Superscoring and Score Choice Policies

Superscoring

Many in college admission talk about reading applications holistically and supportively; one way they can do this is by “superscoring” standardized tests. This means that if you take the SAT more than once, the admission office will take the highest section score across test administrations and assign you a new, higher total score.

For the ACT, this process generally takes the form of taking your highest test scores across test administrations, but may not result in a new Composite score because colleges use test scores individually. ACT has introduced its Superscoring report as of April 2021 as a convenient way for students to send their best scores. See our complete guide to the report.

In practice, this means that it’s almost always advisable to plan to take the test more than once. Multiple sittings mean multiple opportunities to maximize each section score, which can increase your superscore. You can take the test a second or third time knowing that if you have a worse day in Math but a great day in Reading and Writing, the lower math score won’t be held against you. You can still get the benefit of that great Reading and Writing score.

Students in the class of 2025 are in the unique position of potentially having scores from both the old paper version of the test and the new digital adaptive version. The vast majority of schools that have stated a superscoring policy across paper and digital tests have said that they will superscore. This includes Amherst, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Emory, Georgia Tech, Harvard, Northwestern, Notre Dame, University of Chicago, University of Florida system, University of Georgia, University of Michigan, University of Mississippi, UPenn, and Vanderbilt.

Only Princeton has said that they will not superscore between the paper and digital test. But they will superscore digital tests.

Score Choice

The College Board and ACT have adopted policies, generally referred to as “Score Choice,” designed to give students some control over how SAT and ACT scores are reported. Colleges, however, have the final say over what scores applicants should submit and how those scores will be used. Many of the schools listed have temporary test optional policies that may change in 2025. Students should carefully review the score-reporting policy of each college to which they plan to apply.

Require all scores: These colleges explicitly require applicants to submit all test scores.
Recommend all scores: These colleges recommend but do not require that applicants send all test scores. These schools’ admission offices will create superscores for applicants, and counselors do not want students to inadvertently neglect to send a high section score.
Accept score choice: These colleges will accept whichever scores an applicant elects to submit.

In the table below, you will find the superscore and score choice policies of many popular colleges. We are working to build out this database to include the 400+ popular colleges whose ACT and SAT score ranges and testing policies we also track (excluding those with Test Free policies). We also track score ranges and policies for merit scholarships here.

School	Superscore SAT	Superscore ACT	Score Choice
Abilene Christian University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Adelphi University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Agnes Scott College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Albion College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Allegheny College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
American University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Amherst College	Yes	Yes	Recommends All Scores
Appalachian State University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Arizona State University—Tempe	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Auburn University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Augustana College	No	No	Score choice OK
Austin College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Babson College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Baldwin Wallace University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Bard College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Barnard College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Bates College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Baylor University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Beloit College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Bennington College	Yes	Yes*	Score choice OK
Bentley University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Berea College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Berry College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Binghamton University—SUNY	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Biola University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Birmingham-Southern College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Boston College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Boston University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Bowdoin College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Bradley University	No	No	Score choice OK
Brandeis University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Brigham Young University—Provo	No	No	Score choice OK
Brown University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Bryn Mawr College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Bucknell University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Butler University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
California Institute of Technology	Yes	Yes*	Score choice OK
California Lutheran University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Carleton College	Yes	No	Requires All Scores
Carnegie Mellon University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Carroll College	No	No	Score choice OK
Case Western Reserve University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Centre College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Chapman University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Christopher Newport University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Claremont McKenna College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Clark University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Clarkson University	No	No	Score choice OK
Clemson University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Coe College	No	No	Score choice OK
Colby College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Colgate University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
College of Charleston	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
College of New Jersey	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
College of St. Benedict	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
College of the Holy Cross	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
College of William and Mary	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
College of Wooster	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Colorado College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Colorado School of Mines	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Colorado State University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Columbia University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Concordia College—Moorhead	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Connecticut College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Cooper Union	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Cornell College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Cornell University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Creighton University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
CUNY—Baruch College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Dartmouth College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Davidson College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Denison University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
DePaul University	No	No	Score choice OK
DePauw University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Dickinson College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Drake University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Drew University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Drexel University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Drury University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Duke University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Duquesne University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Earlham College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Elmhurst College	No	No	Score choice OK
Elon University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Emerson College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Emory University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Fairfield University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Florida Institute of Technology	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Florida State University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Fordham University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Franklin and Marshall College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Furman University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Gallaudet University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
George Mason University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
George Washington University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Georgetown University	Yes	No	Requires All Scores
Georgia Institute of Technology	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Gettysburg College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Gonzaga University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Goshen College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Goucher College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Grinnell College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Gustavus Adolphus College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Hamilton College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Hampden-Sydney College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Hampton University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Hanover College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Harvard University	Yes*	No	Score choice OK
Harvey Mudd College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Haverford College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Hendrix College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
High Point University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Hillsdale College	No	No	Score choice OK
Hobart and William Smith Colleges	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Hofstra University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Hollins University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Hope College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Howard University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Illinois Institute of Technology	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Illinois Wesleyan University	No	No	Score choice OK
Indiana University—Bloomington	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Iowa State University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Ithaca College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
James Madison University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
John Brown University	No	No	Score choice OK
Johns Hopkins University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Kalamazoo College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Kenyon College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Knox College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Lafayette College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Lake Forest College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Lawrence University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Lehigh University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Lewis & Clark College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Lipscomb University	No	No	Score choice OK
Louisiana State University—Baton Rouge	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Loyola Marymount University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Loyola University Chicago	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Loyola University Maryland	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Luther College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Macalester College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Marist College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Marquette University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Yes	Yes	Recommends All Scores
Mercer University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Miami University—Oxford	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Michigan State University	No	No	Score choice OK
Michigan Technological University	No	No	Score choice OK
Middlebury College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Millsaps College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Milwaukee School of Engineering	No	No	Score choice OK
Mississippi State University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Missouri University of Science & Technology	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Morehouse College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Mount Holyoke College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Muhlenberg College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
New College of Florida	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
New Jersey Institute of Technology	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
New School	No	No	Score choice OK
New York University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
North Carolina State University—Raleigh	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Northeastern University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Northwestern University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Oberlin College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Occidental College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Ohio State University—Columbus	No	No	Score choice OK
Ohio University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Ohio Wesleyan University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Oklahoma State University	No	Yes	Score choice OK
Oregon State University	No	No	Score choice OK
Pacific Lutheran University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Pennsylvania State University—University Park	No	No	Score choice OK
Pepperdine University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Pitzer College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Point Loma Nazarene University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Pomona College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Pratt Institute	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Presbyterian College (SC)	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Princeton University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Providence College	Yes	Yes*	Score choice OK
Purdue University—West Lafayette	Yes*	Yes*	Score choice OK
Queens University of Charlotte	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Quinnipiac University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Randolph-Macon College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Reed College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Rhode Island School of Design	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Rhodes College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Rice University	Yes	Yes	Recommends All Scores
Ripon College	No	No	Score choice OK
Rochester Institute of Technology	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Rollins College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey—New Brunswick	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey—Newark	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Saint Louis University	No	No	Score choice OK
Samford University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Santa Clara University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Sarah Lawrence College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Scripps College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Seattle University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Seton Hall University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Sewanee—University of the South	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Siena College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Simmons College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Skidmore College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Smith College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Soka University of America	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Southern Methodist University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Southwestern University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Spelman College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
St. John Fisher College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
St. John's College Annapolis	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
St. John's University (NY)	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
St. Lawrence University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
St. Mary's College (IN)	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
St. Mary's College of California	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
St. Mary's College of Maryland	Yes	No	Score choice OK
St. Michael's College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
St. Olaf College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Stanford University	Yes	Yes*	Score choice OK
Stetson University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Stevens Institute of Technology	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Stonehill College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Stony Brook University—SUNY	Yes	No	Score choice OK
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
SUNY—Geneseo	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Susquehanna University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Swarthmore College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Syracuse University	Yes	Yes	Requires All Scores
Taylor University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Temple University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Texas A&M University—College Station	No	No	Score choice OK
Texas Christian University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Texas Lutheran University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
The Citadel	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Thomas Aquinas College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Transylvania University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Trinity College (Hartford)	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Trinity University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Truman State University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Tufts University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Tulane University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Union College (Schenectady, NY)	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
United States Air Force Academy	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
United States Coast Guard Academy	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
United States Military Academy	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
United States Naval Academy	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University at Albany—SUNY	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University at Buffalo—SUNY	Yes	No	Score choice OK
University of Alabama	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Arizona	No	No	Score choice OK
University of Arkansas—Fayetteville	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Chicago	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Cincinnati	No	No	Score choice OK
University of Colorado—Boulder	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Connecticut	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Dallas	Yes	No	Score choice OK
University of Dayton	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Delaware	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Denver	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Florida	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Georgia	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Hawaii at Manoa	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Illinois—Chicago	No	No	Score choice OK
University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign	Yes*	Yes*	Score choice OK
University of Iowa	No	No	Score choice OK
University of Kansas	No	No	Score choice OK
University of Kentucky	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of La Verne	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Mary Washington	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Maryland—College Park	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Massachusetts—Amherst	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Miami	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Michigan—Ann Arbor	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Minnesota—Twin Cities	No	No	Score choice OK
University of Mississippi	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Missouri	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Nebraska—Lincoln	No	No	Score choice OK
University of New Hampshire	Yes	No	Score choice OK
University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of North Carolina—Wilmington	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Notre Dame	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Oklahoma	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Oregon	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Pennsylvania	Yes	Yes	Recommends All Scores
University of Pittsburgh	Yes	No	Score choice OK
University of Portland	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Puget Sound	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Redlands	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Richmond	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Rochester	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of San Diego	Yes	No	Score choice OK
University of San Francisco	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of South Carolina	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of South Florida	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Southern California	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of St. Thomas (MN)	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Tennessee	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Texas—Austin	No	No	Score choice OK
University of Texas—Dallas	Yes	No	Score choice OK
University of the Pacific	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Tulsa	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Utah	No	No	Score choice OK
University of Vermont	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Virginia	Yes	Yes*	Score choice OK
University of Washington	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Wisconsin—Madison	No	No	Score choice OK
Ursinus College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Valparaiso University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Vanderbilt University	Yes	Yes	Recommends All Scores
Vassar College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Villanova University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Virginia Commonwealth University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Virginia Military Institute	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Wabash College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Wake Forest University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Washington and Jefferson College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Washington and Lee University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Washington College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Washington University in St. Louis	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Wellesley College	No	No	Score choice OK
Wesleyan University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Western Michigan University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Westmont College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Wheaton College (IL)	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Whitman College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Whittier College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Willamette University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Williams College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Wofford College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Xavier University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Yale University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Yeshiva University	Yes*	Yes*	Score choice OK

* Weak Superscoring: These school fall somewhere between “highest composite” and true superscoring. For instance, University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign’s policy states, “If you took either test more than once, we’ll use your highest sub-scores in our evaluation. However, we don’t use your highest sub-scores from different test sittings to create a super-score.” We find this to be almost a distinction without a difference, especially since some colleges do the same thing behind the scenes but label it “superscoring.”

Post a comment or send an email to guide@compassprep.com with questions or recommended changes.

197 Comments

Jeanne says:

October 19, 2017 at 1:44 pm

Hi,
I am applying to MIT. I know that they superstore, but I want to know if they will take into account my low scores. I have a 35 ACT from a single test date, which includes a 36 in science. But that date does not include the 36 in English that I scored on an earlier test. The problem is that my 36 in English also includes a 31 in science and a 33 composite. For MIT, is it worth sending the earlier score to boost my English from a 33 to a 36? It will not change my superscored composite enough to matter. I am hoping to major in business, not STEM, but MIT doesn’t consider majors for admissions. Thank you.

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  October 20, 2017 at 11:08 am
  
  Jeanne,
  MIT tends to have student-friendly policies (and a great admission department). I would take take their word on their superscoring policy, which is that they consider your highest score in each section. I would submit the lower composite score in addition to your 35.
  
Libby says:

October 25, 2017 at 9:38 am

Hello,
Thank you so much for all the time and energy that goes into creating this list. Much appreciated!

I have a question about University of Washington. Your list says that UW requires all scores. However the UW website states “Scores from SAT or ACT are required for admission and must come directly from the testing agency.” I combed through the UW website but was not able to find where they say they require all scores (SAT and ACT). Did I miss something? Thank you.

- Ash Kramer says:
  
  October 25, 2017 at 3:25 pm
  
  Dear Libby,
  
  Sometimes schools don’t publicize on their websites what their policies are quite as clearly as we might like! In this case, an admissions counselor from University of Washington reached out to us with the following information on Sept 15, 2017:
  
  Just wanted to let you know that the University of Washington has updated its policy last academic year and we now superscore both the SAT and ACT, but still require students to send all scores from both tests.
  
  I think it’s probably worth sending all of your scores!
  
  Hope this helps!
  
Alex says:

November 22, 2017 at 3:39 am

If you took the SAT once and the ACT once, and are applying to UCs, could you just send the SAT or do you have to send both the SAT and ACT? Thanks.

- Ash Kramer says:
  
  November 22, 2017 at 9:59 am
  
  Hi Alex,
  
  The UCs require you to send all of your SAT OR your ACT scores. So you do not have to send both. Best of luck with your applications!
  
  Ash
  
Brian Zubatch says:

February 10, 2018 at 10:12 am

When colleges recommend all scores, is there a negative to only sending the best composite score?

- Ash Kramer says:
  
  February 12, 2018 at 7:54 am
  
  Hi Brian,
  
  Most schools that recommend sending all scores also superscore. The general idea is that because they’re only looking at your highest scores, they want to make sure they have all of them so that you don’t miss sending something that would help you. There’s no real downside, however, to doing that work for them and only sending your best.
  
Uma says:

February 20, 2018 at 6:07 am

Hello,
My daughter is a Junior and has taken SAT twice in 2017 (Nov- 1400 & Dec- 1450) . She is planning to apply to selective colleges. Would it look bad if she took a SAT 3rd time since most selective colleges are looking for ALL Scores or should she switch to ACT instead? Please advise.

Nov. 2017: EBRW: 670, Math 730 Essay 4/6/6
Dec 2017: EBRW: 650, Math 800, Essay 7/8/5
Aug, 2017: Subject test – Math 2, 800

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  February 20, 2018 at 6:00 pm
  
  Uma,
  It’s quite common for students to take the SAT 3 times, and your daughter should not have that as a concern. Many selective colleges allow for Score Choice. Even the ones that don’t won’t be bothered by a third score.
  
  Your daughter’s EBRW score is currently holding her back. I’d recommend that she try a practice ACT. It’s likely that her results will approximate those on the SAT — and we know that she can’t best the 800M — but sometimes students are surprised. Unless the ACT seems to be a strength, I’d advise your daughter to stick with the SAT.
  
Tina says:

February 23, 2018 at 4:49 pm

This is a fantastic compilation and the best one I’ve found on the Internet! One follow up question – do you know if schools generally use superscored test scores for scholarship consideration (merit aid)? I’ve googled a few colleges’ scholarship pages, but really can’t find this information easily on their websites. My daughter’s 2 sittings of the ACT has a fantastic superscore (35), but I realize that this is for *admission* and not necessarily used for scholarship consideration.

Thank you!

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  February 27, 2018 at 2:12 pm
  
  Tina,
  It varies a good deal and, as you’ve found, colleges don’t always make it clear. As a generalization, fewer colleges superscore for merit scholarships than for admission, and I know of no college that does not superscore for admission but does superscore for scholarships. Despite that generalization, many *do* still superscore for merit aid.
  
ACT Dad says:

February 26, 2018 at 10:44 am

What a very helpful website! Your articles are very thorough and informative. I have a question about Georgetown. My daughter took the Feb ACT and scored a 36. Her school requires all Juniors to take the SAT next month. She had not planned to prep for this test. Is it correct that she will be required to report the SAT to Georgetown, even though her preference would be not to take it all? She is planning to apply there. Thanks for your help!

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  February 27, 2018 at 4:26 pm
  
  ACT Dad,
  Yes, Georgetown’s policy is that all scores be reported. I have to admit that I’d consider conscientious objector status from your daughter’s school SAT day. I understand that schools want to ensure that all students are college-ready, but sometimes blanket policies simply don’t make sense. It is flu season.
  
Joanne says:

March 7, 2018 at 3:01 pm

Hi and Thanks for all this great information. Question: How often do you update the list of each college or university’s policy regarding superscoring? Your article at the top is from 2016. Thanks!

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  April 9, 2018 at 4:07 pm
  
  Joanne,
  Typically colleges update policies for the upcoming year in the spring or summer. We try to keep the table current — even when we neglect to update the date of the post!
  
John says:

April 15, 2018 at 5:26 am

Hi Art,
As a huge fan of your blog, here is a question that I could not find anywhere. My child plans to take two SAT subject tests on the same date. When sending scores to colleges after test scores are released, does he have to submit both scores since they are taken on the same date? Can he just pick one subject score to send?

Thank you so much in advance!

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  April 16, 2018 at 10:57 am
  
  John,
  That’s nice to hear, and thank you for lobbing an easy one my way. Your son can choose exactly which Subject Tests to send — even when they are taken on the same day.
  
Beth says:

April 23, 2018 at 2:05 pm

Hello!

Just wanted to add that I just checked in with the University of Washington re: score choice, since I no longer see the “all scores” requirement on their website. I was told by Admissions that they do not require (but they do recommend) that a student send all scores because they want to be able to superscore. Again, a situation relevant only if one accepts the premise that a student is unable to assess his own scores properly.

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  May 25, 2018 at 12:47 pm
  
  Thank you, Beth.
  
Jill says:

April 28, 2018 at 9:25 am

Love this blog! So much information! Do schools consider the English and Math sections of the ACT to be more important than the Science and Reading sections? I realize there is no “right” answer to this with limited information, but if a student has a strong composite “32” and scored higher in English and Math than Reading and Science, do schools consider that?

- Ash Kramer says:
  
  April 30, 2018 at 11:37 am
  
  Hi Jill,
  
  Most schools look at the Composite score and may look at individual test scores like science and reading. However, I’ve never heard of a school’s admission office weighing the English and math score more heavily than the other scores. I will say that it is quite common for a student to have lower science and reading scores. Hope this helps!
  
Cay says:

April 30, 2018 at 7:00 pm

Great blog! Thanks for all the detail. My son has taken the ACT twice, and sadly his composite score went down quite a bit from the first to second try, with 3 out of 4 subscores dropping. After lots of prep too, go figure.

1st Try: composite score 31 – Eng 32, Math 31, Reading 28, Science 34
2nd try: Comp score 29 – Eng 26, Math 31, Reading 29, Science 29

My question is: will this drop disadvantage him in any way? Will colleges look down on scores that ago down? Should he try to take it again to get them up again? We were hoping to move on to all the other fun college application requirements. ;0)
And – should he send both scores for those that “recommend all” – if you superscore and add the 29 in reading to the first score, it does bring the superstcore composite to a 31.5, which I believe would round to a 32. But the other scores all drop. Wondering what to do here. Thanks!

- Ash Kramer says:
  
  May 1, 2018 at 9:29 am
  
  Hi Cay,
  
  Thanks for the positive feedback. The answer to your question is…it depends! Each school is different but many do superscore. In that case, your son would indeed have a 32 composite. If a school is recommending you send all scores, then it probably will superscore. In which case, I would send both scores. Admission folks generally don’t care in what order the highest test score occurred and won’t penalize you for a “drop.” They’re looking to read your scores supportively.
  
  If a school doesn’t superscore, it makes sense to employ score choice and only send the first try.
  
  Whether you should call this complete or keep testing really depends upon the schools to which you’re applying. Does the 31 or 32 superscore fall at the higher end of their mid-range of scores? Or are you looking at schools that really expect > 32?
  
  Hope this helps and best of luck on your application journey!
  
  - Cay says:
    
    September 26, 2018 at 9:04 am
    
    Hi again!
    My son went back and took the ACT for a 3rd time. He really pulled his reading score up, so for schools that superscore, he’s great. However, if a school is “Score Choice OK,” I’m not sure how to proceed. It’s clear that we should drop the second test, but the first and last tests have the same composite score, with very different individual scores (see below). Science and English are much better on Test 1 but Reading is much better on Test 3.
    
    For Score Choice schools, does that mean we have to pick only one test, or can we send Test #1 & 3? If not, which is better to send? (FYI he is applying to Industrial Design programs)
    
    Composite: 31. 29. 31
    Math: 31. 31. 31
    Science: 34. 29. 31
    English: 32. 26. 28
    Reading: 28. 29. 33
    
    One more detail: many of his schools do super score the ACT but “recommend all” when sending. Since, test #2 did not have any high scores (except writing), can we just leave it out and send #1 & #3 tests only?
    
    Thanks! Cay
    
    - Art Sawyer says:
      
      September 26, 2018 at 5:52 pm
      
      Cay,
      Unless a school specifically requires ALL scores, you can select the most favorable scores. I agree that there is no reason to send #2, and you can send more than one test. When a superscoring school says that they “recommend all,” they usually mean: “Since we superscore, there is no reason not to send us everything. We’ve seen too many students not send us the right scores.” Most students still prefer to do the selecting themselves. You’ve done the math correctly(!), and you can just send #1 and #3.
      
      - Cay says:
        
        September 29, 2018 at 9:08 am
        
        Thanks, Art. For Score Choice schools who do not superscore, would you recommend we send Test #1 or #3? For example, Ohio State or University of Oregon. Or can we send both?
        And, for schools not on this list, I assume we’d have to reach out specifically to the school to find out their test policy?
        Thanks again! Cay
      - Art Sawyer says:
        
        October 1, 2018 at 6:51 pm
        
        Cay,
        I would still send both scores. Admission officers tend to read scores supportively. Even if they don’t superscore, they can still see your son’s best performances. It’s not a risky decision in this case because the composite scores are the same. Yes, it is always best to confirm testing policies, even when they are on the list!
Lisa says:

May 17, 2018 at 8:11 am

My student will be applying to many highly selective schools including Ivys, Duke, GTown, Vanderbilt. She took the SAT once and got a 1510 (and 22/24 on essay). She also took the ACT twice. First time composite 30 (english 32, math 28, reading 33, science 26) and second time composite 33 (english 35, math 33, reading 30 and science 33). She is hoping to major in Economics and qualified to apply for the Hispanic National Recognition Program.

My question: Is it worth sending in both ACT scores to get a Superscore of 34? But that means that the low math (28) and science (26) will be seen. Should she send in the 33 composite ACT with the 1510 SAT? Or maybe just the 1510 SAT only?

Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks.

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  May 25, 2018 at 2:43 pm
  
  Lisa,
  Your daughter’s 1510 and her 33 are roughly comparable. Given that the SAT is combined with a strong essay, that might be the easiest option. It does not have to be an all-or-nothing decision. She may want to consider the individual school policies. In some cases, schools do not superscore the ACT at all. At some, the schools will only consider a student’s best section scores (so the 26 and 28 will be ignored). At some superscoring schools, a new composite will be computed (34 in your daughter’s case), but the section scores will all be considered. Except in the case of “best section scores only,” I’d be leery of sending the 30. The only area in which she did better was the Reading, and her Math and Science are markedly lower. There doesn’t seem to be enough of an upside.
  
Andy says:

May 31, 2018 at 9:45 am

Hi there,
For Stanford, you indicate that they require all SAT results.
However, they only recommend 2 subject tests and indicate that they should be self reported on the application.
Does this mean that all subject tests should be self reported…including situations where more than 2 subjects have been taken, and/or where subject tests have been taken more than once?
Or should just the best two subject results be self reported?

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  June 1, 2018 at 3:14 pm
  
  Andy,
  Stanford requires all SAT results, but not all Subject Test results. You should self-report only the scores that best support your application.
  
  - Andy says:
    
    June 2, 2018 at 7:53 am
    
    Thanks Art,
    I wasn’t clear if SAT 2 Subject tests fell under the heading of “all SAT results”. That’s good news that they don’t.
    
    - Andy says:
      
      July 27, 2018 at 2:11 pm
      
      Hi, Art,
      SAT subject scores were Math2 800 and Chemistry 770.
      Together with a SAT of 1520 (790 Math, 730 EBRW), would this be competitive for Stanford; MIT and Harvard….or should retakes be considered to improve any element?
      Regards
      
      Andy
      
      - Art Sawyer says:
        
        August 15, 2018 at 2:55 pm
        
        Andy,
        That’s a difficult question to answer. Among those scores, only the 730 EBRW would be at the low end of the 25-75th range for enrolled students at the most competitive schools. Whether retaking the SAT is worth it is a question you have to answer given your own standards and willingness. There is room for improvement if you do decide to retest.
Elena says:

June 27, 2018 at 8:44 am

Art,
I have similar questions to the ones you have answered above.
Which of my son’s scores to send? He is applying to some selective schools and very selective merit scholarships. Should we send both of his ACTs to schools with “soft” superscoring? Should we send his SAT score at all (we will be sending SAT subject tests scores, so there is no additional fees to include SAT)? Should we send his History subject test score? Would it make sense to retake SAT in attempt to improve his composite score?

Here his scores:

October 2017 ACT– 35 composite: 36 Math, 36 Science, 36 English, 32 Reading, 10 Writing
June 2018 ACT – 34 composite, 35 Math, 31 Science, 36 English, 35 Reading, 11 Writing

April 2018 SAT-1540: 790 Math, EBRW 750, 23 Essay
Junior PSAT 1490 with SI 224, so most likely NMSF

Subject test scores: Math 2 800, Biology M 750, US History 730 and English Literature pending

Thank you so much for your wonderful blog,

Mark says:

July 5, 2018 at 1:19 pm

Hi Art,

Question regarding the weighting of Essay score on ACT. My daughter took ACT for the first time and scored 33 Composite (36 English, 35 Reading, 32 Math, 29 Science), about which she was pleased. However, she just got her essay score (8), which was lower than every practice test, typically a 10. We were all relieved to be “one and done,” but is the writing score going to hurt her score presentation significantly enough to justify repeating the entire exam process?

FYI she is looking at some selective colleges (Tufts, Amherst, Brown) …

cheers
Mark

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  August 7, 2018 at 5:50 pm
  
  Mark,
  I would not recommend retaking because of the Writing score. The essay plays little to no role, and your daughter’s score is not really outside of the norm — even at the most selective colleges. If current trends continue, future classes of students may not have to worry about the essay at all!
  
Jeanne N. says:

July 5, 2018 at 4:45 pm

I appreciate your willingness to answer all of these personal questions. I have one to add to the pile.

Son is applying to several elite schools as well as a number of what he calls “safety” schools. His test scores are pretty good, I think, but they could be better. Wondering if you think there’s merit to retaking the SAT (1490 = 710 ER/780 Math) or the ACT (34 composite = 36Eng, 31 Math (forgot to take his calculator), 34 Reading, 34 Science, 33 STEM). We’re waiting on SAT subject test results but expect Math 2 to be 800.

He’s applying for engineering programs, not at the tech schools (MIT, Cal Poly, RPI) but at other elite and state universities with engineering schools.

Any thoughts are appreciated. Thank you!

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  August 7, 2018 at 5:58 pm
  
  Jeanne,
  Now I feel guilty for letting these questions pile up and taking a month to get back to you! I would consider retaking for two reasons: (1) engineering programs can be highly competitive and (2) superscoring. It would seem, for example, like the ACT Math would be an easy win for your son on a retake. Not every college superscores, of course, but he would not be any worse off. I try to remain aware of the big commitment it is for a senior to take a test again while also applying to college. I think it might be a positive thing in your son’s case.
  
Heidi says:

July 6, 2018 at 6:23 am

Hello, our daughter scored a 32 on the ACT and really wants ND. She is number one in her class, 4.35 WGPA, has the highest number of service hours in her class (so far) NHS, SADD president and has been in choral ensemble and drama for 4 years. What do you think her chances are?? One young lady was accepted on a 30 from the class last year and the other young lady was waitlisted with a 31 and a legacy. Any information at all would be greatly appreciate.

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  August 7, 2018 at 6:08 pm
  
  Heidi,
  My expertise is in testing and test preparation rather than admissions, but I feel confident saying that the young woman accepted with the 30 obviously had an excellent application. For ND’s most recent class, they report 25th-75th percentile scores as 33-35. The examples you cite show that scores — and even scores+GPA — do not determine admission on their own.
  
Jacob Ribotsky says:

July 19, 2018 at 10:01 am

Hi. I took the SAT 3 times. I scored a 1430, a 1410, and a 1500. my highest ERW was a 730, and my highest math was a 770. However, my highest reading was a 400, and my highest grammar was a 390 (on my second test). I botched the grammar on the third time (-5). I was wondering if Cornell, which you put under as a “fake superscorer” will look at my grammar from my second test, reading from my third, and math from my third, giving me a composite of 1560. Or, do you simply mean ERW and math when you subsections. I really hope they will take my best grammar, math, and reading, for it boosts me expotentially!

- Ash Kramer says:
  
  July 25, 2018 at 10:32 am
  
  Hi Jacob,
  
  When we say superscore for the SAT – we mean highest sections score – ERW and Math. They do not separately look at your Reading and Writing & Language scores. Cornell would take your highest ERW and highest Math only.
  
Jacob Ribotsky says:

July 19, 2018 at 10:17 am

Also, if I am planing on applying to Cornell’s LIR school, shoul I retest. I set out to get a 34 equivalent, and given the new concordance tables, I have obtianed my goal. However, I am not at the 75th percentile at Cornell, but rather slightly above the 50th. Should I retest?

- Ash Kramer says:
  
  July 25, 2018 at 10:36 am
  
  Hi Jacob,
  
  Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide whether retesting is likely to result in a score that would get you above the 75th percentile. Consider how much time you have to prepare and take practice tests to track improvement.
  
  Hope this helps and best of luck with your applications!
  
Sam says:

September 16, 2018 at 2:47 pm

Hi im a senior getting ready college applications and was wondering how the process of super scoring works. Do colleges value a raw score over a super scored sat score (for example, would a student with a raw score of 1390 be weighted more than a super scored score of 1390 or 1400). Also are the super scores completed by the colleges you want to apply to or do you have to do that yourself.

Another thing, if your score varies drastically between the 2 sats you want to superscore, does this look bad. For example, a 750 in M and 600 in E one the first SAT, but a 590 in M and a 720 in E on the second.

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  September 16, 2018 at 11:48 pm
  
  Sam,
  There aren’t universal answers to your questions, because not all colleges follow the same protocol. The colleges will handle the superscoring — you just need to send the applicable test dates. The only caveat is when you are self-reporting scores on the application. You’ll just want to follow any school-specific directions. On the Common App, you’d be providing scores by test date and, again, the college will handle superscoring.
  
  Consider why many colleges have opted for superscoring — it allows them to view students in a positive light. In the example you gave, an admission officer can see that the student is capable of achieving 750 in M and 720 in ERW. That said, even superscoring colleges sometimes consider subscores, too. How the scores are viewed in those cases is too dependent on the college and the admission officer for any firm rule.
  
Cheryl says:

September 18, 2018 at 8:54 am

I am trying to apply to Rose-Hulman and am wondering if they superscore or not since it’s not on the list.

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  September 18, 2018 at 1:40 pm
  
  Cheryl,
  Rose-Hulman is not one of the college Compass surveys, but a couple of lists that I trust indicate that it superscores both ACT and SAT.
  
Jo says:

September 22, 2018 at 1:19 pm

My daughter (Senior) took the ACT 1X – 34 composite score (36 Reading, 35 English, 34 Science, 30 Math). She is pursuing a liberal arts major and NOT a math/science related major. She wants to apply to some highly competitive colleges (possibly Ivy or Northwestern, Wash U, Georgetown, UCLA, Berkeley). For those category of colleges, does she need to be concerned with lower math score & try and retake? Or will 30 math in big picture not be an issue given composite score, intended major, and all other application components considered?

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  September 27, 2018 at 5:53 pm
  
  Jo,
  Many students have a weakest subject. Yes, Math is lower than her 34 Composite, but Reading and English are higher! Given her interests, I don’t think the 30 poses a problem. The only reason to retest would be if she felt that she could improve enough in E/S/M to boost her composite or her superscore to 35 or 36. She is already at about the 75th percentile among enrolled students at those schools, so restesting is probably not necessary.
  
Elena says:

September 26, 2018 at 11:43 am

My son is applying to very selective colleges for political science, international affairs and possibly business programs. Which scores should we send?. Should we send both of his ACTs to schools with “lite” superscoring? Should we send his SAT score at all (we will be sending SAT subject tests scores, so there is no additional fees to include SAT)? Should we send his History subject test score? Would it make sense to retake SAT in an attempt to improve his composite score?

Here his scores:

October 2017 ACT– 35 composite: 36 Math, 36 Science, 36 English, 32 Reading, 10 Writing
June 2018 ACT – 34 composite, 35 Math, 31 Science, 36 English, 35 Reading, 11 Writing

April 2018 SAT-1540: 790 Math, EBRW 750, 23 Essay
Junior PSAT 1490 with SI 224 –NMSF

Subject test scores: Math 2 800, Biology M 750, US History 730 and Spanish pending

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  September 27, 2018 at 6:30 pm
  
  Elena,
  I would go ahead and send his SAT scores along with his Subject Test scores simply because there is no reason not to. His 1540 is concordant with his ACT of 35, so it is not showing any weakness. Both Math and ERW are strong, and his Essay score is great.
  
  “Lite” schools typically take the best Composite scores and the best subject scores. The only difference from full superscoring is that they do not calculate a new Composite. Obviously your son’s October ACT is going to be sent. What would April add? His Reading is a 35 rather than a 32. I’d rate the Writing difference as inconsequential. I would send both test dates to these schools.
  
  I don’t like to discourage really motivated students. If your son wants to go for an even higher score, great! But I wouldn’t encourage it, either. I think the better plan is to focus on his applications and his schoolwork. He has an excellent testing portfolio.
  
Anisha says:

October 4, 2018 at 6:31 pm

Hi, Im currently a senior preparing for college apps. I got a 32 on my act and a 1380 (690 in M and R) on my sat. I’m taking the sat again hoping to super score my sat. If I am able to bring my super score to around a 1400-1420, should I send both scores or just my act. And if I do not receive a better score and can’t super score, should I only send my act score of 32, or both the 32 and the 1380.
Im planning on applying to Virginia tech, uva, George mason, and VCU.

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  October 9, 2018 at 12:17 pm
  
  Anisha,
  A 32 ACT is concordant with an SAT score range of 1420-1440. I would stick with your ACT — no need to worry about superscoring — unless your superscored SAT is 1450 or higher.

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