My current highest SAT score is 1510 (710 EBRW, 800M). I took it last December (from one sitting).
I want to get to around ~1550, I will be applying to schools including MIT, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Princeton, Williams, USC, and Johns Hopkins. (I’m applying this fall)
Is it safe to just focus on the EBRW section? I heard that UCs and some other schools look at the highest sitting score, but will they still consider the 800 from last December if I don’t get the 800 again this time? I’m retaking the SAT on August.
Also what essay score should I aim to be competitive? I currently have a 20 (7 6 7)
I’m an international student (South Korea), if that changes anything.
No. You can’t have it both ways. If a college, like UC, says that they “will continue to use the highest total score from a single test date, as before” and you score 760/790, then that’s what they will consider.
You can certainly focus your prep of EBRW; it’s unlikely you will forget all of math overnight.
The essay score is fine, even for the relatively few colleges that require the essay. Those colleges will probably put more emphasis on the application essays than the essay score.
No, it does not change anything.
@skieurope Thank you! I also have a 33 ACT (35E 34M 28W 35S) with 10 writing, will submitting that help or no? And for schools that superscore the SAT, if they require the essay section, will they look at the highest essay score as well?
They will look at the higher score within a testing company. In other words, if your SAT EBRW+M is better than your ACT score, they will look at your best SAT essay score, not your ACT essay score.
It won’t “help” but probably won’t hurt. However a 1510 is better than a 33.
@skieurope Is my goal score (~1550) high/competitive enough for those schools?
Getting higher than a 1550 likely won’t help you at those schools. They are holistic and scores are only a part of the application.
@“Erin’s Dad” Okay thank you