My D19 is happy with her SAT score from October (1540), but didn’t realize at the time that she probably should have included the essay portion when taking the test. Now with the stress of taking the SAT behind her, it looks like several schools she’s finding herself interested in require the SAT essay. Should I encourage her to retake the whole darn test just to get an essay score? Part of me thinks that is ridiculous since there are plenty of great schools that do not require the essay, while part of me thinks that if she wants to stretch herself and apply to a few reach schools, she really needs the essay to even be in the conversation.
The 1540 is fine and I would call it a day unless she has target colleges where the essay is required. While few schools require the essay, and some of those are not necessarily reach schools (e.g. UC’s require the essay, but not all campuses are reaches), if it’s required, then it’s required.
If her reach schools consider them optional, I would move on.
If the SAT essay is required where she wants to apply…she has to take it.
So…she either ditches those colleges…or takes the test.
If she does not want to take the SAT again, she can take the ACT with essay. But, I would most definitely send in that 1540 with every application she submits. Great job!
Thanks for that idea! She might be more willing to try the ACT with Writing than to re-take the SAT just to get the essay under her belt. At least that would open the door to considering some additional schools. And if she doesn’t do as well as she’d like on the ACT, she can choose not to send the score and scratch those schools right back off the list!
I don’t know how it is now, but back when my kids were applying I liked the ACT essay topics much more than the SAT ones.
Very surprised no one told her to take the essay, but you don’t want to get locked out of some schools you may not be thinking of now, so I would follow above suggestions to take it.