<p>I currently have a 28 ACT score. That's acceptable for the schools I have applied to, but I'd like to raise it to a 32 for the purposes of merit aid. However, I hate the ACT because of the complex math section and the science section. I'm a more reading-writing based student.</p>
<p>I am currently signed up for the October 2014 SAT test. I took the practice SAT test online last night (<a href="http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice/sat-practice-test">http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice/sat-practice-test</a>) and got 550 in both critical reading and math for a total score of 1100. That's a terrible SAT score. If I'm trying to get a 32 on the ACT, that means I need a 1420 on SAT, which is FAR off from my proposed 1100 I got on the practice test.</p>
<p>How screwed am I?</p>
<p>It may be too late, but ideally you could do the ACT on Saturday and then still do the SAT on Oct 11th. This way you increase your opportunities for success. And the online test is a previously administered test, so unfortunately the scoring is very accurate. But if you didn’t know much going in then you should figure that the score you got is probably far below your ultimate potential.</p>
<p>Planning on taking one or two SAT practice tests every week until my October 11 test. Thanks!</p>
<p>I hope this okay, but I figured Id ask here rather than making a new thread. How much do people generally improve on the sat after the first attempt? How much can the score go up?</p>
<p>@SHS101 I got a 2090 on my first attempt but took a test from a previous year under full testing conditions and such and got a 2230 today. I feel that its very possible once you are confident enough. Be steadfast and strong. Good luck! I am hoping for 2200+ on my actual second attempt though, and getting my ACT results tomorrow (hopefully 34 at least!!!). Wish me luck too!!!</p>
<p>Wow! I hope I can improve as much as you did! Good luck:) </p>
<p>On score improvement I would say it depends a bit on how much prep you did the first time and also how close your actual test scores were to where you were scoring on practice tests. So on the first point, there are a lot of people who go in and take the test before they are ready and then after realizing that they need to prepare better end up scoring much higher the 2nd or 3rd time around. On the second point, even if you did prepare a lot and lets say that you were scoring in the 2000-2100 range on practice tests but then got an 1850 on the actual test, I would say that you really undershot what you were capable of even at that point (and you might still improve more) so there is very good reason to believe that you will ultimately score significantly higher. Often people really underperform on their first try (because of anxiety, unfamiliarity with the experience, etc.) and then end up with scores that are much higher on their second or third try. Again I would use practice tests as the gauge. If your practice tests (taken under properly timed, realistic conditions) suggest that you should have a significantly higher score, I would retake and expect that ultimately you will reach that mark or at least come close to it.</p>
<p>My son’s score went up from 1900 to 2220. All he did was take a LOT of practice tests.</p>