How to Retake the SAT
Roughly 1/3 of juniors and seniors will take the SAT more than once before they submit their college applications. With SAT scores such an important factor in admissions decisions, students and their parents know it is important to get a high score.
If you didn't get the good SAT score you expected and are considering retaking the test, here are some things to consider before you retake the SAT.
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Keep in mind that on average, 55% percent who retake the SAT get a higher score, and 10% end up with the same score. Some things that affect this average are the initial score, and how much studying is done between tests.
Generally, the lower your initial score, the more room for improvement there is. Students who score 1500/2400 the first time can easily raise their scores by 300 points, whereas students who score 2000/2400 will have a much harder time gaining 300 points. If your score is in the 90th percentile, there may not be much benefit to retaking the SAT, unless you do a lot of extra studying.
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If you do decide to retake it, re-evaluate your study materials from the first time you took the test. If your books did not have questions similar to the real SAT questions you encountered, get new SAT study guides so that you can prep smarter.
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Timing is often an issue for students who retake the SAT. If you have trouble finishing the tests within the allotted time, it is imperative that you take full length practice tests to build up your endurance and speed.
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Remember that the SAT employs a guessing penalty in its scoring process. If you can't eliminate any answer choices, it is better to leave the question blank than blindly guess and get it wrong.
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Don't feel pressured to retake the test sooner than you need to. If most of your college applications are due at the end of the year, take the October/November SAT so that you have ample time to re-prep.
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Be mindful of how colleges will use multiple SAT scores. It is not true that all colleges look at only the highest score. Some take the average, others will look at only the most recent if the tests were taken far apart. If you are unsure how the score will be interpreted, call or email to ask. Remember that you cannot pick and choose which scores to send, colleges see all the scores.
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