Im a senior and got a 1360 on my SAT, which isn’t that bad but not that great either. My GPA is pretty solid (4.23 weighted and 4.0 unweighted) but I intend to apply to UCs and maybe a couple others as an undecided major. Biggest goal (as of right now) is to go to medical school that’s why I’m applying to colleges that will get me ready for that, but I’m worried that my SAT score is too low. I have 200+ hours of community service, good ECs, math and Chem award from high school, officer in several school clubs including tutoring and will get great recs. I provided some background so hopefully some of you can tell me if what my chances are to make it to these universities in California? I’m also thinking about retaking the SAT but I’m worried since you need to send all scores to UCs and I don’t know if that would hurt my application. Thank you!!
Is this your first SAT? And have you tried the ACT?
@nutmeg_shippy hi! Yes it’s my first SAT, and no I haven’t taken the ACT because this is my first year taking biology so I thought it was too risky because of the science portion on it!
If it makes you more confident, you don’t need to actually know science for the Science portion. It’s more reading than science tbh
@seokouji wow yeah that’s good to know! So would you recommend I take the ACT and retake the SAT?
Definitely, ACT is basically easy questions with a lot of time stress. SAT is more complicated questions with less time stress. I would take the ACT first though before retaking the SAT because alot of people do alot better on the ACT even with minimal studying because it tests you more on what you have already learned rather than critical thihnking.
Yes the science section only tests how well you can analyze graphs and tables and how it correlates to its passage. I find it as an easier portion of the reading section. Regarding your SAT score, it wouldn’t hurt to retake if it will only be your 2nd time.
I don’t think schools will look down on you for taking the SAT twice at all. I am not an expert on the UCs, but I would say most testers take it twice and a good half of them, I’d say, improve their score.
Taking the ACT is a good idea also. The science section is really nothing more than a glorified reading section with added charts and graphs. As long as you’re comfortable reading the graphs, I would suggest taking some practice science sections and going for it. The science section in no way tests what you’ve learned in high school science.
Thank you for replying!! I think I’m likely gonna take the ACT too so I can see if I do better on that.