The SAT, formerly known as the Scholastic Assessment Test, is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. It measures a student’s readiness for college and is designed to assess their critical reading, mathematics, and writing skills. The SAT is scored on a scale of 400 to 1600, with each section (Reading, Writing and Language, and Math) contributing a maximum of 800 points.
SAT Superscore is a method of calculating a student’s SAT score by combining their best section scores from different test dates. This means that a student’s superscore is the highest possible score they could have achieved if they had taken each section of the SAT on its own best day.
For example:
If a student scores 700 on Reading, 650 on Writing and Language, and 750 on Math on one test date, and 680 on Reading, 720 on Writing and Language, and 730 on Math on another test date, their SAT superscore would be 750 for Reading, 720 for Writing and Language, and 750 for Math, for a total of 2220. Superscoring is an important consideration for students who are applying to colleges that superscore SAT scores.
According to the College Board, over 80% of colleges and universities in the US superscore SAT scores. This means that if a student submits multiple SAT scores to a college, the college will consider their superscore when making admissions decisions.
There are several benefits to superscoring SAT scores:
- It gives students a chance to improve their overall SAT score without having to retake the entire test.
- It allows students to focus their studying on specific sections of the SAT that they need to improve.
- It can help students qualify for scholarships and other financial aid opportunities.
However, there are also some drawbacks to superscoring SAT scores:
- It can be time-consuming to take the SAT multiple times.
- It can be expensive to take the SAT multiple times.
- It’s not guaranteed that all colleges and universities will superscore SAT scores.
Overall, superscoring SAT scores can be a beneficial strategy for students who are applying to colleges that superscore SAT scores. However, students should carefully weigh the benefits and drawbacks of superscoring before deciding whether or not to pursue this option.
How to Superscore SAT Scores
If you’re considering superscoring your SAT scores, there are a few things you need to do:
- Take the SAT multiple times. The more times you take the SAT, the more opportunities you’ll have to improve your section scores.
- Keep track of your scores. After each test date, be sure to record your section scores so that you can track your progress.
- Identify your strengths and weaknesses. Once you have a few SAT scores, you can start to identify which sections you’re strongest in and which sections you need to improve.
- Focus your studying. Once you know your strengths and weaknesses, you can focus your studying on the sections that you need to improve.
- Submit your superscore. When you apply to colleges, be sure to submit your superscore if the college superscores SAT scores.
Colleges that Superscore SAT Scores
The following is a list of colleges and universities that superscore SAT scores:
| College/University | Website |
|---|---|
| Amherst College | https://www.amherst.edu |
| Boston College | https://www.bc.edu |
| Brown University | https://www.brown.edu |
| California Institute of Technology | https://www.caltech.edu |
| Carnegie Mellon University | https://www.cmu.edu |
| Columbia University | https://www.columbia.edu |
| Cornell University | https://www.cornell.edu |
| Dartmouth College | https://www.dartmouth.edu |
| Duke University | https://www.duke.edu |
| Emory University | https://www.emory.edu |
| Georgetown University | https://www.georgetown.edu |
| Harvard University | https://www.harvard.edu |
| Johns Hopkins University | https://www.jhu.edu |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | https://www.mit.edu |
| Northwestern University | https://www.northwestern.edu |
| Princeton University | https://www.princeton.edu |
| Stanford University | https://www.stanford.edu |
| University of California, Berkeley | https://www.berkeley.edu |
| University of Chicago | https://www.uchicago.edu |
| University of Michigan | https://www.umich.edu |
| University of Notre Dame | https://www.nd.edu |
| University of Pennsylvania | https://www.upenn.edu |
| Vanderbilt University | https://www.vanderbilt.edu |
| Yale University | https://www.yale.edu |
Conclusion
Superscoring SAT scores can be a beneficial strategy for students who are applying to colleges that superscore SAT scores. However, students should carefully weigh the benefits and drawbacks of superscoring before deciding whether or not to pursue this option.