SAT Scores Went Down: What to Do?

Test Preparation
1

<p>Hey all, I'm new here and thought I'd just ask for some thoughts and possible advice regarding my predicament.</p>

<p>I took my first SAT last year during sophomore year and got a 2120, score breakdown of 710/730/680. The reason I took this (I know, kinda early) was because I was applying for a private school that I eventually did not attend.</p>

<p>I took the SAT this year, in October, and my scores just came back and well, it's disappointing. I got a 660/720/690 for a total score of 2070. After studying over the summer through a test prep program, the result was not at all what I had expected. Yes, my super score got boosted to a 2130 but the regression is alarming to me especially because I can't pinpoint what went wrong. </p>

<p>I've been looking at schools, as I'm a junior now and Cornell is definitely my dream school along with UNC-Chapel Hill. I'm extremely worried that because some schools do not participate in Score Choice, like Cornell, will view this regression in my SAT score with alarm. </p>

<p>I'm not quite sure what to do at this point: I scored an 800 on the SAT Math II last June and I'm not sure if that'll make up for my math scores on the SAT, which aren't "poor" but aren't amazing. I plan on taking the subject tests for Biology and other courses' subject tests in the June of 2015 and I'm not sure what to do next, or if I should even take the SAT a third time considering my poor performance this time round.</p>

2

<p>Perhaps you should consider taking the ACT. Some people just do better on it.</p>

3

<p>SAT is not everyones cup of tea. :confused: </p>

4

<p>Your SAT isn’t terrible. but you might do better on the ACT, so you should definitely give that a try. Don’t feel bad about a 2130 SAT! That is still pretty darn good.</p>

5

<p>it doesn’t go down often, but it does happen. It could have been anything from a passage you had a hard time with or just not enough sleep… Don’t beat yourself up; you did great anyway.</p>

6

<p>If you’re really worried, use score choice (unless they have a strict policy of you reporting everything)… Either way they know scores fluctuate due to various factors and every test scenario is unique. Unless it’s a major (I’m talking 300-400 point change) schools will usually just ignore lower scores</p>