Are old scores invalidated when you take another ACT/SAT test?

Test Preparation
1

<p>In the fall of last year, I scored a 29 on the ACT and a 1910 on the SAT. I took the SAT last Saturday and I am going to take the ACT again this Saturday, but I am looking to know whether the old scores are invalidated if I do so.</p>

<p>For example, if I scored an 1870 on this SAT, can I choose to send my first test, the 1910, to colleges, or is it invalidated? If I score a 28 on this ACT, can I choose to send the previous 29 to colleges?</p>

<p>Basically, if I score lower the second time around, do I get to keep the first score?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Yes, you get to keep the first score. At most schools, you don’t even have to report both scores.</p>

3

<p>Ok, thanks!</p>

4

<p>No problem! Just in case issues arise again (or someone browsing this thread needs it), here’s a basic overview of how SAT/ACT scores work:</p>

<p>SAT:</p>

<p>You take 8 real sections (3 math, 3 critical reading, 2 writing) + 1 experimental section (math, critical reading, or writing) + 1 essay. The experimental section is scored but the results are not known to you; they use the % of people getting each question right to determine difficulty. The questions in the 3 math sections are used to generate a score from 200-800; there is generally no curve on the math section and around 4% of test-takers get an 800. The questions in the 3 critical reading sections are also used to generate a score between 200-800; there is generally a two question curve on the reading section and somewhere around 1% of test-takers make an 800. The writing section (200-800 again) is a little bit more complicated; there’s a raw score from the 2 provided sections and a separate essay score from 2-12 (two independent graders giving it a score of 1-6)- you can miss one question in the multiple choice sections (generally) and, as long as you get a 10 or above on the essay, you’ll make an 800. The essay itself + the essay score also show up on the score report. Around 1% of people make an 800 in writing.</p>

<p>You get 1 raw point for getting a question right and lose .25 points for missing it, regardless of difficulty (my calculations about how many you can miss and still make an 800 are based on you actually getting it wrong); the only exceptions are math section grid-in questions, on which you lose no points for getting the question wrong (in other words, if you have time and aren’t sure on these, go ahead and guess if you have some numbers ready).</p>

<p>CollegeBoard uses all three scores (Math, CR, WR) to generate an overall score from 600-2400, with around 0.2% (200-400 each year) of test-takers getting a 2400 and even fewer making a 600. They report these scores to colleges around 1-2 weeks before they report them to applicants (and provide 4 free score reports per test).</p>

<p>The SAT can be taken as often as desired, with scores being tied to one person associated with a name and certain other details, including a social security number (this has been exploited in the past by one person to erase their test-taking history to make it look like they got a 2400 the first time). When sending scores, there’s a flat charge + something around $10 per college receiving the score report. You can send all of your SAT and SAT Subject Test scores on one report; there is no fee for hiding scores.</p>

<p>However, when colleges receive their scores, they analyze them their own way. An example is Score Choice (which lets you choose exactly which scores a college receives). Some colleges want ALL of your scores; for details, see this chart: <a href=“http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/sat-score-use-practices-list.pdf”>http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/sat-score-use-practices-list.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>There’s also superscoring. If you take the test multiple times, colleges might take your highest score in each section to create a new “overall score”; you can find out whether a college does this by reading their score policies on an admissions website. There’s generally no disadvantage to taking the test multiple times and sending scores unless there’s a massive drop or you take the SAT more than 3 times.</p>

<p>The ACT is basically the same, except with a Science section mixed in and the essay being optional. Students actually get these scores before colleges/high schools, and the scores are averaged rather than added up. There’s an extra “Writing” score for essay-takers which factors in their English (grammar, similar to SAT Writing without essay) section (1-36) and essay score (2-12, graded just like the SAT) and requires a 12 to get a 36; no one really takes this score seriously. Also, the ACT doesn’t let you send multiple scores at once, so if you’re sending multiple ACT scores the cost really stacks up because that’s more than one report. Score Choice is also a bit more vague for them; I’d talk to a college about it because the cost does stack up.</p>