As scores roll in, students ask IF they should retest.  I wrote about this previously in our post Who Should take the ACT or SAT Again?  Since that article, ACT has updated its statistics on who actually improves on a second attempt.  Overall, 57% of students nationally will improve. ACT data differs from students who prep with LEAP.  96% of LEAP students improve their scores.

Some colleges offer Super Scoring of the ACT and/or SAT eliminating the need for some students to retest if they already have two or more testing attempts on the same test.

What is a Super Score?

As its name implies, it’s the BEST of your test scores.  ACT and SAT won’t Super Score for you, but many colleges will.  You’ll need to ask the colleges where you intend to apply.  That information is not always readily available on the school website – so ask!  Don’t be surprised when you find some schools will Super Score one test but not the other.

How Does it Work?

If a student has taken 2 or more SAT’s the college will take their single best Evidence-Based Reading & Writing and Math across all testing attempts, add all three together and you have your new SAT total.

ACT requires a little more calculation.  Locate the best English, Math, Reading, and Science across all testing attempts.  Next, add them together then divide by 4.  This gives you the new ACT Super Score Composite.  For an ACT composite, you’ll round down for .25 and up for .5 and .75.

Does it Make Sense to Super Score for YOU?

Don’t get too excited yet. Not all students have a Super Score.  Families are often perplexed by this.  Do the math first.  Let’s take an example of a recently disappointed parent.  She thought we’d tell her to do so, as there was a 1 point difference on the Super Score total.

  • Attempt 1 scores across the 4 subtests totaled 93 points for a 23.25 composite, rounding down to a 23.
  • Attempt 2 scores totaled 94 points for a 23.5 composite, rounding to a 24.
  • Super Score total is 95 for a 23.75 average, rounding to a 24 but no gain for the student.

The family was shocked to learn the student would need to gain four more points across the test to get to a 24.5 which would round to the 25 she covets. Want help figuring out IF you have a Super Score or how many more points are needed to gain a Super Score? Contact us here!

Since this student has not yet done any test prep, it might make sense to engage in some prep and test one more time.  However, fewer students increase on a third attempt, as compared to second attempts.  She may be better off to invest her time in crafting an excellent essay and flawless application.

Don’t delay in registering if you do plan to retest!  Do the math before you decide instead of wasting money on sending unnecessary score reports.