<p>Hey guys,
I took the May SAT for the first time and got</p>
<p>CR: 750
M: 690
W: 800</p>
<p>and I'm wondering if I should retake to push my math score over the hump and perhaps get a few more points on my CR. I'm applying to top LACs (Amherst, Bowdoin, etc.) and some ivies (Dartmouth, Brown, Cornell) so I'm wondering if my score is okay as is or if it would be worth it to study over the summer to retake.</p>
<p>My GPA and SAT IIs are in the range for these schools, but I'm nervous my low SAT math score will hurt me. However, there is the possibility that I would get a lower score and that it may not even be worth the time. Thanks in advance for your advice.</p>
<p>If you want to major in a science/math related field, definitely retake it to raise your math score. Have you taken any SATIIs yet? You need some of those more than you need another SAT if you're choosing one or the other.</p>
<p>I'd say retake it if that was your first attempt. Admissions people like to see that you try to improve yourself. More than twice after getting a score over 2200 is a bit much in my opinion. You don't want to be listing standardized testing as one of your extracirriculars...</p>
<p>To nicole5178 - Yes, I've taken SAT IIs in World History (780) and French (800), and perhaps I'll take Math II in the fall, we'll see. And no I don't plan on majoring in the sciences/math.</p>
<p>see, the thing is some schools look primarily at your CR+math scores, in which case, your scores aren't really there yet. congrats on the 800 writing, but it's rather unfortunate how writing's not really as important as cr or math. so i'd advice you to retake</p>
<p>if it is your first time, then retake it. I tried to do the same thing to improve my math and while in the end I didn't, super scored I improved by 70 points so its worth it.</p>
<p>That's not good advice. Sure, until you hit 2400, you could always do a little bit better, and I agree that he should retake it in this case because it was only his first try. HOWEVER, taking the test more than 3 times looks awful on your app. Adcoms hate it. Also, there's never any guarantee you'll score higher, with unpredictable curves and random questions that throw you off. The vast majority of people who retake it score lower.</p>
<p>This is the perfect example of someone who should retake. MAth is the easiest section to raise and he's only taken it once. Get a 750 math and you're golden.</p>
<p>the "until you hit 2400" is not a good way to look at this. consider this, without great EC's, this year's valedictorian at my school with 2390 single sitting only got into Berkeley. </p>
<p>so yea, retake if you think you can improve by maybe 70-100 points, if not, then don't. but since you're a humanities major, your CR & writing scores are high enough, i would say don't and use your energy on more meaningful EC's and/or essay-writing</p>
<p>I don't think the adcoms give a pair of dingo's kidneys how many times you took the test. It's not like they'll say, "oh, gee, 3 times! BOOM! REJECT!!!!1111" </p>
<p>slipper - How would you recommend raising your math score? Are there any particular books out there that are most helpful for math? Or any other methods? Thanks.</p>