Is the SAT superscore to good to be true?

Test Preparation
1

<p>It sounds like a good deal, retaking the SAT and only counting the best scores. The problem is that it sounds a little too good to be true. The SAT is based on statistical probability so to only count the best tests dilutes the accuracy of the probability. By requesting all scores, I think that Adcom is actually considering the average of all scores. I suspect that some who have a great super score but an average all score SAT might not be sitting as strong as they think?</p>

2

<p>You’re overthinking this. Colleges that say they superscore are being honest. They want to give students the benefit of the doubt.</p>

3

<p>Dad: You could be right about overthinking. Below is an excerpt from The Stanford admission pages. The word focus is strong, but then again it is not as strong as the word use or apply?</p>

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<p>[Testing</a> : Stanford University](<a href=“Page Not Found : Stanford University”>Standardized Testing : Stanford University)</p>

4

<p>When I visited Amherst, the associate dean of admissions told us at the info session that they have a computer program that automatically superscores both the SAT and ACT and then gives adcoms the best superscore without revealing how many times the applicant took each exam. This means:

  • [<em>] if someone has an SAT superscore of 2330 and an ACT superscore of 31, the program will only reveal the 2330, and
    [</em>] someone with a 2330 SAT on their first and only try looks the same as a superscore of 2330 of a kid who took it eight times. (Is this fair? Perhaps…)

I’m inclined to believe this is true of Amherst’s process, but who knows.</p>

5

<p>It is really unremarkable. Most schools superscore.</p>

<p>Remember that the SAT is only a small piece of the puzzle.</p>