<p>What are people's general opinions on whether taking the SAT multiple times hurts or not?
I am asking specifically in regard to the Ivies and T20 Private Universities. </p>
<p>Child scoring AROUND 800 on writing, 700 on reading, and 600 on math, taking the exam in ten days. We were thinking she could take as many times as possible on the off chance that she'd get lucky on the math one of those times. And perhaps after one more semester of Algebra (she's a junior) she will do better. </p>
<p>Personally I am inclined to think that going into the exam ONE TIME and scoring say, 2200, IS more impressive than taking it four times and super-scoring 2200, but since all schools super score anyway, does it really <em>hurt</em> you if you take it four times?</p>
<p>Thoughts?</p>
<p>Many schools don’t consider the writing component, so you are really looking at 1300/1600 which is not so great for top 20 schools. You can check the Common Data Sets for schools you are considering.
So I think taking it again is a good idea but **only **if the student invests time in preparing for the test.
Also, consider taking the ACT. Some students do better on one versus the other.</p>
<p>Some colleges in the top echelon will take into account an excessive number of SAT tries (usually over three). This would be particularly true of schools that require you report ALL test scores.</p>
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<p>To be blunt, your kid isn’t going to an Ivy, or at least a top 10 university (and probably not a top 20) with a 600 math score, unless she has a big hook (athlete, URM, big donor legacy, etc.). So stop worrying about that part. Only the tippy top schools request all scores. It seems like most kids take it at least twice (mine both did two sittings). Also… you don’t really get lucky in the math section (not lucky enough to go from a 600 to a 700+, which is what she would likely need to even be considered at those schools).</p>
<p>Don’t forget that she may also need to use some “SAT Saturdays” to take subject tests, and she also may want more than one shot at those. So you need to consider that as well when you look at the SAT schedule. And not every subject test is offered on every SAT date, so you have to watch for that.</p>
<p>I’d suggest she and you spend time on two things:
- Studying for the math section of the SAT – Grubers is a very good book for this.
- Looking harder at match and safety schools for her. Get a copy of the Fiske Guide to Colleges and start looking for schools in that where her stats are in the top 50% (all scores), they are strong in her proposed major, and they have the size/geography she is looking for. And that you can afford.
It is really easy to find reach schools, but no fun to have few or no admissions to pick from in April of senior year. </p>
<p>While it may look like she might get into higher ranked schools based on their test ranges, note that the students getting in with lower scores are almost always hooked as described above. Also, my experience has been that a high CR score does not offset a low math score. My D1 had this, and did not get into the highest ranked schools she applied to.</p>
<p>Not worth any retakes in hopes she’ll get lucky. (What if the first test were the lucky one, and it’s all downhill from there?)</p>
<p>I’d consider retaking once, after some diligent study of her weak areas. Beyond that, statistics say you’re just wasting time and money.</p>
<p>The top schools don’t superscore, so it really doesn’t help to take the SAT multiple times, since they’ll see all your scores anyway.</p>
<p>My personal philosophy is that your score is a good predictor of whether you can do the work at a top school. Taking the test multiple times and improving may be a good indicator of perseverance, but not of the student’s chances at doing really well at the school. </p>
<p>The wisest approach to the SAT, in my opinion, is to study for it using the book or whateveryou have, then sit for it once when you feel you have adequately covered the material, especially the math component. The only time I’d encourage my child to retake it is if he or she was ill on test day, or had not yet covered a key portion of the material in class (algebra, for example.) In such a case, I’d encourage the kid to wait a few months, master more of the material and then take the test again.</p>
<p>My son, for example, is a sophomore in HS who did poorly on the math section of the PSAT. His score doesn’t count this year, which is good, but we will definitely encourage heavy preparation for taking the test next fall, since by then he will have completed geometry (he’d only had a few weeks of it when he took the test last fall, and the PSAT is almost 40% geometry.) If your daughter is in a situation like this, I would definitely encourage her not to sit for the SAT until she really has covered the material that will be on the math section.</p>
<p>I am aware she wouldn’t get into an Ivy with those scores. She’s an MA URM, 1st gen. Also fluent in Spanish and Japanese, and has been playing the Piano for 7 years. Plus the usual AP’s, honors, community service etc…</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! :)</p>