<p>I'm a junior and I screwed up hard by never taking my SATs this year or even preparing for it. I want to sign up for an SAT June 1 but I'll only be able to focus studying on it for two weeks since I'll be busy with studying for 4 AP tests. Even then I'll still have work in other projects that will take away my SAT prep time.</p>
<p>I plan on taking June 1 just to get a feel of the SAT then retake it in fall Senior year. My brother is telling me though that colleges take into consideration all scores and that even if I get a 2100+ or so, if I got a 1700 earlier, that could screw me up. I'm trying to get into a top college like UC Davis or UC Berkeley.</p>
<p>If you retake it senior year and you improve significantly from, say, a 1700 like you said, then i don’t think it will be detrimental to your application. In fact, it shows that you studied and prepped to improve your score.</p>
<p>Hmm I’ll take that into consideration. Thank you. But also, I heard you don’t even have to send in all your SAT scores? Is this true? Like if I got a lower score my first time, I could just not send it at all.</p>
<p>That is true for the majority of schools…I believe there may be a select couple that require all, but generally, not so. There is no harm in taking the test multiple times-just don’t send scores anywhere at the time you take the test. The only drawback is that you lose the ability to send free scores upfront. That’s no big deal as long as you don’t mind paying the $9 or $10 to send scores later.</p>
<p>I believe that for most schools (at least the ones I’m looking at) require you to send all scores, BUT most will superscore (take the highest score of each individual section)</p>
<p>If you’re applying in the winter, I think you have 2 chances in the Fall to test. Even if you apply early action, I think you can squeeze in one or two tests. Think about what you want.</p>
<p>Rather than spend the money to take a test now that you believe you need to prepare for, why don’t you just stroll into your local public library, check out a copy if 10 Official SATs (or whatever the current name for that publication is) go home, set a kitchen timer, and try an exam? That way you will have a decent notion of how well you are performing. If your score is in your target range, go ahead and schedule an exam.</p>
<p>If your score isn’t, then google Xiggi SAT to get the link to CC’s own SAT expert’s excellent do-it-yourself exam prep advice.</p>
<p>Check the places you are applying to. The ACT with writing may mean you don’t need to take the SAT plus SAT2.</p>