<p>I got a 2270 on my first time taking the SAT (M - 790, CR - 730, W - 750), and my parents are dead set on me retaking it, which I’m fine with. But now they want me take an SAT prep course to improve my score… Am I alone in thinking that’s ridiculous? I feel like I should be focusing my interests in other healthier and actually useful areas instead of raising this stupid test score by a few irrelevant numbers. Or am I wrong?</p>
<p>Wait this is in the wrong section…</p>
<p>I don’t think you are wrong thinking this is ridiculous.</p>
<p>Your SAT score is excellent. Even with significant prep, it is unlikely to rise by much, and the few points will not make or break your application. You are better served spending the time crafting stellar essays, or working on some other aspect that needs bolstering.</p>
<p>^ What he said. </p>
<p>Yeah it’s pretty ridiculous to retake it after getting that high of a score–after all, it’s not like a college will accept a student with a 2271 sat score over your 2270 sat score. Once you hit that high of a score, it doesn’t really matter that much. But you might wanna take it to get that super score; perhaps focus on critical reading and writing since those were your lowest scores. And trust me, you DO NOT want to take an SAT prep course. It might actually make your grade lower. The course will prepare you tackle SAT questions made by THEM not by college board. Why study for a test using another company’s questions and tests when college board, the actual test makers, offers their stuff? So if your parents aren’t willing to change their mind, try finding a company or tutor that teaches straight from college board material, not from their own company’s books. </p>
<p>My parents had me attend a prep course for the SAT, and I remember that our instructor said a score over 2250 shows colleges that this person could have gotten a perfect score. I think that applies in this case. Honestly, your score is more likely to drop. One of the guys at my high school got a 2250, his parents forced him to take it again, and he got a 2180. </p>
<p>More likely to receive lower SAT scores. Never take a risk.</p>
<p>If you take enough practice tests you should have a better idea of what to expect than either of these two ^ ^^</p>
<p>Crazy to retake, imo.</p>
<p>For admission purpose, you don’t need to retake it at all, not to mention taking a prep course. However, if you do find you can improve your score during practice test and you have nothing better to do than retaking it, you should give it a try as a higher score may help you to get some merit aids. Otherwise, it should have a very low priority in doing that. Forget about the prep course. It is not for students at your level anyway. Your score is probably better than many instructors there already.</p>
<p>There’s no <em>admissions</em> risk involved in retaking – virtually every school will take your highest score. But it’s a big waste of your time. You’ll help your admissions odds more by devoting yourself more to your top ECs and maintaining your GPA.</p>
<p>The one argument for retaking is if you’re looking at a specific school that has an automatic scholarship level you haven’t hit. Otherwise, your parents are making a mistake.</p>
<p>I don’t know what your parents are thinking of, but that would be a huge mistake (Even with their logic). The time you would spend prepping for your 2nd SAT (For what? a 50 point increase?) could be better spent by improving your application, maintaining your GPA and applying for scholarships. A 2270 is a great score (In my opinion, it fits within the regular fluctuation that one would find when taking the SAT multiple times, meaning a 2270 is the same as a 2400 in my mind), so don’t worry. 
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<p>Yeah, that would be frivolous to retake. Do some volunteer work, read a book, chill con tus amigos. Any of these would be a far better use of your time.</p>
<p>Edit: Misspelled “of”…</p>