The long-awaited day has come and gone: you woke up from a good night’s sleep, ate a well-balanced breakfast, and spent five hours at an SAT test center filling in bubbles that corresponded to your answers. Whether or not you scored in the range you were hoping for, you may be wondering if retaking the SAT is the right move for you. Here are some things to think about before you decide.
Most schools view your highest scores. Many admissions committees will view the highest scores from your multiple attempts. At Siena, we focus on the critical reading and math portions, so if you scored higher on the math portion from your first test, but higher on critical reading from your second, not to worry. We take the highest scores you received.
You can choose which scores are sent. College Board offers a score choice option, giving you the power to decide which scores are sent to the schools on your list. Even if you choose not to partake in the score choice program, you can still feel confident that your best scores will be considered.
You need to study…again. Despite how confident you might feel having already taken the SAT, you should still prepare for the next test in a similar way (after all, you won’t be seeing the same questions). Revisit your materials, take practice tests, and think about the sections you struggled with your first time around.
Consider an SAT subject test. Maybe you’re very happy with how you scored on the SAT—and that’s great—but there’s more you can do to impress college admissions offices. SAT subject tests paint an even better picture of your strengths and may be used later to place you in the college courses that match your skill level. If the schools you’re interested in don’t require subject tests, you can choose which tests you want to take within any of these five areas: English, history, math, science, and foreign languages—a great way to show schools which subjects you excel in or are passionate about.
Is it worth it? When it comes to getting into your dream school, it is absolutely worth it to meet their admissions requirements in every way possible. If that means retaking the SAT to boost your chances, then it might be well worth the effort. With the freedom to choose your highest scores (and the likelihood that schools will only view your best), you have nothing to lose.
If you do decide to retake the SAT, make sure you take a look at our preparation tips...
