Should I send this SAT score?

I took the SAT twice. The first time I took it I was very sick and tired and I didn’t prepare going in at all because it was my first time and I knew that I was going to take it multiple times. I took it with the essay. The second time I took it without the essay. I am looking at pretty selective schools, so brace yourself for this first terrible score: I got a 1260. My second test, I raised that by 220 points, putting me in the range for my schools. Although none of them require the SAT with essay, in the first test (the one that I did awful in) I got a perfect essay score (24/24). This is because essay writing comes very natural to me, and although I didn’t prepare for the rest of the SAT (it was my first and I just wanted to feel things out), I have been preparing for the essay essentially all year for my AP Lang and Comp class.

The bottom line is: should I submit only the second SAT score to colleges that I will apply to (without any essay), or should I submit both so they can see my perfect essay score and hope that the first SAT score doesn’t hurt my chances?

If they recommend, but don’t require, the essay, send both. Otherwise, just send the one.

send the second score, although both of your scores were really good.

You should only send your 2nd score.