Are the optional essay portion in the SAT and ACT factor to superscore? If you are satisfied with your essay scores on your previous SAT or ACT, can you not take it the next time and send your first essay score as a “superscore” with other scores?
You need to check with each college. Some won’t superscore. Some require all tests taken. Some superscore. Some will use your highest scores from one test date. So if that test date doesn’t have the essay, you may find yourself at a disadvantage if they require the essay. Each college will state it’s policy. If you are not clear, email them and ask.
For colleges that do superscore, if you got a satisfied score on the optional essay section, can you not take the essay section the next SATs you take and use that optional essay score aside the other sections (from the SATs taken without the essay portion) when superscoring?
Again, you have to call each school. I called Brown last week and they said they will take EW and Math scores from a test without the essay…as long as we also submit another test with the essay. Other schools may say that won’t even look at any sections on a test without an essay.