<p>Ok, I have thought about this and thought about it some more...and I still can't seem to make up my mind. I took the SAT during the fall of my junior year and now as a rising senior, I am debating whether I should retake it.</p>
<p>I have only taken the SAT I once and scored a 2200 (740 CR, 800 M, 660 W). I will be applying to Harvard, Stanford, UPenn Wharton, Washington U, and University of Washington, and maybe some other Ivies. </p>
<p>My biggest question is whether a score of 2300 (assuming that I can reach this) will help my overall application. Will an admission officer say, "Hmmm.. he seems like a good person based on his touching essay and great recs, and his E/Cs shows leadership skills and involvement in the community; plus he is ranked number 1 in his high school with a challenging set of courses....BUT his 2200 SAT score, 770 SAT II Physics, and 760 SAT II US History scores just don't cut it at Harvard, or (insert one of the school from above). REJECTED!!!</p>
<p>I mean how much importance is placed on the SAT, especially on the writing section, and will getting a 2300, as opposed to a 2200, REALLY help me AT ALL when applying to these top schools? (with the exception of UW)</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for comments.</p>
<p>Edit: I guess what I'm saying is that: If I get accepted, it won't be because of my SAT scores, and if I get rejected, it also won't be because of my SAT scores. Is this a reasonable assessment?</p>
<p>you're right, if they reject you, it won't be because of your SAT score. I would only retake it if you know that you can do better. I'm retaking a 2280 because I took it as a sophomore and I know I can get a 2400 or close to it.</p>
<p>Take it again if you can sit through that horrendously long test once more. If you don't want to retake it, then don't.</p>
<p>IF you are confident you can raise your score significantly, it makes sense to retake with the scores you have now and the colleges you are planning to apply to. </p>
<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showpost.php?p=4198038&postcount=1%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showpost.php?p=4198038&postcount=1</a> </p>
<p>Meanwhile, there is a post you could look at summarizing some of the advice in a long thread about what else is important besides test scores. </p>
<p>"Summary</a> of Recommendations to Students" from "How</a> do top scorers on tests fail to gain admission to top schools?"</p>
<p>retake a 2200?</p>
<p>it depends on the situation. I also scored a 2200, and although it seems like a good score, it's not that stellar. Why? because my highest section was Wr ( the section colleges don't really care about). And my Cr + M combined score was 1430 (which is a good score, but not in the 1500's....I'm applying to HYP). so i will be retaking the SAT.</p>
<p>in your case, you don't need to reatake a 2200 ( b/c your Cr + m score is 1540...a very good score).</p>
<p>yeah retake it if you think you can do better, because it can only help you. Plus if another student is exactly like you but has better scores they will be accepted.So just retake it if you're sure.</p>
<p>thanks for the replies everyone!</p>
<p>I don't think I'm going to retake the SAT I. I feel like now my time is better spent perfecting my "overall application" than to worry about a few points on SAT Writing. I just won't believe that I will be rejected solely on the basis of, say 50-100 points on the writing section.</p>
<p>Plus, I am sure I will be unique enough that there won't be a person "exactly like me"</p>
<p>Thought I should quote this from calmom: "A kid who doesn't have the right other stuff to get admitted with a 2200 SAT is not going to be more attractive to them with a 2360 -- they have plenty of other kids wit high scores they can still take first."</p>
<p>by "exactly like you" I meant someone with the same amount of ECs and grades, rank, etc. Sometimes a few points on the SAT is what gets you rejected or accepted. Source: my friends who graduated last year</p>
<p>You can spend your time more productively than preparing for (you have to in order to raise a 2200) another SAT. Good choice in not retaking. I got a 2260, Harvard c/o 2011, and plenty of people with 2400s got rejected. Once you reach a certain level (2200+ imo) your SAT scores don't mean all that much. You're in the club.</p>
<p>how about 2190? Should I retake?</p>
<p>Why, why, why? 2200 is past the minimum threshold for all HYP-kinda places. NO WAY is my answer</p>
<p>I got a 2190 also. Bob, what was your 1600 score? I decided not to re-take because I don't think my chances of going up are good enough. I got a 1390/ 1600, but I don't think my M can go up much if at all, and my CR is just a few questions from an 800. My 1390 is about the 55 percentile for my top choice school.</p>
<p>Where did dizzy get in/go?</p>
<p>Wow… how do you guys get such high scores on the SAT?! I’m a 14 year old so I’m not that experienced with it yet, and I can only get a 1950 if I’m lucky… 
I started preparing a few months ago and my score boosted up by 350 points though! :D</p>
<p>@ Dizzy: A score of 2200 is fantastic, but since you have the College Choice thing, taking it again won’t hurt, and quite likely your score will go up if you take it a second time. Of course I agree that the overall application is most important, but I’m just saying taking the SAT test won’t do any bad, and if you get a better score… then great! :D</p>
<p>Anyways can I please get an overall view of from what age people usually start preparing for College? Is there anyone who started preparing for the SAT at 14 years old like me?</p>
<p>A 2200’s a great score. A 2250 or 2300 won’t really contribute much to your application (although a 2400 certainly looks nice). Therefore, I probably wouldn’t waste $50 retaking it, unless you know you can bump up your writing score.</p>
<p>You may want to focus on improving other aspects of your application, e.g. EC’s, competitions, essays, recommendation letters, etc. Because for the top schools, a 2400 SAT and nothing else extraordinary on the application will almost certainly lead to rejection.</p>