<p>When is enough, enough…even if it is only 1 sitting. My child scored a 2140 the first time taking the SAT. Scores were CR 740, W 700, M 700. SAT IIs were World History 710, US History 780, Literature 780. This is clearly an English/History kid, not so much math/science. Likely that CR and W may go up, but M is unlikely to stay the same without more intense studying. If the schools on the list are top 25, both LAC and Universities, what are some thoughts on whether my child should take the SAT again. High School does not rank or have traditional grades, but is well known to colleges.</p>
<p>There is no definitive answer, but in general terms, your child will have a very good opportunity to do better in at least one section. Since most schools accept the best scores of multiples test, my recommendation would be to give it another shot. At a minimum, you’ll eliminate the sould-searching questions next April. After all, wasting a few hours on a rainy Saturday is not that big of a deal. </p>
<p>I fully expect reading more than a few posts with different opinions on this issue, but I can assure you that I have yet to receive a PM or email expressing regrets for having taken the test again. On the other hand, I have received many, many accounts that the retake yielded a much better score, and that it helped facing the decisions in April and May.</p>
<p>I see three possibilities:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Do any of the schools to which your child is applying require or recommend an SAT II test (math? science? foreign language?) that your child has not yet taken? If they do, then your child’s highest priority should be selecting and studying for that test or tests. The SAT is secondary.</p></li>
<li><p>Do any of the schools to which your child is applying require or recommend three SAT II tests? Your child might have an advantage at such schools if he/she could present test scores in three truly different fields (rather than two of them being history), provided that the scores are all good ones. In this case, if there is another SAT II on which your child expects that he/she could do well, it might be more important to prepare for it than to take the SAT again.</p></li>
<li><p>If your child truly does not need to take any more SAT IIs, and if is nothing else preventing him/her from taking the SAT again, I think your child should take it. My child, with scores in the same vicinity as your child’s, took the SAT a second time without studying, and her score went up by 100 points overall. It happens.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>How did the CR 740, W 700, M 700 your child earned compare to his/her expectations based on practice exams? If these scores are as good as or better than expectations, it would be dumb to go to all the trouble to study and take the test again. I think your child shouldn’t retake UNLESS he/she expects an 800 on CR and at least the middle 700s on W and M.</p>
<p>Improving from a 700 to 800 is MUCH more difficult than improving from 600 to 700 or 500 to 600. The higher one’s score, the more dependent it is on luck, as there aren’t very many easy gains to make.</p>
<p>In other words, one can squeeze only so much blood out of a stone and no more.</p>
<p>As for SAT II’s…no school she is interested in requires more than 2 and none specify math or science. So as far as they are concerned…she’s done. </p>
<p>As for practise tests…yes, she expected better in CR and W…but scored higher than expected in math. I’m concerned that regardless of any improvement in CR and W, the M score (without additional studying) might make the original look like a fluke. And will a potential 60 point difference in CR make all that much difference given the score ranges for any exam. Or is it that an 800 trumps all?</p>
<p>I think what you are trying to get from us is a definite - yes, he will ge tin if he gets this score, or he doesn’t need it. No one can do that. This site has seen many 1600’s not get into the top schools. SAT is only one aspect of what the schools are looking at. Use your best judgment, and don’t second guess yourself.</p>
<p>Most colleges use the highest scores on each section. Those that don’t use the highest composite score. So what does your daughter have to lose?</p>
<p>It sounds as though your daughter wants to take the test again but you object. If she wants to take it and you forbid it, she is going to resent you forever if she is then rejected from any colleges that she really wanted to attend. She will always think, “If my parents had let me take the SAT again, I might have scored higher, and that might have been enough to get me into X University.”</p>
<p>Thanks everyone and no need for more advice. I know there is no guaranteed admission for any SAT scores…this is my 3rd child heading into this process. And believe me, we would never require her or forbid her to do anything with respect to SATs. I was just looking for some input, I got it and as for me, this discussion can be over.</p>