SAT Scores

[usna20233333]

Hello all,

I have a combined SAT score of 1350. I have 690 English and 660 math. I also have a 16 essay. Is this a decent score? Or should I study more and retake?

 

[MidCakePa]

@usna20233333, look up USNA’s Class of 2022 profile. There you’ll see the middle 50% of SAT scores, and where your own scores stand. Are they decent? Depends on what you consider decent and how the rest of your application looks. But if you have a chance to improve your scores, and you have time to submit new scores, by all means do so. Rule of thumb on SAT/ACT: Take it until you’re convinced you’ve done your absolute best.

 

[brewmeist]

Hello all,

I have a combined SAT score of 1350. I have 690 English and 660 math. I also have a 16 essay. Is this a decent score? Or should I study more and retake?

I've been to many seminars and met many people from admissions these past few years with my son. The common theme was, if you did not receive a perfect score, keep taking it. There is always room for improvement and since they superscore, always try to improve. Essay is not needed at USNA. I know USMA requires it, but not Navy.

 

[Old Navy BGO]

The common theme was, if you did not receive a perfect score, keep taking it. There is always room for improvement and since they superscore, always try to improve.

I think it was Einstein that said the definition of insanity was to do the same thing repeatedly, expecting different results. There are limits to the advice above. Besides financial constraints, the truth is that the tests are designed so that a person should get substantially the same results over multiple tests. (It's an aptitude test). Sure, there are variations, and perhaps some days you feel on and some days you are off, but unlikely a 1350 is going to get perfect score, no matter how many times you take the test.

I certainly concur with taking 2-3 times, and maybe more if you are seeing improvement each time. The comment about superscoring for USNA is correct, but the Plan B's might not.

Finally, keep in mind that SAT/ACT is only a part of the equation ...1350 might be fine for someone that has a good mix of Class Rank, Leadership, Athletics, Community Service and other Activities, and 1600 isn't going to get you in if that's all a candidate has to offer.

 

[brewmeist]

The common theme was, if you did not receive a perfect score, keep taking it. There is always room for improvement and since they superscore, always try to improve.

I think it was Einstein that said the definition of insanity was to do the same thing repeatedly, expecting different results.

I am repeating what admissions people have said, but you are correct, statistics show that the score will be relatively close each time.

I think a big exception to that rule is the 2nd or possibly 3rd time you take the SAT. The knowledge will be the same, but you are learning HOW to take the test more efficiently with each early retake. My son had a 60 pt upswing between his 1st and 3rd take, simply because he was actually able to finish the test, which was not the case the first time.

But the OP was asking if the score was decent enough. It's a great score! But I don't work for admissions, so my opinion means nothing. It comes down to do you think it is YOUR best? At his Army interview, my son was told he could up his verbal score. He knew he couldn't, so he did not take the test any more.

 

[OldRetSWO]

But the OP was asking if the score was decent enough. It's a great score! But I don't work for admissions, so my opinion means nothing. It comes down to do you think it is YOUR best? At his Army interview, my son was told he could up his verbal score. He knew he couldn't, so he did not take the test any more.

That may be a great score in the universe of scores but after many years of reviewing and interviewing candidates, it is not a great score FOR USNA. Specifically the 660 math is lower than most successful USNA candidates that I've reviewed/seen. In my highly competitive district, I'd expect it would be 25th percentile at best among Service Academy applicants.

To be more direct, in my experience doing Senatorial interviews, a candidate with scores like that might very well be asked "How many times did you take the test?" and then"Why didn't you retake?" Retaking and trying to improve is (rightly or wrongly) often considered as a sign of motivation toward a Service Academy.

 

[ders_dad]

To be more direct, in my experience doing Senatorial interviews, a candidate with scores like that might very well be asked "How many times did you take the test?" and then"Why didn't you retake?" Retaking and trying to improve is (rightly or wrongly) often considered as a sign of motivation toward a Service Academy.

That's an interesting observation. DS recently had his two senatorial interviews and in both interviews they specifically asked him how many times he took the ACTs and SATs. (His superscore from two sittings was 800M/760E). He left the interviews not knowing if those scores on two sittings were a good thing or if it would have been better (in terms of perseverance) if he had gotten them from 6 or 8 sittings.

 

[OldRetSWO]

To be more direct, in my experience doing Senatorial interviews, a candidate with scores like that might very well be asked "How many times did you take the test?" and then"Why didn't you retake?" Retaking and trying to improve is (rightly or wrongly) often considered as a sign of motivation toward a Service Academy.

That's an interesting observation. DS recently had his two senatorial interviews and in both interviews they specifically asked him how many times he took the ACTs and SATs. (His superscore from two sittings was 800M/760E). He left the interviews not knowing if those scores on two sittings were a good thing or if it would have been better (in terms of perseverance) if he had gotten them from 6 or 8 sittings.

In my opinion, with a 800/760, there is not much room for improvement so I personally would not question not retaking at that point. Scores in the 600's and if the score sheet in the folder provided showed only one test session, I would certainly ask the question.

 

[ders_dad]

Agreed. I think they were asking him how many times he took it to see what level of perseverance he exhibited. This was not a worry - just an interesting insight into the value placed on perseverance.