p>
<p>I'm really confused now.
Because I think if I drop the chance of taking it once more, the admission result will sure be far worse than I deserve.</p>
<p>So what do you think?
To take the fourth test or not to ?</p>
<p>I read (think that's what i read) that the new policy is not for the class of '09.</p>
<p>if you WILL get the 200 point increase, i say go ahead, but i think you MIGHT, but can't be sure, don't retake it. just work on your applicationss</p>
<p>No. You can take it however many times you want, and it won't necessarily look bad. The only way it might look bad is if people think that all you do your whole high school experience is study for the SAT.</p>
<p>I want to know to most schools will it still have bad impact if I can get much higher???</p>
<p>For example,suppose the school will accept me with my current score and app. Will they reject me if I have had a higher score record though its been my fourth time?</p>
<p>If you take the SAT fifteen times but go up in score every single time, they wouldn't hold it against you. If you're confident you can score higher this time, go for it.</p>
<p>Why don't you just call your dream school's admission office and ask, "If I take the SATI more than once, how will my scores be presented in my file?"</p>
<p>The GC at our school, who was once an adcom at a top tier school, says the only person who sees all the scores is the clerical employee who puts your file together. If the school superscores, then that employee will grab your best section scores and compile them. If the school doesn't superscore, that employee will grab your best overall score. This way...in theory...the adcom reading your file only sees the distilled, best information.</p>
<p>Note, statistics on score improvement after the second retake do not support your confident prediction of a 200+ point gain. For both your dreams and sanity, I hope you are doing something drastically different to prepare for the 4th test. Personally, I think investing in a couple of one-on-one sessions with carefully selected test prep consultant is your best shot considering your test history and emotional investment in this issue.</p>
<p>Look at it this way: schools have a self-interest in considering only your top score (or your superscore, if that's what they use). They're in a competitive market, too, competing for the best students, as well as competing for high rankings in US News, in part because that helps them attract the best students, the best faculty, alumni contributions, etc, all of which in turn feeds right back into their US News ranking Consequently, they have their eye on their 25th and 75th percentile SAT medians. If your top SAT score (or superscore) puts you in the top quartile of their entering class, they'll very likely be interested (provided your grades/class rank are OK) because you only help them. If you're in the middle 50%, they may be interested; you don't help with their 75th percentile score, but you may help pull up their 25th. If you're below their 25th, you're not helping them, so they're going to need some other very strong reasons to be interested.</p>
<p>Bottom line, though, they have no reason to consider any SAT score other than your highest (or superscore). They all say they don't care about any other scores, and I'm inclined to believe them.</p>
<p>Personally, I think everyone should only be allowed to take the SAT twice, at the most. The second time only if they totalllllllllly bombed the first one because they were sick or something [obviously that couldn't be regulated, but it'd be nice]. As it is, you can pretty much take it however many times you want and "study" your way to the top.
However I also think nobody should be allowed to study for the SAT either, but that too couldn't be regulated, sooo...</p>
<p>personally i think its a lot, but like someone said if youre increasing significantly then go for it...although if you may not, then it might not be worth it</p>
<p>I heard some schools lose faith in your SAT scores if you've had the oppurtunity to take it so many times. I was told that they start averaging things after a 3rd time. :|</p>
<p>Have you considered taking the ACT? A decent score on that can technically override those from the SAT.</p>
<p>Of course if you have already sent in your scores, then the adcoms will see both reports. Some convert the ACT composite to a 2400 scale, some don't.</p>