Should I take the SAT 4th time?

Test Preparation
1

Hi everyone! Thanks for reading my post! :smiley:

So far I’ve already taken SAT 3 times:
2014 Oct: 1810 CR 520, M 750, W 540 (essay 7)
2015 May: 1890 CR 520, M 760, W 610 (essay 8)
2015 Oct: 1980 CR 620, M 770, W 590 (essay 6)

I’m not satisfied with my extremely low essay score in the October test… so I’m thinking about taking SAT a 4th time. However, I’m wondering if it looks bad to take SAT 4 times. If I can only increase my score to around 2000-2050, and may even get a worse score than 1980, does it worth a 4th time?

2

Have you considered trying the ACT?

3

@rossbusiness Thanks for replying!!! :smiley:
I’m already a senior and almost all of the schools I’m applying to require test scores to be received by December… The next ACT is in December so I have no chance for it now T^T
I thought about taking ACT but I felt pretty good after the October test so I didn’t register for the 10/24 ACT…

4

Where do you plan to apply?

5

Also are the schools you’re applying to require a slightly higher score? I think the cardinal rule is that it’s 3 times max.

6

I’m planning to apply to:

  • UCB, UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, UCI, UCD, UCSC, U Washington (Seattle), Cal Poly SLO for Statistics or Actuarial Science Major
  • USC, NYU, San Jose State, Pepperdine for Music Performance major
7

I’d take the ACT and try to do really well on that.

8

Thanks to everyone’s advice! I just got my December ACT score, 32!!! I’m so happy to get this score because I studied SAT for 1 year, took many boot camps to raise my SAT score, but still got 1980. But I got 32 in ACT without any review! I want to suggest anyone who’s struggling with SAT or ACT to try the other test, because the test you chose may simply be the wrong one for you!