Hello! I just got my sat subject test scores back: 800 physics and 790 math 2. I am aiming to get into MIT or a similarly strong engineering school and I am wondering if it is worth it to retake my math 2 to get an 800. I have a 1590 sat (800 math, 790 reading/writing) and a 4.0 unweighted gpa. Since my other scores are high, might a school like MIT’s admissions think, “okay, her scores are high enough, let’s move on to extracurriculars,” or could the less-than-perfect math score be a deal-breaker? I know I will be competing with other students who also have a great gpa, sat/act, and extracurriculars but also an 800 math 2 subject test. Thank you!
I think the scores are fine. Focus on the rest of your application and essays.
No need to retake. Any score over 770 on Math or a Science is more than sufficient.
Definitely no. A 790 is an amazing score and a 10 point difference won’t make or break your application
As others have said, definitely no.
Roughly speaking, MIT will look at your academic profile, (gpa, test scores), to understand if you can handle the workload. Once they establish you can, they will move onto the more important parts of your application.
A 790 or an 800 show the same ability to handle a given subject workload.
Is it same for other subject tests too?
Yes
I have a different spin on this discussion:
If the OP is stressing over a 790 or an 800 on their SAT score, then how are they going to handle MIT?
MIT is very collaborative environment but that does not mean there is no competition for grades. Every one who attends was at the top, or nearly so, of their high school class. Most likely they will not be at the top of the class at MIT. It creates a pressure that some students have a hard time adjusting to, to not be the top. Can OP handle this would be my concern.
While not disagreeing, I’m of the mindset that one should not spend time worrying about things that might not happen.
Questioning whether a 790 is enough for MIT (while IMO also not worth worrying about) is valid before admissions.
Questioning whether one will adapt to MIT (or Harvard/Stanford, etc) is something to be put on the back burner until such time as one actually has an acceptance to one of these highly selective colleges.
But it is a valid point. Most of the incoming class is used to being at the top of their class from pre-K on. But the reality is that fulyl half of the class will graduate with a GPA below the median. Shocking, I know. 
It’s way more than just academics. Make sure you are well rounded. Obsessing over 10 points is not healthy. Go have fun with something you enjoy doing and show that in your application. Best of luck (Parent of MIT Admitted 2022).
Common fallacy. While a college may endeavor to assemble a well-rounded freshman class, that does not mean that all the students need to be well-rounded. Some are well-rounded, but others are lopsided. But no applicant should try to be something that s/he isn’t.
My comment about handling MIT could be made for any of the top colleges, not just MIT. It is a question that I believe should not be moved to the back burner. The question is part of that elusive concept of “fit”. One should be applying to colleges where one can have a reasonable assurance of succeeding.
I had classmates at MIT that put themselves under intense pressure because they weren’t getting the grades they expected. So, even though they were very intelligent people, they did not succeed at MIT (i.e., left without getting a degree).
If one is going to stress big time about grades while at a college with intense competition, then maybe dropping down a tier might be a better choice.
your scores are amazing!! I’'ve heard from multiple people that MIT doesn’t really care much past 780/790 so ya just take some time to relax and start working on the app once it’s available! (idk if it is already or not oops)
Don’t retake. 10 points doesn’t mean anything - you’ve reached the mark where your scores qualify, and an extra 10 points won’t tell them anything. The only exception I might consider is if you are already taking another subject test, and decide to take it again at the same time. But consider that students typically fall within a range, and don’t get the same score from test to test. What happens if you retake and get a 780 or 770? If getting that 800 the second time means something, then getting a 780 does too.
Rather than trying to be “well-rounded” try to be interesting. Think about what it is that makes you a more ideal candidate than the others in the stack of applications your reader will read that same day. What will make your application “pop?” What will make that reader want to meet you in person?