<p>I'm usually a lurker on CC, but I couldn't find a conclusive answer to my question and it's kind of been nagging me so... do colleges value a high single-sitting score more than a high superscore?</p>
<p>I got a 2390 on my SAT in one sitting on my first time, but I have a friend who has taken the SATs four or five times and has a 2400 superscore, so I was wondering if I should retake the SATs again and try for a 2400 in one sitting or a 2400 superscore. Does it make a difference? </p>
<p>Yes, they will think you have a perfectionist streak and hold it against you. It is a waste of time. 750+ on the sub scores is essentially the same as an 800. Do something productive instead.</p>
<p>Taking it again would make you look worse, waste your time, and risk a lower score. Many schools don’t superscore and I promise a one sitting 2390 is more impressive than your friend’s try-hard success.</p>
<p>@Alcaraz - That’s what I thought, too. But reading so many posts saying that Superscoring is kind of a myth - because the schools really see all your schools made me think. The thought being that the fall from 800M to 680M looks really bad, and that maybe he would better served to try to get one really good complete test score?</p>
<p>My D, a junior, took the Dec SAT and got 2340. She had 800’s in CR and W, and 740 in Math. She is considering re-taking because she is disappointed bythe 740 Math. She had been getting 800’s in math on her practice tests but missed 2 on the real thing. She wants to apply to several highly selective schools (including some HYPSM). Her math score is in the middle 50% at those schools. Would it be crazy for her to re-take in that situation?</p>
<p>Corinthian I am in a similar situation with my daughter who took the December SAT, except my daughter’s CR is not an 800- it’s a very good score, but not 800. She took the ACT December 14 which resulted in a score that is considered higher than the SAT ( looked at the comparison chart) and concluded that it does not pay to retake the SAT because even if she raises it by 40 points it will just about be equal to the ACT. Instead, she is retaking the ACT in the hopes of getting one more point. She will send both tests in ( ACT and SAT). </p>
<p>Your daughter’s score is excellent and I would not retake it. Has she taken the ACT? If she is applying to HPY schools then she needs to work on other things that will make her stand out. Getting an extra few points on the SAT won’t. Has she taken any SAT 2’s? Maybe she can take math.</p>
<p>Hi Twogirls. Actually she took the SAT Math 2 at the end of sophomore year and got a 770. I may have her take a practice ACT to see how she does on that. She just feels like she was capable of getting on 800 on both the SAT1 Math and the subject test, but didn’t quite make it. She’ll be taking Chem and US History subject tests in May and may consider re-taking Math 2 while she’s at it.</p>
<p>The problem with taking the SAT again is that the score can very well go up… Or it can go down. There is always a range in either direction. My D did not want to mess with her 800 in W and even though she " only" got a 740 in math she feels that she only missed two, which is pretty good. Next time she could miss one, or she could miss 3- who knows. It also depends on the curve- two wrong this time around may give you the same score as missing 3 next time. She thought about going in and just focusing on CR for a super score, but it’s hard with her perfectionist personality. Your D could try the ACT and compare scores. If her score is good ( I am sure it will be) then she can send in both. The problem with the SAT ( not that this is a problem) is that it is very very difficult to improve upon scores that are in the 700’s because each question is worth so many points. It really comes down to luck on that particular day. Pick up the Real ACT Book and have her try a few practice tests and see how the scores compare. Then have her do the SAT 2’s. I am sure that the entire " package" will be outstanding.</p>
<p>I’ll definitely have her take a practice ACT. She actually works part time for a local test prep tutoring franchise. She proctors exams for them and helps them score practice tests. So they’re always ready to let her take their practice tests.</p>
<p>My advise would be that if you already got a 2100+ on the SAT’s, you better focus on your EC’s, essays or something else because that is more or less the score range of top universities and once you are on their range, they will weight the other factors such as: GPA, essay, EC’s, class rank, etc…</p>