Is One and Done acceptable.

xmike_yyy

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Hi there!
I am a C/O 2026 fellow applicant to the USMA. The website clearly says for me to at least take the SAT and ACT twice. I took the SAT already and it was strong but not as satisfactory(1400+). I took the ACT and had a 35. I took both w writing. Is it acceptable if I only submit these scores? I do have the intent to superscore the ACT into a 36 by taking it again, but I honestly don't have the energy for another SAT.
Any thoughts on should I take the 2nd SAT sitting or no?

Thank you!
 
FWIW, my DS took each once and was happy with both scores (36 and >1500) and he got into USMA c/o 2025. I think the “taking it twice” is just advice rather than a requirement. But you can always ask your FFR or Admissions to be sure.
 
Hi there!
I am a C/O 2026 fellow applicant to the USMA. The website clearly says for me to at least take the SAT and ACT twice. I took the SAT already and it was strong but not as satisfactory(1400+). I took the ACT and had a 35. I took both w writing. Is it acceptable if I only submit these scores? I do have the intent to superscore the ACT into a 36 by taking it again, but I honestly don't have the energy for another SAT.
Any thoughts on should I take the 2nd SAT sitting or no?

Thank you!
Congratulations both scores are good scores, specifically ACT 35. There is room for improvement in SAT. Looks like you have better traction with ACT. Even if you submit both SAT & ACT, academy will consider your higher of the two. I will also advise you to look at class profile for last couple of years at each of the academies.

Instead of focusing on both exams, I think most here would advice focusing on one and hitting it out of the park, in your case it seems ACT.
 
My DS is also applying to the Class of 2026. He took the SAT in August 2020 and scored 1560. He told me he wanted to be 'one and done' before taking the SAT (for which he studied and prepared for four straight months). One and done is fine as long as you as the candidate are comfortable with your score - there is no hard fast requirement by any of the academies that you take it more than once. It is a recommendation because the vast majority of candidates are able to improve their SAT/ACT scores by taking it multiple times. Thank God for super scoring :)
 
It’s fine AS LONG AS you won’t have a constant, nagging thought of “what if”, should you not receive an appointment. Seriously.

You have to put your best package forward. Whatever that is for you. The mom in me would tell my own ‘don’t let a moment of weakness set a path for you that you aren’t ok with’. IOW, I get that you ‘honestly don’t have the energy to do it again’. But.....on the flip side....if you don’t ‘put in the energy to do it again’, that decision *could* have a pretty big impact on your future.

I’m team ‘never left any stone unturned’. But that’s how I’m built. I wouldn’t accept one test, as I would want to know if I CAN do better.

Those are good scores. Are they better than the other people applying for your states slates? IDK 🤷‍♀️
 
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Hi there!
I am a C/O 2026 fellow applicant to the USMA. The website clearly says for me to at least take the SAT and ACT twice. I took the SAT already and it was strong but not as satisfactory(1400+). I took the ACT and had a 35. I took both w writing. Is it acceptable if I only submit these scores? I do have the intent to superscore the ACT into a 36 by taking it again, but I honestly don't have the energy for another SAT.
Any thoughts on should I take the 2nd SAT sitting or no?

Thank you!
Ask your RC for advice - only person who can truly tell you if there is any upside to taking the test again.

There is no downside to taking either test again, but it is possible that your time could be better spent elsewhere (classroom work, CFA prep, leadership activities). Although Academics is 60% of the WCS score, squeezing out the few remaining points available by raising your test score from excellent to perfect might be more difficult than gaining points in another area.

In general, with a 35 ACT there should be no need to take the SAT again if that score is clearly lower than the ACT score.

Look at the components of your ACT score. If either your Math or English scores are lagging, take the ACT again to boost that section - for example if you have 36 Science, 36 Reading, 36 English, and 31 Math your composite would be 34.75 which rounds up to 35. In such a case, it would probably be beneficial to boost your Math score.

But again, only your RC knows for sure.
 
Statistically one improves when taking the test (in your case ACT) a second time.
 
Hi there!
I am a C/O 2026 fellow applicant to the USMA. The website clearly says for me to at least take the SAT and ACT twice. I took the SAT already and it was strong but not as satisfactory(1400+). I took the ACT and had a 35. I took both w writing. Is it acceptable if I only submit these scores? I do have the intent to superscore the ACT into a 36 by taking it again, but I honestly don't have the energy for another SAT.
Any thoughts on should I take the 2nd SAT sitting or no?

Thank you!
Your efforts will be better spent in academics and extracurriculars at this point. Increasing your score from a 35 to a 36 will bring minimal returns.
 
SAT/ACT scores, I'm driving myself crazy, 33 ACT/ 1430 SAT/ 740 EWR /690 math....is this competitive? 96 gpa with three AP'S calc and English and American history, volunteer firefighter, sailing team
 
SAT/ACT scores, I'm driving myself crazy, 33 ACT/ 1430 SAT/ 740 EWR /690 math....is this competitive? 96 gpa with three AP'S calc and English and American history, volunteer firefighter, sailing team
You sound pretty competitive, but your competition is your congressional slate. Discuss your app with your RC/FFR for primary source info on where you can improve and what are your weaknesses. From what you said your academics look solid, but you could use more AP’s/honors/IB to show West Point you are taking the hardest courses available. You also are going to need leadership. Good luck!
 
SAT/ACT scores, I'm driving myself crazy, 33 ACT/ 1430 SAT/ 740 EWR /690 math....is this competitive? 96 gpa with three AP'S calc and English and American history, volunteer firefighter, sailing team
Those are test scores in the 98 percentiles - very competitive. Agree with the others here... Leadership, leadership, leadership. National Honor Society, Scouts, Boys/Girls State, local city/county youth councils, etc. Not just participating, but organizing paid or volunteer activities. Key is leadership positions where your peers or adult supervision puts you into those roles. Good luck!
 
Those scores are outstanding. I look at the “should I take it again?” question a bit differently. Less emphasis on what it’ll take to get offer of appointment. More emphasis on this: nerves.

I believe everyone is nervous their first time taking the test, i.e. unfamiliarity with the setting, anxiety about what’s riding on the score, etc. The second time around, they know what to expect. Some already have a very good score to fall back on, so that reduces the pressure even more. Taking it a second time has some “what do I have to lose?” aspect to it, which I believe usually leads to better scores.
 
There’s an awful lot of energy thinking and discussing a 35 ACT score and if the candidate should retake. I wouldn’t worry about the SAT test, your ACT score trumps that. I have given advice similar to others on this forum through the years to control what you can control and not to worry about that which you can not control.
Having said that, with a near perfect score, I would recommend focusing on other areas of your application that may need improvement. You may be able to get the perfect 36 , and a retake shouldn’t be too difficult to coordinate and prep for, so maybe just plan on doing that. Debating over a 35 ACT score being good enough ultimately comes down to how your overall application measures up against your competition. Every point does count, but you can also max out points available in the different categories. Thus my recommendation to focus on other areas
such as Leadership which has already been recommended, CFT, essays, GPA, and letters of recommendation for example.
You seem to be in a good spot. Try reaching out to your FFR or RC to gain some specific advice on what to work on is the best advice to give you, as they know your completion and how you measure up to them!
 
There’s an awful lot of energy thinking and discussing a 35 ACT score and if the candidate should retake. I wouldn’t worry about the SAT test, your ACT score trumps that. I have given advice similar to others on this forum through the years to control what you can control and not to worry about that which you can not control.
Having said that, with a near perfect score, I would recommend focusing on other areas of your application that may need improvement. You may be able to get the perfect 36 , and a retake shouldn’t be too difficult to coordinate and prep for, so maybe just plan on doing that. Debating over a 35 ACT score being good enough ultimately comes down to how your overall application measures up against your competition. Every point does count, but you can also max out points available in the different categories. Thus my recommendation to focus on other areas
such as Leadership which has already been recommended, CFT, essays, GPA, and letters of recommendation for example.
You seem to be in a good spot. Try reaching out to your FFR or RC to gain some specific advice on what to work on is the best advice to give you, as they know your completion and how you measure up to them!
“Competition “
 
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