<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>I have taken the SAT reasoning test twice, and my latest (and highest) score was 2280. I'm trying my best to get myself a 2400 this December. I've been homeschooled for a personal reason (I'm not quite in the best of health), and I've been doing overseas internships over the years. So I haven't had a chance to take the subject tests yet... I'm applying this year (in a month or so). I'm planning to take three subject tests in January, which is not an ideal choice for this year's college applicants. However, I'm sure I'll do well on the tests. I was ready to take the tests in October, but I couldn't make it to the test center since I was working as an intern in another country at the time. The only reason I haven't been able to take the tests is that I was in other countries on the days of the tests... So I DO NOT have any subject test scores.</p>
<p>Would it really hurt my chance if I were to submit the January subject test scores as soon as I receive them? That'd mean I wouldn't be able to provide the scores on the applications. I'm considering NYU and some other top colleges (including Ivy League schools).</p>
<p>I'd appreciate your help!</p>
<p>I would suggest you to take SAT2 in December instead of SAT1 first. This would get your application complete for schools that require SAT2 scores. Since you have been home schooled, SAT2 scores are more important. Now you have already gotten a good SAT1 score, I would put the SAT1 retake in a lower priority.</p>
<p>@billcsho thank you 
Unfortunately, I’ve already signed up for the December SAT1… I got 2400s on several practice tests and was very confident about it, but I wasn’t very well on the day of the test and made so many mistakes 
so I was trying to retake it… hmm, so is it really that bad to take the subject tests in Jan.?</p>
<p>
Not ideal. What may raise an eyebrow and put you at a disadvantage is if an AO questions the rationale for sitting for the SAT again after scoring a 2280.</p>
<p>@skieurope Is a 2280 enough for Harvard? I know it depends, but I’ve seen so many students with 2400s and tons of extracurriculars, so I was just being a little paranoid, I guess… If I get something very close to a 2400, let’s say 2380-2390, would that still be a problem?? :(</p>
<p>
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<p>I’m not skieurope, but yes.
That score will ‘check the box’, so to speak. </p>
<p>Retaking will be a waste of your time.</p>
<p>More always helps, even if it’s not a huge help. I know someone who retook a 2300 to a 2400 and got Harvard Yale Stanford MIT upenn Columbia and waitlist Princeton.
However, your sat 2s are more critical. If you can afford it at all, cancel the sat 1 and sign up for sat 2s. A 2280 vs 2400 isn’t as bad as having no subject tests.</p>
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I am skieurope and I concur. SAT scores are just one part of the mysterious equation of Harvard admissions. If it were me, I’d be spending my time strengthening my essays and taking the subject tests in December.</p>
<p>Thank you all for the comments! But if I decide to take the SAT in the end, would “not having the subject tests but going to submit them in January” really hurt my chance? Is it possible that I just explain my overseas internships? I’m quite not sure if I’ll be able to make it to Demeber either (I’m coming back like a day before the test date), even though I’m sure I’ll be in the United States in January…</p>
<p>You can always take the SAT1 later if you have time, however, SAT2 is essential for you.</p>
<p>Based on the list of colleges you have provided, I agree with everyone else – taking your SAT2s before January is far more important than retaking the SAT1 again, considering your 2280 score (which is already in the top 1%).You can contact the College Board to switch from the SAT1 to the SAT2, it should be fine. Because yes, it will hurt you to take them in January – no amount of explaining can undo the fact that you do not have your materials in at the time that they are reading the applications and they have plenty of other very qualified applicants that DO have their subject tests in. This is especially important because you are home-schooled, where the subject tests provide an indication as to how strong your home-schooling was. Your other option would be to look at a list of comparative top colleges that do not require or recommend subject tests.</p>
<p>Ok, thank you! But as I said, I’m not sure I’ll be able to make it to the test center in December either… I’ll try my best, I guess I saw on their websites that they do accept the January SATs, so I was wondering if that could be ok. Do they immediately start going over the apps after the deadline?</p>
<p>listen. do the sat2s in december first if it’s at all possible to take a test then. If you have time after that, maybe retake the sat. </p>