<p>Although top schools such as HYPS/etc. now accept a superscore for SATs, how much influence will the one time sitting score make on admissions? I know that there are a myriad of other factors (ecs, essay, recs, interview, etc.), but purely from the cold and dry SAT perspective, will the one time sitting score matter? Also, on my common app in the SAT section, will I still be able to type in my highest scores for different sections, even though they were taken at different dates? </p>
<p>Thanks so much for taking the time reading this rambling post and I hope I will receive a resolution to this question of mine! :)</p>
<p>I believe common app asks for scores from each specific test and you should not just list your own superscore.</p>
<p>Effect of multiple testing is unclear but is likely a factor that may be considered somewhat against you. Consider this: a number of those high ranks have adopted a policy against your exercising score choice on the SAT and require you to send all scores. They are among colleges who profess that they consider only highest scores. However, if they are telling the truth, there would be no reason to require you to send all scores.</p>
<p>I don’t believe it makes too much of a difference.</p>
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<p>No. If you use Score Choice (which it sounds like you will be doing), then your one-time sitting score will not be revealed if you use subscores from different testing dates. Colleges have indicated time and time again that they only consider the official College Board score report, not self-reported scores.</p>
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<p>No, you will have to type in your scores from each sitting.</p>
<p>Sorry to bother once again but I just wanted to clarify. Through Score Choice, I will be sending an official SAT score that is a superscore, while on the Common App, I will be self reporting a score from individual test dates. Is this correct?</p>
<p>The CB does not superscore for you, the college does. You can only send score reports for complete SAT sittings (individual tests for SAT IIs). So if for instance you want to superscore the SAT from sections of two sittings, you will ask for both dates to be sent, the school will see all 6 section scores, and they will use the highest in each.</p>
<p>Ahh, I see. Thanks so much for the clarification! :]</p>
<p>Then, if I took the SAT twice, and got 2310 on one and 2260 on the other, with a superscore of 2380…would it be worth taking the SATs a third time? I know it sounds ridiculous, but I’ve been hearing comments that for HYPS admissions, a 2350+ is desired, which is why I was asking my question ^^. Would it hurt to take it again?</p>
<p>Optimally, a 2400 is desired. However, most people don’t get such a score.
2250+ will do just fine, to be honest. It wouldn’t hurt to take it again, but I would view it as a waste of time and worrying. Have you looked at the results threads in the HYPS forums?</p>
<p>entomom, thanks for clarifying. Makes sense, CB allows you to send the whole test, that’s it - you cannot mix reasoning subsectons. For subject SATs, do you need to send each subject separately for $9.50, even if you took 3 subject test in a sitting?</p>
<p>If a school super scores I don’t think they will hold a retake against you. Retaking says something about the applicant: they think they can do better and are willing to try. That’s not altogether undesirable in an applicant. You don’t want the adcom to be thinking, “I wonder why he/she didn’t try to improve?”</p>
<p>For $9.50 you can send any combination of scores you want. So you could send all 3 SAT IIs for that amount or you could send only 1 or 2. And for that $9.50 you could also include SATs as well. </p>
<p>Depending on what standardized tests the schools you’re applying to require, and whether or not they accept score choice, you might send the same score report to all schools, or they might be individualized for different schools.</p>
<p>AltQ,
Always look at the website for a college’s testing requirements as there are always exceptions. However, the vast majority of schools accept either ACT or SAT and you only have to send (and report on your application) the best one. One benefit of the ACT at many (but not all) schools is that you don’t have to take SAT IIs.</p>
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<p>IMO it would be a waste of time & money and could backfire because most colleges would rather you be spending your energy on more interesting endeavors than standardized testing. Three sittings tends to be the max, but if you’re sitting on a 2300+ superscore after two sittings, you run the risk of a negative reaction by shooting for a perfect score.</p>
<p>entomom, thank you very much! He figured it out last night - had 4 free reports to send from CB. That is nice that $9.50 covers all sats/sat2s I was a bit concerned that at $10 per report ( 4 sat2 and sat1 ) it could add up. He took sat1 in January and really messed up writing section. then took sat2 in may, and sat 1 in June ( June 9 as alternate date test). Did not want to send to top choice schools as his ACT 35 was much better ( not counting essay) than he’s going to get on SAT. But it looks like including June SAT ( unknown yet) was not optional, at least for this free report CB provided. We are still unsure if you can send ACT and SAT subjects only, obviousdly it depends on college too.</p>
<p>It looks bad to retake it after getting 2300!!!
2300+ already exemplifies your intelligence and retaking it may make you look like a an obsessive perfectionist…
By this time instead of studying for SAT you should focus your time on EC’s and essays and all that…Showing the two scores as they are is fine as well…You obviously improved from the first to 2nd, so this shows determination etc</p>
<p>Yes, I definitely see where you’re coming from, samd1993! But the higher score was the first one… I scored lower the second time. =( I’m assuming this still does not change your opinion on the subject?</p>