<p>Do colleges that have declared to superscore applicants' SATs really not care about the lower grade? For example, you have 700 on the writing section on your first try and then a 400 or something really lower like that on your second try. Do colleges completely dismiss the lower second try result and only consider the 700? Thank you for your answers in advance. :)</p>
<p>In theory, I would think the answer is no, but in reality, a 300 point swing might raise questions. Although it also just might be an indication you entered all your answers on the scan sheet wrong.</p>
<p>Some schools ONLY look at the superscores. Others look at all your scores. See here:</p>
<p><a href=“http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/sat-score-use-practices-list.pdf[/url]”>http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/sat-score-use-practices-list.pdf</a></p>
<p>If the school only look at the superscore (highest section scores), it should be fine. However, it may give bad impression to the adcom when you have a sudden drop in one section. Also, for the schools that look at single sitting score, that really ruin the whole test even if you get 800 in the other 2 sections.</p>
<p>It would be rare for someone with a 700 in a section to thereafter have such a huge drop to 400. If that happened it would likely indicate the student blew off the section probably not even doing most of it. Colleges do not use lower scores against you. However, they might use the inference that you intentionally blew off a section of the test against you.</p>
<p>I seem to remember a poster asking what would happen if a student took the SAT three times, focusing on one section at a time. If they scored
800, 200, 200
200, 800, 200
200, 200, 800
how would it be viewed. Another poster involved in college admissions stated it would not be viewed well at all for just the reason drusba mentioned.</p>