SATs can be a predicament for most students. The scores of SATs are what separates you from the rest of the applicants, hence the vitality to score more is always a necessity. Students spend more time studying but not always do they score good marks in all the sections. Luckily, some colleges have flexed their rules to help the students in acing their SATs with Superscore.
What is Superscore?
It is prone that students excel in certain sections differently at different sittings. With the normality of taking numerous SATs, colleges developed a new method of assessment. Superscore is a process whereby colleges aggregate the best marks of different sections and test dates given by an applicant to produce a higher total overall score. The Superscore makes it easier by taking the best mark amongst different dates the SAT has been taken.
How does it work?
If a student appears the SAT exam on three different dates (SAT1, SAT2 and SAT3), and suppose the mathematics score in SAT2 is the highest compared to the others, then that very score will be considered and evaluated, and the others will be ignored. The same process of screening happens to the other SAT section. In the end, the highest marks obtained by a student are summed up to give their SAT score.
​ | SAT 1 | SAT 2 | ​SAT 3 | Superscore |
​Mathematics | ​790 | 750 | ​680 | 790 |
Reading | 800 | 730 | 760 | 800 |
​Writing | ​900 | 765 | ​780 | 780 |
​Total | 2290 | ​2245 | ​2220 | ​2370 |
How does it help students?
Through this initiative, one can choose to leverage each exam to perform outstandingly in a particular section be it Mathematics or Written English. This helps the student not to burn out during the process of preparation. Assuming that there is time and money a student would no longer have to hurry to attempt all sections at once of SAT, giving them amble time for studying.
What should be students be cautious of?
Keep in mind that colleges do take account of the difference between the marks of each exam. Students do have to be vigilant and strive to perform well in all sections. This is because some colleges do take account of Score Choice alongside Superscore. The limited number of college seats causes the simultaneous consideration of both screening processes. Due to the current unstable situation policies of colleges change regularly. Thus, before taking the exam and considering the Superscoring, you should visit college and university websites to be updated regarding their respective policies. As the superscoring helps many students it also increases the competition with the choices to just focus on a particular subject for each exam. Henceforth, there is need to have higher scores for an applicant to be shortlisted.
Some of Colleges that accept Superscore:
Ball State University
Boston College
Boston University
Brown University
Colorado College
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Emerson College
Florida State University
Georgetown University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Harvard University
Indiana University
James Madison University
Johns Hopkins University
Kenyon College
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Morehouse College
New York Institute of Technology
New York University
Northeastern University
Northwestern University
Notre Dame University
Ohio State University
Ohio Wesleyan University
Princeton University
Purdue University
Seattle University
Southwestern University
Stanford University
University of Chicago
University of Cincinnati
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Miami
University of Michigan
University of North Carolina
University of Pennsylvania
US Air Force Academy
US Coast Guard Academy
US Military Academy
US Navy Academy
Vanderbilt University
Vassar College
Villanova University
Virginia Tech University
Xavier University
Yale University
By Tinotenda
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