My superscore is 2200 right now, and if I take it again, it would be my third try. Is it worth retaking to be a more competitive applicant?
Not unless you want to make clear to the admissions folks that your hobby is taking tests. Your score is fine - you will be competitive, but remember not to get your hopes up as 90% of rejected applicants are also competitive.
Taking the SAT a third time to score higher than a 2200 is simply neurotic. Do you really think showing admissions officers that you are obsessed with an unfair, corrupt, disturbing standardized test will get you into Columbia? No! Show them that you have personality in your essays, your application, your involvement, your interview. The SAT score puts you in the “not going to consider” vs. “will consider” category of their office but beyond that it certainly doesn’t make or break anything as much as you as an actual candidate. I know some shitty people with perfect SAT scores who didn’t get in anywhere. I know some brilliant people with perfect SAT scores who got in because they are FASCINATING and BRILLIANT people, not because of their SAT scores. This kind of worry over the SAT just makes College Confidential an unhealthy environment.
Admitted with a 2170. Don’t worry too much about the SAT. Essays, interviews, etc. are much better at getting across your intelligence and how you will fit into Columbia’s environment.
I wouldn’t stress too much. One of my SAT tutors once told me that once you hit that 700 threshold, everything else is arbitrary.
Don’t take for a third time, under any circumstances. If you scored 2200 the first time, maybe.