Optional SAT this year

Since my retake of the SAT got cancelled, I’m still registered for the SAT Physics Subject test. I’m wondering if I should change it to the general SAT.

I took the SAT last year and got a 1520 (720/800) but I botched the essay and got a 4/3/4. I can’t send that SAT separately and I’m thinking of not sending an SAT score at all since this year its optional. I think my college essays could represent my writing (if I write them well) and my 800 SAT math subject test score can prove my math skills.

But I thought it might be weird if the admissions officers saw an SAT physics subject test score, when I could’ve taken the general SAT. Will they wonder why I chose not to submit it even though I had the chance to take it? One conclusion they could make was that my SAT score wasn’t good.

These are the schools I’m applying for:
Georgia Tech
UMD College Park
UPenn
Stanford
Carnegie Mellon
MIT
Cornell
Princeton
Johns Hopkins

Should I switch to taking the general SAT or take the SAT physics subject test? If I take the physics subject test, should I send my general SAT score?

No one cares about the essay score anymore. (Maybe not literally no one, but I suspect It’s not far off).

Subject Test scores aren’t that far behind, but they could help at a few schools.

Is there a reason to believe you’ll meaningfully improve the SAT score?

20+ points higher on the SAT and a high Physics score are about a wash, IMO.

Either way, certainly don’t withhold a 1520 due to the essay.

Definitely submit it!!! Most if not all of those schools dont require or will care about the SAT essay.

You have a great score on the SAT. Don’t waste time trying to improve it only slightly. I would take the physics.
You are lucky you have already taken the SAT this year. It will help you a lot given how crazy things are. Good luck.

I don’t think you’d want to send a SAT II Physics test to MIT, who won’t even consider it. For that college, I would definitely prioritize the SAT. For the other colleges it is more of a tossup, but my feeling is the regular SAT was always considered more important than the subject tests, and if you have AP scores, the subject test is somewhat of a duplication of efforts. So for those reasons I would advise you to retake the SAT. Not that 1520 is bad at all… it’s great! I think the other posters are correct that no one cares about the essay score either. However, for the very realistic chance of presenting MIT, Stanford, and Princeton with a 1550+… it is worth the shot.