Everyone knows that the SAT is a standardized test that many colleges use as part of the admissions process. Students want to achieve the highest score possible, and it’s often recommended that they take the SAT multiple times before graduating high school.

What students may not know, however, is that many colleges will superscore your SAT scores. This means that they will take the highest section scores from all of your test results and use only these scores for admissions decisions. Read on to learn can you combine SAT scores?

Can You Combine SAT Scores: Superscoring the SAT

Every college and university has its own set of SAT score-use policies. Currently, many are temporarily not requiring that students submit SAT scores as part of their admission applications. However, regardless of whether they follow a “test-optional” or a “test-required” policy, schools may or may not superscore SAT scores.

Superscoring the SAT combines your top scores, but there’s a certain routine to it. Suppose that you take the SAT twice, and during your first time, you achieve an Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) score of 690 and a Math score of 710.

When you take the SAT the second time, you improve your Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score by 60 points but your math score slips by 10 points. Universities that superscore SAT scores will use your second EBRW and first Math scores since those were the highest ones.

Score-Use Policies: What’s the Difference?

Colleges can follow several types of SAT score-use policies, including:

  • Score choice
  • Single highest test date
  • All scores required

While “single highest test date” and “all scores required” might be self-explanatory, score choice warrants more explanation.

Score Choice

Score choice is offered by The College Board, which is the organization that provides the SAT. It’s an optional program that allows students to select which of their scores or set of scores are sent to colleges. 

In other words, when colleges honor score choices, they allow students to control which score reports and which test dates are sent to specific colleges. 

It’s important to note that many colleges require that students submit all their scores so the admissions committees can review the highest scores for themselves. Make sure you review the specific policies of the colleges to which you want to apply.

Single Highest Test Date

With this SAT score-use policy, a college will take the highest total SAT score (Math and EBRW combined) into consideration, regardless of when you took the test or whether it’s your most recent score. Some schools request that students still send in their scores from all test dates for scores to be updated in their applicant files.

All Scores Required

This policy requires you to submit every SAT score from every sitting on every test date in which you participated. Some schools use this policy to see improvements you have made over time with the sections and on the entire exam itself.

SAT Tutoring with Jantzi

Make sure you give yourself the best chance of achieving the high score you deserve on the SAT exam. For personalized test prep services to maximize your SAT potential, contact us at Jantzi today.

Posted in Success Tips