should I retake the SAT for the fifth time?

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>I am a junior seriously in turmoil about whether or not to retake my SATs for the fifth time.</p>

<p>I took my first SAT in 9th grade, just to see what I would get (which was stupid, considering that I would have gotten some horrible score and have that recorded in my transcript...)
I got a 1730 CR 530 M 650 WR 550... not great, but it was simply for practice, so I just went "meh," and went on with my life</p>

<p>Then in 10th grade, I was required to take a SAT to apply for a program. So I took it again and got a 1980. CR 640 M 750 WR 590... It improved, so I was pretty content.</p>

<p>now my junior year, I studied my arse off, aiming for a high prestige college, and recieved an 2220. (alot of 2s)
CR 730 M 760 W 730. I was super elated like crud untill the genius population around me recieved 2300+ (mostly friends and relatives)</p>

<p>then I got greedy and wanted something like a 2350+..... so I retook the effing torture test again..I know I'm retarded, I don't know why I did that...then my score dropped...to a 2180... I almost had a heart attack when I checked my score</p>

<p>CR and M stayed the same and writing dropped to a 690... so this took a big toll on my parents and me since we were excited about how my sats were going to turn out to be. Now my parents and I are planning to make myself take the test again next year (since my other test dates are filled with sat2 scheduals...)</p>

<p>my friends say I'm retarded (they got over 2300 so I guess they don't know how I feel) for deciding to take it again, but my parents and I were extremely dissapointed by my result. (some may think that score's good enough... but after you get over a 2200 every score looks low unless it's over a 2300) I want to make it up to my parents, and apologize to them and myself by retaking it to earn a high score.</p>

<p>Is it to my benefit to retake the SAT? or would it simply be a waste of time?
I'm not sure if my scores will rise, but I guess I'll just have to study my arse off if I decide to retake that darn thing... but this time I am aiming for a 2400 to make up for my plethora of retakes. my dramatic increases of scores (by around 200 the first three tests) might look good, but I don't want to end my sat career with a score that was lowered. Some colleges ask for all of the scores/the number of times you took the SAT, correct? so I'm not sure how this will impact me.</p>

<p>anyway, I ended up saying so many repetitive stuff, this must be why I bombed my essay.
so, what would you people here recommend me? please give me good advice, because I am extremely torn right now.</p>

2

<p>lol…i’m kinda in the same situation as you…
i took it twice my 10th grade year, cuz i signed up for the wrong date, and decided instead of wasting the money…to just take it twice…
and then i just took it in march…and yes, when i saw my score (critical reading and writing) go down…i was devastated!!! but my math went higher…so it averaged out as higher…but not by much…and since i want to apply to prestigous colleges…i am thinking of retaking it…
everyone else thinks i shouldn’t retake it…but i want to study hard during the summer…and retake it in the fall…b/c yes, my other dates are filled up with sat II’s too!!
i don’t know yet what i’m going to do…but i do know EXACTLY how you feel…</p>

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<p>I took it 3 times, improved by 400 points… and I am only 50 points of my goal. I will not retake it. Waste of my time to study for it, waste of the four hours of Saturday, in my case the whole day. </p>

<p>Also, College will think you have no life but to take the SAT.</p>

<p>Better to move on after your third time. Or try the ACT. Just my 2 cents.</p>

4

<p>You’re already in hot water having taken it 4 times, so 5 times would be pushing it over the edge, even if you did improve.</p>

5

<p>Go for the ACT if you have time. With score choice just send in your 3rd attempt if the college does not require all test scores.</p>

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<p>lol, no, you take it a 5th time and you have to improve like 100 points, if you only improve like 30 points it will actually hurt your application process.</p>

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<p>Why would only improving by 30 hurt your application process?</p>

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<p>DO NOT TAKE IT A FIFTH TIME! DO NOT! Four times is a bit much, but five is ridiculous. That seems really desperate. The first and second can be passed off as “premature”, but the second set of scores are really good. If you went down like 100 pts, maybe theyrd be a problem, but honestly it DOES NOT MATTER. You did well. Taking it a fifth time looks SUPER desperate. If you were a valedictorian getting a 1700 repeatedly, maybe itd make sense. You have a 2220. </p>

<p>Now I’m going to be a lil mean. You are getting way to involved in this. The SAT is not the number that represents your intelligence; all it measures is how well you read, did math, and wrote on a given test date. So what if your family members got 2300+? Who cares if your parents expected better? A 2220 is like 98-99 percentile in the country! Buck up! Your family puts way too much pressure on you. Move on. Get over it. Don’t take it again!</p>

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<p>2220 is good enough</p>

<p>Once you get 2200 or over that, then you should worry about your GPA and ExtraCurriculars,A friend of mine got accepted to Harvard with a 2200…</p>

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<p>thanks for all the replies, I’ll take the advices and not retake the 4hourtorture****
I think I’ll try out for the ACTs if my parents’ mind does not change.
thank you all!</p>

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<p>rotfl, you should have just accepted the fact that you got a 2220 (which is a very good score), and either get new friends or understand that there will ALWAYS be somebody smarter than you [I would select the latter if I were b/c eventually you must learn that some people are smarter than others].</p>

12

<p>Taking a test 5 times seems neurotic and pathetic. There are better ways to impress colleges.</p>

<p>What’s the difference between a 2220 and a 2350 anyway… 3 more questions correct?? Come on…</p>

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<p>lol Raedne, I’d say 13 QUESTIONS not 3 lawlz</p>

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<p>Even if the difference was 13 questions, that is not really substantial.</p>

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<p>i got a 2220 first time in JAN SAT, and i plan to retake it, but yea, u shouldnt take it for the FIFTH time. If u havent gotten to ur goal in ur first four tries, then there is less hope that u will reach your goal in ur fifth try, but im not discouraging u from taking it to reach ur SAT goal. im just advising u that it is not wise and a waste of time.</p>

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<p>i got a 2050 first time, not retaking; 33 act
go take the act</p>

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<p>wow gregb congrats!</p>

<p>I got 2080 on the SAT, but I just can’t score over 27 on the ACT (stupid reading,)</p>

<p>would you mind telling my how you did well on the ACT :D</p>

18

<p>hahah
thanks!</p>

<p>i’m not really sure, i just found the act rather easier
i got 31 E; 34 M; 33 S; 35 R;</p>

<p>which was a surprise, considering math and science are my strong suits</p>

<p>my suggestion is just keep taking a few practice reading passages over and over again
i mean there aren’t any real techniques you can use, well, at least i think</p>