Should I Take The SAT/ACT Again?
So you've taken the SAT or ACT at least once, but you're not sure whether you should take it again just one more time. Thankfully, we're here to help you answer this question.
What are the pros of taking the SAT or ACT another time?
You have the opportunity to look over your previous exams, see where you went wrong, and drill down to master those concepts. Sharpening specific skills and focusing on certain pesky concepts increases your chances of improving your score. Did you kill it on the English section but your math results left something to be desired? You can study smart by targeting the particular section or sections of the test that need the most work, and you can even superscore all of your tests to showcase your best results.
Have you ever decided against pursuing an opportunity in the moment and later wish you had tackled it when you had the chance? If you take the test just one more time, you'll be glad you seized the opportunity while it lasted, even if it doesn't dramatically affect your score. You don't want to look back at the end of the college application process and kick yourself for not giving your 100%. No regrets, right?
A common misconception is that you have to submit every SAT or ACT you've taken to most colleges. In short, this is completely false; you as the applicant choose which of your scores are sent to each college, and nobody can force you to do otherwise. So if you take the test again and aren't satisfied with the results, then don't submit them! It's all up to you.
It's been shown that students who take the SAT or ACT for a second or third time actually see an increase in their scores. Although most of the time this improvement is minimal, who doesn't love a few extra points?
And now, you may be asking, what are the cons?
If you've taken the SAT or ACT a few times before, you already know that you have to pay to take the test. The SAT costs $47.50 ( $64.50 with the essay portion) and the ACT costs $50.50 ($67 with the writing portion). The financial aspect of these tests might not be an important factor in your decision-making, but it should still be acknowledged as relevant.
Remember, the test is only one part of your application; make sure you're allocating sufficient time to other priorities and responsibilities. If you're already in the process of applying to colleges and are trying to squeeze in one more test date, the chances of you having adequate time to prepare are minimal. Don’t allow other aspects of your application, such as your essays or extracurriculars, or even your grades, to suffer because you’ve stretched yourself too thin.
If you're contemplating taking the test again, you've probably set some sort of goal for yourself. If you haven't reached that goal on your last two or three attempts, maybe your goal is impractical. If you're unable to attain this irrational score, frustration may set in and the emotional toll for repeatedly testing will grow larger. No good can come from falling into this cycle, so step back and reevaluate your previous test results-- they might just work better than you think.
As we mentioned above, students who take the SAT or ACT for the second or third time tend to see a minimal increase, if any, in their scores. It's actually been shown that after taking the test more than two or three times, students' scores tend to plateau or even decrease. Testing as many times as you can isn't the
Still not sure whether you should tackle the test one more time? Click here to schedule a consultation with Ariel, our testing guru, to discuss whether signing up for the SAT or ACT again is right for you.