<p>When I joined CC and started to look at forums, I began to think of myself as a future applicant who will not get into ANY of the schools that I was thinking of applying to b/c of all the people that get worried about their stellar grades on the SAT I and the subject tests.</p>
<p>My rank should be solid, but when it comes to standardized testing, I never get it “right” the first time around. My subject tests aren’t up to par and neither is my SAT. </p>
<p>My question is, if I do amazing when retaking my standardized tests (SAT and subject tests) will this reflect really badly b/c i didn’t do phenomenal the first time around? Or will the schools see that maybe I didn’t do well the first time, but I always strive to do the very best I can and that I am capable of doing well?</p>
<p>Standardized testing has never been a strong point of mine, but I don’t want colleges to think that i show up w/o studying or working hard the first time around b/c I am seriously ALWAYS working hard for my grades (btw—EC’s are solid too)</p>
<p>From what I read on CC, you can’t even be considered for schools unless you have gotten a 2300 and 780’s and 800’s on your subject tests the FIRST time around. Is hope lost? I would love some feedback! =)</p>
<p>(schools that I am looking into–Brown ED, UMich, Northwestern, URochester…places similar to that)</p>
<p>No, that’s not true. This has been pretty much cleared up by top school adcoms, but most places don’t care how many times you take the SAT or ACT and simply superscore or take your best individual score. In addition, I don’t think the ‘cutoff’ for top schools is 2300 either. If there is a cutoff, and there technically isn’t, I’d say it’s around 2100 (1400 on the old SAT). To me, this seems to be the magic number that puts you in the running. A lower score will raise eyebrows usually and a higher score will help you, but won’t get you in.</p>
<p>I agree with brand_182. Colleges will usually only look at your highest SAT scores from each section. If you do poorly the first time and do well the second time, that’s great; nobody, not anybody, will look askance at you. You might get some raised eyebrows if you do well the first time and then bomb the second time, but then, colleges understand that SAT scores are the result of one single Saturday morning’s work… and that Saturday morning might not have been your best day ever. That’s understandable. They’ll take your best scores anyway and forget about the crappy ones. I mean, unless they were truly crappy, like <500 (while your good scores were >650 or >700).</p>
<p>If you send a good ACT score after several attempts, they’ll only see the score you send. Don’t fret. </p>
<p>Also, apply as early as you can at Michigan. It’s rolling and easier to get in early. At least that is the experience we had at the school where I work.</p>
<p>The truth is, the don’t sit around and analyze your score change. Your highest scores are entered into your file and that’s what they see in most cases.</p>