Does it look bad if you took SAT 4 times to get good score?
That depends. Did you achieve the best score the fourth time around?
Also, time intervals. Taking the SAT in grade 9, 10, 11, & 12 (e.g. increasing from 1300 to 1600) wouldn’t be viewed the same as taking the SAT four times during senior year.
Some if my kids took the sat and act 3 times each, only submitted the highest scores.
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You do not report all four test scores. You report only the test(s) that have your highest section scores, so, one or two tests.
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In general, no.
There are several schools that require all test scores, IMO those are the only ones that might care.
How many of the tests do you need to use for your highest superscore? For schools that allow self reporting, you will only report the number of tests you need to show your highest composite and section scores in the common app.
For schools where you have to submit official scores, I would only send the ones with the highest composite and/or those tests needed to create the highest superscore (for schools that allow superscoring.)
ETA: on common app, it only asks for highest composite score for the ACT. It doesn’t ask that for the SAT. As sj2727 said below, some schools may ask for highest SAT composite on their own app.
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At 99% of schools - no.
In your common app or other app, if they superscore, they’re asking for your highest subsections.
Most schools will look at only your highest seating - or if they superscore, the highest across.
You can take it 8 times - it won’t matter - except a few schools that want to see all (I believe Georgetown is one).
Sorry - reading @Mwfan1921 note now. Yes, what they say!!!
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Nope, due to recent leadership changes, Georgetown no longer requires submission of all test scores.
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I can’t remember if it was the common app or particular schools, but I know my student was asked to report the highest single-sitting total score as well as the highest section scores, so feasibly a student could be reporting up to 3 test dates.
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Must have been a particular school. The Common App testing section does not have a field for composite SAT score.
In contrast, Common App does have a field for composite ACT.
Others have commented on the “look bad” part of the question. I will add that I would be careful in crafting the college application list. If most applications are to schools where most students have the same or higher superscore, then I would be very attentive to making sure that there are adequate supports (both for academics and for mental health, as a student needing to do something 4 times that others might do in 1 or 2 can also impact one’s self-image).
In sum, I would make sure that there is a big focus on selecting schools where the kid would thrive once enrolled, and understanding how peer dynamics can play into that for the individual under discussion.
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