SATs Need Some Advice

[Callisto in NC]

My lovely daughter paid for the SATs for tomorrow but never studied and now she's freaking out. She's a great test taker but she's nervous. She wants me to pay for her to take them a second time in December. I don't mind paying for it ~ I'm actually going to hit my boss (the nice one) up to contribute as a tax deduction for the second test ~ but I'm concerned that taking it twice in two months will hurt her college entrance chances. Does anyone know? Is it acceptable to take it so close together. I mean, maybe she was sick tomorrow and needed to take it again when she was well. Do they take the only one score or do they take the best score.

 

[Mama]

It won't hurt her chances. In fact, if I remember correctly, it will help. They will credit her with the highest scores.

My daughter took it 3 times and as accepted to Mercer University, Emory University and Valodosta State University. She chose VSU because they offered her a softball scholarship and her education would be mostly paid for.

 

[AllenOK]

I say go for it.

I also believe that you can't really "study" for one of those type of tests. Get a good night's sleep, eat plenty of fish, and listen to some Mozart. Fish is supposed to be brain food, Mozart has been proven to enhance the brain's 3-D comprehension, and it never hurts to get a good night's sleep.

 

[TATTRAT]

you know what I got on MY sat's?


BBQ sauce!

 

[Michael in FtW]

LOL - I'm so old we took the PSAT (Practice SAT) in our Junior year of High School and the SAT our Senior year - and we didn't have to pay for it, but we only got 1 shot unless we went to a College testing site (which we had to pay for) and took it again, but we had to take the entire test over and the best of the two scores was what was reported.

Things have obviously changed a lot (I don't think they use stone tablets for answer sheets these days)! You might want to go to the SAT website and read what they have to say. It seems that they are gearing up to allow you to just retake certain parts.

 

[ChefJune]

I say go for it.

I also believe that you can't really "study" for one of those type of tests. Get a good night's sleep, eat plenty of fish, and listen to some Mozart. Fish is supposed to be brain food, Mozart has been proven to enhance the brain's 3-D comprehension, and it never hurts to get a good night's sleep.

You've got that right!

No matter how close together she takes the tests, the higher scores will be the ones they use. Most everyone I know took them at least twice.

 

[elaine l]

My kids all took it more than once and got credit for the highest score.

My advice is plenty of sleep!

 

[jabbur]

My son took them twice. Got the exact same score both times! It's really not something to study for but once you've taken the test, you get a feel for what they are looking for and often do better the second time around. Yes they look at the highest score you receive.

 

[larry_stewart]

I remember taking an SAT prep course, which didnt really teach you anything, other than how to take a test. I took it the first time, followed their test taking skills and did really crappy. The second time around, I took the SAT's and just followed my own instincts, and did 200 + points better ( assuming it is still graded the same way)

I graduated middle of the class, attended a state university that had a decent music program ( as I innitially wanted to do something with music). Decided after the first semester that I really didnt want to do music ( and missed my girlfriend, who is now mi wife) so i transferred to an even better univeristy where I graduated ,then attended dental school ...and the rest is history as they say. My friend, did crappy on his SAT's 3 times, attended a 2 year county school, got his grades up to the 3.5 range, transferred to a very good school after that, then attended law school. So I guess what im trying to say is that she should just go in, do her best, there is always a way to do what u want, I wouldnt stress over the test at all. And realistically its almost impossible to study for.

(the above is all my opinion, im sure there are others who would disagree)