<p>Hey guys, i was just wondering if, say, taking the ACT once and doing bad, then taking it again and doing better, will it affect admissions?</p>
<p>sorry for broken english sentence, thanks in advance!</p>
<p>Taking a standardized test twice is not a problem at all, many (perhaps most?) students will repeat in hopes of an improved score.</p>
<p>will the fact that ive taken everything only once (and done well) help?</p>
<p>That I don't know, but it couldn't hurt. I guess this will all be a non-issue next year when the SAT gets score choice.</p>
<p>u can send ACT test dates selectively and it probably won't make much of a difference. a score is a score. taking it more than once doesnt say anything badly about you except that you want a higher score.</p>
<p>"One and done" is the approach here. My boys both took tests once and lived with decent scores received. It is not worth the stress and worry to attempt to do better. Prepare and make strong effort first time and you are done. Prepare, of course, is the key. I just don't get the mentality to take the test first to see how you will do, then prep for the retake.</p>
<p>I agree that you should prepare and take the test when you're ready, that's what my oldest did and once was enough. However, we did leave time for a retest later in the spring of junior year if necessary. I think that whether or not it's worth the stress and worry to retest depends on the each student's individual situation.</p>
<p>I attended a presentation by the head AO at a top ranked LAC a couple of weeks ago and he actually recommended (unless the student did exceptionally well earlier), that all students take the SAT one more time in the fall of senior year as they tend to increase their scores and a slightly better score may help them to get institutional scholarships or preferred packaging for FA. I'm not saying I recommend this strategy, but it is an interesting approach which I hadn't considered.</p>