<p>Scores from my first time, 1/26/13:
Math: 770
Writing: 720 (10 Essay)
Reading: 710
Total: 2200</p>
<p>Friends and family have put me under the impression that a great first time score is needed to get into top universities like Ivies. This is especially because I go to a not-so-great high school, which makes my good GPA less impressive. I was pretty disappointed when I saw my scores because I was hoping for 2300+, but people are telling me that I'm not completely out of the running for these colleges if I do better the second time around since I'm planning to retake in June. Does anyone have an opinion regarding how important it is to score high the first time? I've always believed that it's certainly more impressive if a student gets a high first time score.</p>
<p>To but it bluntly, colleges don’t give a s–t about your first scores. At all. Not in the slightest. Hahahah. You’re fine dude. But really? Since when is 2200 a bad score?</p>
<p>Anyway, retake, and get the score you deserve. That’s the score colleges will look at. I retook twice - first time 2110, second time 2200, third time 2360. I have no worries about it - I know that colleges won’t care that I got a 2110 the first time, they’ll just be happy I now have a 2360.</p>
<p>Then again, they look negatively on someone who tries to take their 2360 to a 2400. Don’t be like that. If you have 2340 or above, you really shouldn’t be retaking, and you should probably think hard before retaking something like a 2310.</p>
<p>Thanks! I’m definitely retaking no matter what. I mainly wanted to know if the need to retake makes a significant difference.</p>
<p>No, colleges won’t care that you retook the test. Honestly though, there’s truly little need to retake a 2200.</p>
<p>^I disagree. If you can bring your 2200 to a 2300+, that is a big difference for colleges, even if in practical terms it’s not actually a huge difference. If you look at the stats, most people who get into places like HYP have 2250+.</p>
<p>I agree with adissaddddd. I was planning on retaking ever since I saw my score. Thank you very much for the advice!</p>
<p>Seriously, I think that’s crazy and I’m pretty sure many schools (as well as classmates, teachers, and in general the population) will look down.</p>
<p>2200 is a great score. Why would you want to waste another 4 hours retaking a boring test. Why don’t you dedicate your time on something else. Like a life. Lol jk about that :p. I mean more of EC’s, volunteer. Colleges look at those as well you know</p>
<p>A 2300+ will make a difference over a 2200, especially when put up against other HYPSM applicants.</p>
<p>This 2210 would beg to disagree. They really don’t care about the actual score once you reach 2200 or so. A 100-200 point increase isn’t going to give you any sort of edge. What’s important is your ECs, essays, and recommendations; all the things that will let you and your personality and character shine through. If SAT/ACT scores were the end-all-be-all, you’d see HYP classes full of 2400/36 students, which isn’t the case.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>You DID have a great first-time score.</p></li>
<li><p>Is it important that the first time score be even better? No way to know and nothing you can do about that anyway. </p></li>
<li><p>Worth retaking? Again, no way to know! You never get to know what went on when the admissions officers looked at your folder. But taking the SAT twice is pretty normal. It would in no way mark you as an obsessive striver to go see if you can tack on a few points. As long as you don’t have to invest too much time in additional prep, there’s really no harm in trying. But congrats on the excellent first score.</p></li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li>Some Ivies, such as Harvard, superscore.</li>
<li>A lot of people improve drastically (at least my friends have lol) the second time around(:</li>
</ol>
<p>Thus, I advocate retaking.</p>
<p>I’d say just retake a second time but no more than that.</p>