SAT scores go down

<p>What do colleges think if you take the SAT a second time and one of your section scores go down? what if the entire score goes down, but some sections were higher? Since most colleges take the highest score from each section...</p>

<p>Most colleges do not pay attention to individual section scores, only the combined score. Even if your score went down altogether, colleges only piece together the best scoring sections and then use that combined score.</p>

<p>good question... i'm worrying about that as well. i took it on saturday and i really wanted to raise my critical reading score. but after looking at the section threads i don't think i did very well. is it better to cancel the score to not get a lower score, or just to keep it and hope the best? (this was my third time taking it)</p>

<p>I just asked that question of a senior Harvard admission officer today at the Minnesota National College Fair. She answered, "We only look at the highest scores." Harvard says the same in its viewbook this year. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/utilities/electronic_resources/viewbook/Rollo0708_GuideApplying.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/utilities/electronic_resources/viewbook/Rollo0708_GuideApplying.pdf&lt;/a> </p>

<p>Other colleges say the same thing in official publications or in public statements at college information meetings. </p>

<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=389153%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=389153&lt;/a> </p>

<p>There is nothing to worry about here. Just submit the highest scores you can before the admission application deadline, and don't worry about other scores you have received. </p>

<p>Don't forget about the issues besides scores that matter </p>

<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=377882%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=377882&lt;/a> </p>

<p>either. Every aspect of your application is important, and none is worth worrying about.</p>