<p>I mean I know that if colleges see a person taking eight SATs it's not good, but I got a 2020 (sophomore year). I want to know if taking it over will substantially hurt my chances. By the way, I want to apply to Harvard, Duke, UNC, and MIT, so my score is no where near good enough right now...</p>
<p>You have only taken the SAT I once, right? Are you in the United States? Would it be convenient for you to attend a regional information session to ask that question? Most of the schools you are interested in are sending admission officers around the country in May to speak to prospective students. </p>
<p><a href="http://exploringcollegeoptions.org/%5B/url%5D">http://exploringcollegeoptions.org/</a> </p>
<p>What sources of information have you consulted to reach your current idea of what is the best thing to do about testing? </p>
<p>Best wishes for getting a helpful answer to your question, and good luck in the application process.</p>
<p>I hope not.....</p>
<p>taking again will not hurt you because you took it sophomore year... unless you don't improve</p>
<p>Yeah, I don't think it'll hurt us too much if we improve (I'm a sophomore and got a VERY similar score -- 2040).</p>
<p>Taking the SAT I upto 3 times is generally considered to be fine. :)</p>
<p>@OP: 2020 is a very good score, but if you feel that you can do better through a retake, then by all means, do that! (especially since you're only a sophomore)</p>
<p>from my experience and from what I am hearing taking it a second or sometimes even a third time is normal and somewhat expected.</p>
<p>nothing is generally anything</p>
<p>It usually always depends on the situation.</p>
<p>A ton of people take the SAT at least twice, and some take it three times. It won't hurt you to take it a second time, especially since you took the first one as a soph. I'd take it again if you want to hit a higher score.</p>
<p>Nice start.</p>
<p>when you send your SAT scores to colleges, collegeboard will automatically send all your scores within two years, so if you take your SAT senior year and send the scores, the scores from junior and sophmore year will also be sent.
2020 sophmore year is incredible since the math section contains advanced algebra, a subject taken by juniors. so im pretty sure if you study, and learn more, you should be able to score higher. also 2020 can get you into those schools, although it may be competitive and hard. It also helps if your a certain race, mainly black or mexican. My friend got rejected from stanford and yale with 2220 SAT score, valedictorian, asb, club pres. he's asian. Another friend who had 1720 SAT, 4.1 gpa, asb, black, got into johns hopkins, stanford, yale, berkeley, ucla.</p>
<p>to answer your question, its normal to take it more than once. remember this: only take it once if your applying to top schools, such as harvard, stanford, mit, yale. they look at how many times you take the SAT. some take it just to see how they do, not good if your applying to top schools. UC schools and other "ok" schools don't care if you take it ten times, they only look at your highest SAT score, and don't look at the rest.</p>
<p>I'd disagree again. Even the top schools (HYPM and the like) have no problem with you taking it twice or three times. It's only once you pass that, that they may have a problem.</p>
<p>take it again</p>
<p>
[quote]
when you send your SAT scores to colleges, collegeboard will automatically send all your scores within two years
[/quote]
</p>
<p>College Board sends along all scores on your student record of scores. This is ordinarily all scores from ninth grade or later. AFTER graduation from high school, scores from high school grades are archived after a certain span of time. By default, scores for test-takers below ninth grade (mostly, but not only, students taking the SAT I at middle-school age for Talent Search programs) are removed from a student's record of scores at the end of each school year, but families can ask that those scores be kept on the student's record of scores.</p>
<p>
[quote]
remember this: only take it once if your applying to top schools, such as harvard, stanford, mit, yale. they look at how many times you take the SAT.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Where is there a statement from a current admission officer at any of those schools that this is the policy at those schools? </p>
<p>The OP (and other interested persons) can check what the policy is at several of those schools by visiting regional information sessions this spring </p>
<p><a href="http://exploringcollegeoptions.org/%5B/url%5D">http://exploringcollegeoptions.org/</a> </p>
<p>and asking this question directly. It would be good to cite a specific statement to the thread if someone has said that is the policy at a particular college.</p>
<p>definitely take it again.
that's a good sophomore score, but it could easily go up by junior/senior year.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I got a 2020 (sophomore year). I want to know if taking it over will substantially hurt my chances.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You can't "know", since you don't know in advance what your scores will be, and will never know exactly how they would be interpreted by the readers. You can make an educated guess as to the odds of various outcomes and see which ones you think would help or hurt. </p>
<p>Sizable score increase on one additional retaking? Probably can only help you as long as the end result is consistent with your record.</p>
<p>Drop in score or minor variation on existing scores? Probably no effect or mildly negative, depending on where you apply and other factors. It would rule out the otherwise viable explanation of a "bad day" as the reason for low (within the MIT etc applicant pool) scores, and can cement whatever impression is formed from your existing level of scores -- the 2020 looks more like an accurate measurement.</p>
<p>There is of course the option of making no analysis at all and just taking the test, but I take it that you are asking about what the analysis might look like.</p>
<p>To sum up what everyone seems to be saying,</p>
<ol>
<li>Retaking the SAT up to 3 times is alright. Aim for less for more selective schools.</li>
<li>2020 is an alright score for sophomore year. However, a score of over 2200 is advised for ivy league admission.</li>
<li>Ask specific schools about their policies.</li>
<li>Colleges will see all scores on the SAT.</li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks, everyone! I'm going to take it again, then.</p>
<p>What if (hypothetically) someone went from like OPs scores or around there to a 2400? Would colleges think it "lucky", a product of hard work or styudying, or that the first time was some kind of MC bubbling error? Just curious</p>
<p>I think they would think it is from studying; at least I hope so :p</p>