<p>I hate it when ■■■■■■ aren’t even GOOD ■■■■■■!</p>
<p>Whoever you are, two points: a) Why are you talking about the Ivies and top engineering schools in the same breath? Two very different targets, generally speaking. b) Whether or not you should retake depends on the section breakdown. If the breakdown was 800W, 800CR, 680M and you really want to go to Cal Tech, you might want to study for M and retake.</p>
<p>BTW, I really do doubt that you would have 800s in W and CR…</p>
<p>jym626-good sleuthing as usual. It’s that boring time of year after applications are due and before decisions come out, no Major League Baseball yet, etc. The children keep coming out to play. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>To answer the question: don’t be ridiculous. Of course there’s no need to retake the SAT with scores that good. Save your money.</p>
<p>Yes</p>
<p>after all a 2280 is only the top 9,438 studnts in the world (2010 SAT data) in the world</p>
<p>and there aren’t enough spaces at the Ivies for all those kids</p>
<p>Yes, because a 2280 is only the top 9.438 stduents in the world (2010 SAT data)</p>
<p>‘Definately’ (sic) a ■■■■■. There’s no way a parent would write like the OP and there’s no way the OP, assuming the OP’s a HS student, could have scored a 2280 given the (lack of) writing ability.</p>
<p>But in response to the basic question - if someone scores less than a 2400 on their first attempt I think they should consider taking the SAT a second time only because a fair number of people do better the second time since they’re familiar with the test setting by then. The cost of the test is insignificant compared to the cost of college and the potential loss of merit dollars if one does reasonably better.</p>
<p>Yesbecausea2280isonlythetop9,438studentsintheworld(2010SATdata)</p>
<p>LOL – Learn to type like an old person before you try it again.</p>
<p>UCSD Dad, really? You think if someone scores above 2360 on their first attempt they should take it again? It’s certainly high enough for merit money and it just seems neurotic to take it again. I’ve heard college admissions officers say that when they see that they wonder about the kid and how neurotic that kid might be. It doesn’t even seem like a close call to me when a score is that high, especially if if the few points missing are on the writing section. I feel there is a point of diminishing returns and I also think that it’s healthier to be happy for having done so well the first time out and to move on knowing that no college will reject you, either for a spot or for a scholarship, because of your SAT score.</p>
<p>At our house, a 1500/2290 did not merit another attempt as it included a math score above 700, and even though he scored 790 on Writing – twice. S2 would have been happy with the first try of 2200 had the CR and Writing scores been reversed (1490/2200 instead of 1410/2200). </p>
<p>S1 was delighted with his one-and-done 1580/2380, as it meant he could live without the stigma of a 2400. (I still think the omitted CR question was not an accident!)</p>
<p>The scores get you on the table, not through the door.</p>
<p>
I was waiting for someone to question why I said this!</p>
<p>Really, it depends on the individual. If it were me, and I received a 2360 on the first try, I’d know there’s a reasonable chance for me to get a 2400 which is what I would have liked to have had in the first place so, being who I am, I’d want to give it a second shot. realistically, it probably has as much of a chance of going down as going up but if it went to 2400 I’d be pretty happy about it - regardless of whether it had any real practical benefit or not. </p>
<p>However, for the more gray area of say, 2000-2300, being able to improve the score a hundred points or more can have a more significant impact on acceptances and merit money so IMO it’s worth a shot. The exception would be if one already has their plans made that aren’t dependent on a higher score but I think for most, that’s not the case. Even if they make it into UCLA, if that’s their main goal as an example, with their score of 2200, they might want to shoot for higher to have a better chance at a Regents scholarship.</p>
<p>I don’t see why a score of 2400 would be considered a ‘stigma’??</p>
<p>It’s not a stigma to get a 2400. But if you keep trying to get one after a very high score, it might be perceived as the academic equivalent of a gorgeous young woman getting a little work done so she can be perfect. What’s wrong with just plain gorgeous? </p>
<p>Some years ago DS1 wanted to take the SAT one more time and ended up with an 800 on the math (this was the 1600 test.) But back then it was a much cheaper and a much shorter exam. And the 800 was a significant jump from the previous score so there was a lot more reason to retake it. This past fall DS3 took it in the fall of his junior year and scored 2370 – 800 CR, 800 Math and 770 WR. He was hugely relieved that there was no need to retake because this test has turned into an academic marathon. </p>
<p>He walked into that test hoping to do well enough to not have to retake it – he hoped for a definitive score one way or the other, and I don’t think he could have come up with the necessary psychological drive to do much better once he knew he’d done well. Certainly he was asked by others if he would take it again, but I’m really glad he didn’t feel the need to prove something. If he had felt the need, we wouldn’t have stopped him, but there is the very real risk of scoring lower and I think that would be disheartening. Sometimes it’s good to quit while you’re ahead.</p>
<p>mimk6:</p>
<p>That’s an outstanding score your S attained! Most excellent.</p>
<p>How about taking the ACT and seeing how your son fares on that one?</p>
<p>Thanks, UCSD<em>UCLA</em>Dad. Thumper, he has expressed no desire to take the ACT. He has several AP exams coming up followed by a couple of SAT subject tests. I don’t think he’s feeling any desire to take an additional test to see how he might fare.</p>
<p>mimk6’s DS3 has a very healthy attitude. His score looks a lot better than someone’s 2400 after many tries (at least college adcoms should think this way).</p>
<p>At that level, there should be another test for the kids, something like Academic Talent Search, i.e., using ACT/SAT to see how the top 5% middle school students spread out. Then again, why do such a test? There are plenty of EC’s to have fun with.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Mimk6…the above quote was to the OP of this thread, not to you…there is NO need for Mimk6son to take either the SAT or ACT again…scores are fine.</p>
<p>But the “poor OP”…he might want to consider the ACT. After all, for some students, it’s just a better match standardized test wise.</p>
<p>The poor OP seems to have left the building… Maybe is busy studying for the Mar 12 test 
Oh wait… the OP was supposed to be the parent</p>
<p>Ignoring the question of whether the OP is a ■■■■■ or not, I also think there may be very good reasons for retaking a 2280 (indeed, my own daughter is retaking a 2310). It has to do with the breakdown. If the score was 760, 760, 760, then I agree there’s probably no reason to retake. But if it’s more unbalanced, and the kid thinks he can do better on the “low” section (the case with my daughter), then I think it makes sense. I wish I could believe that a 2280 is just as good as a 2340 (or whatever) in terms of admission to top schools, but I don’t believe that.</p>