<p>I read the advice about searching for previous threads on the same subject, and I don’t see recent thread about what colleges specifically say in their publications or on their Web sites about applicants taking the SAT I more than once. There is a rather amazing thread on the Harvard Forum right now, "[How</a> Many Sittings For SATs?](<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=307803]How">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=307803)" in which some Harvard students or friends of Harvard students tell stories about retaking the SAT I for a total of up to FIVE sittings. I see that on this forum some applicants have discussed retaking the SAT in their specific personal situations </p>
<p>but I didn’t see in those earlier threads, even when it would have fit the context, many citations to statements by college admission officers about what THEY think about the issue. It seems to me that this should be mentioned on some college Web sites. Can anyone point me to some links written by current college admission officers about the issue of taking the SAT I (or ACT) more than once? </p>
<p>On my part, I think that a lot of other issues are actually more important to a college application than how often one has taken the SAT I, or even what the applicant’s highest score was, but students worry about this, so I want to make sure that I have the best, most reliable information. </p>
<p>Good luck to all of you applying this year.</p>
<p>I’ve never seen a college say that it averages scores from more than one sitting of the same test. That’s certainly one possible way to treat multiple scores, but what college says that it does things that way?</p>
<p>in the Gatekeepers, the author wrote that Wesleyan (I think) averaged scores after three times. But, the book’s been out for a year, and don’t know if they still do. Have not heard of any other colleges that do. But, most adcoms have said something to the effect: ‘after three times, we’d hope you find a more meaningful way to spend your Saturday mornings.’</p>
<p>I’ll have to check The Gatekeepers on that point [performs online library request]. I’ve heard some shocked comments about that 2002 book from alumni of the college featured in the book.</p>
<p>While the book about the admission process at Wesleyan from a few years ago travels over to my local branch library, I’m wondering if there are any college Web pages that describe what colleges do when an applicant submits more than one set of SAT I scores.</p>
<p>The only thing I’ve ever seen on the college websites is whether they superscore the SAT (i.e., take the best section score from multiple sittings). I have never seen anything that says how many times is enough or how many times retaking it is too much.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply. It’s interesting that students seem to have impressions about what the rules are but no source they can cite to explain where those impressions come from.</p>
<p>The test-taking rule (really more of a recommendation, as it’s pretty loose/vague) is something I have only heard through word-of-mouth/in a casual setting. I mean: college info sessions, question-answer sessions with admissions officers, advice from college counselors experienced in the “business,” etc. I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen it written down on paper/website. A simple Google search might confirm this.</p>
<p>It may be that I read something years ago that suggested taking the SAT fewer than a LOT of times. But what I find interesting now that I attend college information sessions put on by top-tier colleges in my town, the current admission officers consider it very routine and unremarkable for applicants to take the SAT I more than once. They generally mention the typical elite college practice of taking the best score from each section of the test, even if not from the same sitting, and counting that as the test score of an applicant who submits more than one set of scores.</p>
<p>We are still waiting for the answer as to what, exactly, stories of people
who took multiple SATs and got in to school X would prove. Note that Harvard, Yale, etc can throw
half of the 4+ SAT applications in the trash and still there would be hundreds of such who get in and
can post it on CC. The other posters seem to have grasped this when it was pointed out, but some
continue to perseverate.</p>
<p>For those not following the other 5-10 threads the OP has started on this subject, note that 8 of the first 11 postings are from the same person, who is ■■■■■■■■ mightily for data that might “help” where published information has not. See other threads for details.</p>
<p>Alright I took the SAT I 3 times in all. May, Oct, Jan. With a 100 point increase each time (on the 2400 scale).</p>
<p>So far I’ve been accepted at USC, Tulane, Lafayette, but I’m still waiting for 9 more (all the hard ones I did). I applied to MIT and decisions came out today, but I refuse to look online (I’d rather receive a rejection in the mail…)</p>