<p>I took the SAT II Molecular Biology in June '04. I got a 780 (95%). I had to omit my last few questions on the test because I did not know when my hour was up. My dream college is CalTech and I know that it values math and science. Should I retake the test to aim for a 800?</p>
<p>No. There is absolutely no need for that.</p>
<p>yeah, you have a 780. give it a rest.</p>
<p>You make me sick. Go take your 780 and shove it up your @$$.</p>
<p>Well, I mean, it depends. Are you REALLY good at biology? You're going to look really stupid if you retake it and score lower.</p>
<p>Retake it if you're 80% certain that you'll get an 800.</p>
<p>don't retake. No offense, but Caltech'll think you have no life if you retake and get 800. Since they have lots of people without life, they want to admit people that can bring some optimism and enthusiasm to campus, people who don't retake 780.</p>
<p>I dunno, I think it is kind of silly to retake a 780, but I understand where you're coming from. I got annoyed with myself when I got a 780 on math on the SAT, cause it was so close to 800. I told myself over and over again that a 780 was great and that I needed to stop thinkin' about what could have been if I had filled in that one bubble differently, but I'm the kind of guy who can't stand getting stuff wrong in general.
Anyway, my suggestion is retake it if you are REALLY ****ed off about it, I really don't think it will HURT your admission that badly if you retake it to raise it 20 points personally.</p>
<p>Sit on your 780. The statistical difference between a 780 and an 800 is very small, and colleges know that.</p>
<p>Even if you got the 800, I just think it would make you look like a grade-grubber. Spend the two hours or so you'd spend at the test center working on your essays or volunteering somewhere. It'll be much more beneficial in the long run.</p>
<p>I wouldn't. I can certainly understand where you are coming from, as one who never likes to see a chance wasted. But you should let it go. If you retake, the best case scenario is an 800, personal satisfaction, but a statistically insignificant gain. The worst case scenario could be very demoralizing (and harmful to apps).</p>
<p>It is natural to hope that your chances of getting into a dream school can be increased by fixing little glitches on your record, but you have to convince yourself that it will NOT help, and to just move on. What's done is done. Besides, what's done ain't too bad.</p>