how does college think about the students who scored high SAT scores on their FIRST try? Are they considered different from the students who took the test multiple times to get a high score??
It’s good but… Probably less than you think.
At the end of the day, the kid that only took the SAT once and got a 2150 on the first try is considered equal to the kid who took the SAT three times and got the 2150.
The colleges will not know the student only took the test once.
@"Erin’s Dad" (re post #3): “The colleges will not know the student only took the test once.”
As I am sure you’re well aware, that’s not always factual. Some universities require all SAT/ACT scores from all examinations be submitted, do not super-score, and do not permit ScoreChoice. I agree with your statement as a generalization, however, it’s not universally true. The OP would be wise to investigate thoroughly the specific policies of his target school(s).
@TopTier I agree with the facts you’ve laid out about the requirement to report all scores (to the few colleges that do require all of them). However the question laid out was whether a college would give extra weight or credit for a student that got a high score in only one try. AFAIK there is no way for a college to know if that was the case. And if the student did take it only once then those are all the scores to report.