Should I retake the SAT for top schools?

I’m a rising senior and I’ve recently received my SAT scores for the June 2015 administration. I received a 2280 (730CR-760M-790W). These scores are in the middle 50% of my top choices (Penn, UChicago, Yale), but I’m worried about my critical reading score. Is it worth taking the test again to get my 730 up to a 750+? Thanks.

No it is not worth spending your time and money retaking the test. Do something more productive and useful in that time

Yeah, I think you’re probably right! Thank you!

As long as each score is beyond the 700 point, you’re fine. Spend your time crafting a great applications for your top choices instead!

Well, I won’t tell you what to do but I’m in pretty much the same situation – took the June SAT and got a 2280 – and I’m going to retake in October. Mainly because a 2300+ /is/ viewed noticeably differently from a high 2200. And if you’re already scoring close to a 2300, why not study a bit & take the test again?

There is no point. A 2300 is not viewed any differently from a 2280, and a 2400 is not viewed any differently from a 2280.

If you’re a rising senior, use that time to work on your essays instead of studying.

That is inaccurate as there are only a handful amount of students with a perfect 2400 every year.

OP, if you can get 2350+ without much effort for the next test, by all means you should go for it. But as other posters said, you can put your time into a better use.

If you think you can get 750+ in CR without much effort, you should take it again. The “2250 or 2300 is the same as 2400” claim isn’t quite right; the reality is that at most schools, it’s about getting 750 or better in each section. That said, 730 is great and is unlikely to be held against you.

So do you guys mean that a 2400 does have an edge over a 2300, just that the edge is so minor that retaking a 2300 is not worth it?

I find it interesting that students always view a test retake as as iron clad opportunity for a higher test score. At such high levels the probability of an increase is lower than the combined probability of no change and a drop in score. True they superscore, but do you want a lower score on the record or do you really want to waste the time?

I got a 2280 as well. Though I contemplated retaking it, my parents urged me to just focus on my app: staying committed to ECs, getting essays done, etc.

What @BatesParents2019 said is very true. Once your scores are that high, it is VERY hard to improve them, especially when you want to improve critical reading. It is just as likely that your score will go down rather than go up.