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My daughter took the SAT at the end of her sophomore year, scoring an 800V, 720M. She missed four math questions and, frankly, isn't as strong in math as she is in English, history, etc. She attended the Duke TIP program and when we picked her up, we did a couple of college tours in the area (we're from Texas). We don't think she'll qualify for need-based aid, but some merit would be nice. Wake Forest's admissions counselor said she needs to bring up the math score to be competitive, but she's not confident she can do better. Should she risk a lower score? I know that many "experts" say it doesn't matter because colleges consider the highest scores, but isn't there a psychological disadvantage if the second scores are lower?

By Rondafaye (Rondafaye) on Wednesday, August 14, 2002 - 07:54 pm: Edit

Thanks, Lindy. To clarify, the Wake counselor was encouraging about admissions, but not encouraging about merit with the 720 math. I personally think a 1520 is a fabulous score and agree that taking it again seems a waste of time -- odds are the score will go down, not up. By the way, my daughter has a 4.0 unweighted average and good ECs. We have told her that any college will be lucky to have her.

By Lindy on Wednesday, August 14, 2002 - 08:38 pm: Edit

Good for you and her - and thanks for the clarification. Makes me feel a little better about the craziness that colleges put our kids through!

By Happy Mom on Thursday, August 15, 2002 - 10:28 am: Edit

Taking it again is ridiculous, IMO. My daughter also got a 720 math, with only three wrong. The curve on the math is brutal, and if your child is not a math person, what's the point of re-taking, esp if she'd have to study for it? My daughter is not retaking, she'd have to prepare for it b/c she's probably forgotten all the geometry she learned in 9th grade, and is quite capable of getting a couple more wrong. Also, my kid's verbal was high (760, not quite as high as your daughter's!), and she doesn't want to risk a lower V score -- i think the V score can vary, could easily be lower if there's a weird reading comp passage or something. What are your daughter's SAT II scores?

By Rondafaye (Rondafaye) on Thursday, August 15, 2002 - 08:11 pm: Edit

Her SAT IIs at the end of sophomore year were 800 Writing, 730 World History and 710 Literature. She also got a 5 on her AP test in World History.

Personally, I think she's doing fantastically well and should concentrate on having a good time as well as excelling in school. Like you, I believe that taking the SAT I again is risky business.