I’m a junior and I took the SAT in March for the first time and scored 1580 (790 both). I think I could get a perfect score on math if I took it again but I’m not sure about reading. I didn’t score that well on the essay (7-5-7). Would it be worth taking again? Also, would y’all recommend taking the ACT in addition to the SAT? Reading is usually my weakest section on the SAT. I aiming for top tier schools. Thanks!!!
1580 is pretty dang good( in my opinion) even with that essay score, but if you’re confident that you can get higher I would go for it! But you should be sure, otherwise don’t waste your time and you can study for the ACT if you’re thinking about taking it.
I wouldn’t recommend retaking them unless you really enjoy taking tests. You have excellent scores. You should focus your energies on your schoolwork, your extracurricular activities, and on preparing to write your personal essay and the supplements for your chosen colleges. 20 points on the SAT isn’t worth the time it would take to get them, and one tiny lapse in concentration could mean that you end up getting the same or worse than your first sitting.
Read a novel. Find the websites of your favorite colleges and look through their mission statements, think about how you fit that college’s mission. Record a youtube video of hints and tips for how to get that great score. Practice your guitar or an opera solo. Build a robot. Work on your tennis backswing or memorize another monologue or spend a few more hours at the shelter where you volunteer. There are far more impactful things you could be doing than studying for something that you have already nearly mastered within the margin of error.
Going for another sitting looks like trophy hunting. You have shown that you have the intellectual chops to qualify for a top college, now you need to work on being an interesting person.