Superscoring and Score Choice Policies

Superscoring

Many in college admission talk about reading applications holistically and supportively; one way they can do this is by “superscoring” standardized tests. This means that if you take the SAT more than once, the admission office will take the highest section score across test administrations and assign you a new, higher total score.

For the ACT, this process generally takes the form of taking your highest test scores across test administrations, but may not result in a new Composite score because colleges use test scores individually. ACT has introduced its Superscoring report as of April 2021 as a convenient way for students to send their best scores. See our complete guide to the report.

In practice, this means that it’s almost always advisable to plan to take the test more than once. Multiple sittings mean multiple opportunities to maximize each section score, which can increase your superscore. You can take the test a second or third time knowing that if you have a worse day in Math but a great day in Reading and Writing, the lower math score won’t be held against you. You can still get the benefit of that great Reading and Writing score.

Score Choice

The College Board and ACT have adopted policies, generally referred to as “Score Choice,” designed to give students some control over how SAT and ACT scores are reported. Colleges, however, have the final say over what scores applicants should submit and how those scores will be used. Many of the schools listed have temporary test optional policies that may change in 2025. Students should carefully review the score-reporting policy of each college to which they plan to apply.

Require all scores: These colleges explicitly require applicants to submit all test scores.
Recommend all scores: These colleges recommend but do not require that applicants send all test scores. These schools’ admission offices will create superscores for applicants, and counselors do not want students to inadvertently neglect to send a high section score.
Accept score choice: These colleges will accept whichever scores an applicant elects to submit.

In the table below, you will find the superscore and score choice policies of many popular colleges. We are working to build out this database to include the 400+ popular colleges whose ACT and SAT score ranges and testing policies we also track (excluding those with Test Free policies). We also track score ranges and policies for merit scholarships here.

Please note: the below policies are for general admission only. Students seeking scholarships or entry to specific programs may be met with a different set of requirements. Schools also reserve the right to change their policies; be sure to check official sites before applying.

School	Superscore SAT	Superscore ACT	Score Choice
Abilene Christian University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Adelphi University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Agnes Scott College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Albion College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Allegheny College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
American University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Amherst College	Yes	Yes	Recommends All Scores
Appalachian State University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Arizona State University—Tempe	No	No	Score choice OK
Auburn University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Augustana College	No	No	Score choice OK
Austin College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Babson College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Baldwin Wallace University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Bard College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Barnard College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Bates College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Baylor University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Beloit College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Bennington College	Yes	Yes*	Score choice OK
Bentley University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Berea College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Berry College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Binghamton University—SUNY	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Biola University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Birmingham-Southern College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Boston College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Boston University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Bowdoin College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Bradley University	No	No	Score choice OK
Brandeis University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Brigham Young University—Provo	No	No	Score choice OK
Brown University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Bryn Mawr College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Bucknell University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Butler University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
California Institute of Technology	Yes	Yes*	Score choice OK
California Lutheran University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Carleton College	Yes	No	Recommends All Scores
Carnegie Mellon University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Carroll College	No	No	Score choice OK
Case Western Reserve University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Centre College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Chapman University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Christopher Newport University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Claremont McKenna College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Clark University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Clarkson University	No	No	Score choice OK
Clemson University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Coe College	No	No	Score choice OK
Colby College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Colgate University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
College of Charleston	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
College of New Jersey	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
College of St. Benedict	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
College of the Holy Cross	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
College of William and Mary	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
College of Wooster	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Colorado College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Colorado School of Mines	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Colorado State University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Columbia University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Concordia College—Moorhead	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Connecticut College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Cooper Union	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Cornell College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Cornell University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Creighton University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
CUNY—Baruch College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Dartmouth College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Davidson College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Denison University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
DePaul University	No	No	Score choice OK
DePauw University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Dickinson College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Drake University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Drew University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Drexel University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Drury University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Duke University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Duquesne University	Yes	Yes	Requires All Scores
Earlham College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Elmhurst College	No	No	Score choice OK
Elon University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Emerson College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Emory University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Fairfield University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Florida Institute of Technology	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Florida State University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Fordham University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Franklin and Marshall College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Furman University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Gallaudet University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
George Mason University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
George Washington University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Georgetown University	Yes	No	Requires All Scores
Georgia Institute of Technology	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Gettysburg College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Gonzaga University	Yes	Yes	Recommends All Scores
Goshen College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Goucher College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Grinnell College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Gustavus Adolphus College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Hamilton College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Hampden-Sydney College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Hampton University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Hanover College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Harvard University	Yes*	No	Score choice OK
Harvey Mudd College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Haverford College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Hendrix College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
High Point University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Hillsdale College	No	No	Score choice OK
Hobart and William Smith Colleges	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Hofstra University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Hollins University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Hope College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Howard University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Illinois Institute of Technology	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Illinois Wesleyan University	No	No	Score choice OK
Indiana University—Bloomington	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Iowa State University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Ithaca College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
James Madison University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
John Brown University	No	No	Score choice OK
Johns Hopkins University	Yes	Yes	Recommends All Scores
Kalamazoo College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Kenyon College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Knox College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Lafayette College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Lake Forest College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Lawrence University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Lehigh University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Lewis & Clark College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Lipscomb University	No	No	Score choice OK
Louisiana State University—Baton Rouge	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Loyola Marymount University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Loyola University Chicago	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Loyola University Maryland	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Luther College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Macalester College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Marist College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Marquette University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Yes	Yes	Recommends All Scores
Mercer University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Miami University—Oxford	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Michigan State University	No	No	Score choice OK
Michigan Technological University	No	No	Score choice OK
Middlebury College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Millsaps College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Milwaukee School of Engineering	No	No	Score choice OK
Mississippi State University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Missouri University of Science & Technology	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Morehouse College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Mount Holyoke College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Muhlenberg College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
New College of Florida	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
New Jersey Institute of Technology	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
New School	No	No	Score choice OK
New York University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
North Carolina State University—Raleigh	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Northeastern University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Northwestern University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Oberlin College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Occidental College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Ohio State University—Columbus	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Ohio University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Ohio Wesleyan University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Oklahoma State University	No	Yes	Score choice OK
Oregon State University	No	No	Score choice OK
Pacific Lutheran University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Pennsylvania State University—University Park	No	No	Score choice OK
Pepperdine University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Pitzer College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Point Loma Nazarene University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Pomona College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Pratt Institute	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Presbyterian College (SC)	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Princeton University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Providence College	Yes	Yes*	Score choice OK
Purdue University—West Lafayette	Yes*	Yes*	Score choice OK
Queens University of Charlotte	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Quinnipiac University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Randolph-Macon College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Reed College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Rhode Island School of Design	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Rhodes College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Rice University	Yes	Yes	Recommends All Scores
Ripon College	No	No	Score choice OK
Rochester Institute of Technology	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Rollins College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey—New Brunswick	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey—Newark	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Saint Louis University	No	No	Score choice OK
Samford University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Santa Clara University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Sarah Lawrence College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Scripps College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Seattle University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Seton Hall University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Sewanee—University of the South	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Siena College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Simmons College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Skidmore College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Smith College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Soka University of America	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Southern Methodist University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Southwestern University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Spelman College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
St. John Fisher College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
St. John's College Annapolis	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
St. John's University (NY)	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
St. Lawrence University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
St. Mary's College (IN)	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
St. Mary's College of California	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
St. Mary's College of Maryland	Yes	No	Score choice OK
St. Michael's College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
St. Olaf College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Stanford University	Yes	Yes*	Score choice OK
Stetson University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Stevens Institute of Technology	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Stonehill College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Stony Brook University—SUNY	Yes	No	Score choice OK
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
SUNY—Geneseo	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Susquehanna University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Swarthmore College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Syracuse University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Taylor University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Temple University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Texas A&M University—College Station	No	No	Score choice OK
Texas Christian University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Texas Lutheran University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
The Citadel	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Thomas Aquinas College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Transylvania University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Trinity College (Hartford)	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Trinity University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Truman State University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Tufts University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Tulane University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Union College (Schenectady, NY)	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
United States Air Force Academy	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
United States Coast Guard Academy	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
United States Military Academy	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
United States Naval Academy	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University at Albany—SUNY	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University at Buffalo—SUNY	Yes	No	Score choice OK
University of Alabama	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Arizona	No	No	Score choice OK
University of Arkansas—Fayetteville	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Chicago	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Cincinnati	No	No	Score choice OK
University of Colorado—Boulder	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Connecticut	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Dallas	Yes	No	Score choice OK
University of Dayton	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Delaware	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Denver	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Florida	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Georgia	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Hawaii at Manoa	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Illinois—Chicago	No	No	Score choice OK
University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign	Yes*	Yes*	Score choice OK
University of Iowa	No	No	Score choice OK
University of Kansas	No	No	Score choice OK
University of Kentucky	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of La Verne	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Mary Washington	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Maryland—College Park	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Massachusetts—Amherst	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Miami	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Michigan—Ann Arbor	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Minnesota—Twin Cities	No	No	Score choice OK
University of Mississippi	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Missouri	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Nebraska—Lincoln	No	No	Score choice OK
University of New Hampshire	Yes	No	Score choice OK
University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of North Carolina—Wilmington	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Notre Dame	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Oklahoma	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Oregon	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Pennsylvania	Yes	Yes	Recommends All Scores
University of Pittsburgh	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Portland	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Puget Sound	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Redlands	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Richmond	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Rochester	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of San Diego	Yes	No	Score choice OK
University of San Francisco	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of South Carolina	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of South Florida	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Southern California	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of St. Thomas (MN)	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Tennessee	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Texas—Austin	No	No	Score choice OK
University of Texas—Dallas	Yes	No	Score choice OK
University of the Pacific	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Tulsa	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Utah	No	No	Score choice OK
University of Vermont	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Virginia	Yes	Yes*	Score choice OK
University of Washington	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
University of Wisconsin—Madison	No	No	Score choice OK
Ursinus College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Valparaiso University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Vanderbilt University	Yes	Yes	Recommends All Scores
Vassar College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Villanova University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Virginia Commonwealth University	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Virginia Military Institute	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Wabash College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Wake Forest University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Washington and Jefferson College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Washington and Lee University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Washington College	Yes	No	Score choice OK
Washington University in St. Louis	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Wellesley College	No	No	Score choice OK
Wesleyan University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Western Michigan University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Westmont College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Wheaton College (IL)	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Whitman College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Whittier College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Willamette University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Williams College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Wofford College	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Xavier University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Yale University	Yes	Yes	Score choice OK
Yeshiva University	Yes*	Yes*	Score choice OK

* Weak Superscoring: These school fall somewhere between “highest composite” and true superscoring. For instance, University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign’s policy states, “If you took either test more than once, we’ll use your highest sub-scores in our evaluation. However, we don’t use your highest sub-scores from different test sittings to create a super-score.” We find this to be almost a distinction without a difference, especially since some colleges do the same thing behind the scenes but label it “superscoring.”

Post a comment or send an email to guide@compassprep.com with questions or recommended changes.

197 Comments

Vijay A says:

September 20, 2016 at 12:22 pm

Ash, this is wonderful data, thank you. It seems unfair that some universities superscore SAT but not ACT. What’s the logic? My son has a 33 English, 34 Math, 28 Reading and 30 Science for a superscore composite of 31 over two sittings but his highest composite is 30. He’s aiming for some of the schools that don’t superscore or do true superscore and is trying to improve his superscore composite to 32 but afraid he may not get that composite score in one sitting. What would your advice be for him?

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  September 20, 2016 at 1:04 pm
  
  Vijay,
  The practice of not superscoring the ACT has historical roots having to do with score reporting and a false sense that the Composite was somehow indivisible. That practice is slowly dying off — at least 50% of top colleges now superscore the ACT (and not all colleges superscore the SAT). The number one thing to consider is not superscore vs not superscore, since your son’s scores are similar (30 vs 31). More important is deciding what sort of scores he’ll need — and can reasonably obtain — for his target colleges. Some students are thrilled with a 30/31 and are done with testing. At the most competitive colleges, a 33 or 34 is more likely to put him in the mix.
  
Ethan W says:

November 8, 2016 at 3:15 pm

I heard that Clemson is now superscoring the ACT. Do you know if this is true

- Ash Kramer says:
  
  November 10, 2016 at 9:39 am
  
  Hi Ethan. Your question prompted me to reach out to the university. According to one of their admission counselors, they do not superscore the ACT. They take the highest composite score from one sitting.
  
William Ma says:

November 21, 2016 at 5:12 pm

Hi, Ash, Thank you for your sharing. It is really helpful for my son’s application. I have two questions. Where can I find the superscore info on CSU website? I can’t find the ACT superscore info for CSU. My son took two ACT tests with score 32 on the first time and 34 on the second. But his math is dropped to 34 on the second test from 36 on the first one. He wants to apply for computer science major. My second question is there is any benefit to send both to UC (University of California). Thank you very much. William

- Ash Kramer says:
  
  November 22, 2016 at 1:05 pm
  
  Hi William,
  Those are strong scores! Our research into schools is done through a combination of searching out statements and contacting admission offices directly. I just spoke to the admissions office at Cal Poly, Slo (one of the more competitive CSUs) and the admission officer I spoke with confirmed that they will be superscoring the ACT. As for the UCs, they do not superscore but they do require that you send all scores. I can’t promise they would pay attention to that 36 Math on the 32 composite score, but it can’t hurt to send it! Good luck!
  
Ashwin Inala says:

December 24, 2016 at 8:23 pm

Hello Ash,

This was super helpful! Can you elaborate on the difference between “Requires all scores” like Georgetown and “Requires all SAT or ACT scores” like Rice?

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  December 26, 2016 at 11:09 pm
  
  Ashwin,
  I think I can answer this one for you. Georgetown wants all of your SAT and ACT scores — period. Rice is saying, in contrast, “If you are going to send SAT scores, you need to send all SAT scores. If you are going to send ACT scores, you need to send all ACT scores.” If you took both tests and performed poorly on the ACT, there is no obligation to report it to Rice. Georgetown would want to weigh the ACT score along with your SAT score(s).
  
Ken says:

December 27, 2016 at 7:54 am

Stonehill College superscores the SAT, but does not superscore the ACT. I have confirmed that with the Director of Admissions.

- Ash Kramer says:
  
  December 27, 2016 at 12:00 pm
  
  Hi Ken,
  
  Your note prompted me to check in with their admission office. According to the office, they are still superscoring the ACT. Thank you for your note!
  
Hariram says:

January 9, 2017 at 7:05 am

Hi,
I am an student from Nepal. I took SAT twice.
My October SAT score is CR-560 M-740 Total-1300 Essay-5,4,5
My December SAT score is CR-600 M-770 Total-1370 Essay-0,0,0
I have sent both of my scores to University of Mississippi, Olemiss.
Which of my score will be considered for scholarship decision?

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  January 9, 2017 at 12:47 pm
  
  Hariram,
  Ole Miss has a wide range of scholarship programs. It is best to contact the university directly given how specific your question is. Different criteria are sometimes used for scholarships than for admission, and international students often face yet another set of standards.
  
Jennifer says:

January 20, 2017 at 10:51 am

I heard a rumor that if a school does super score the ACT, it will only do so if the student does the optional reading portion on both tests or does not do the reading on both tests, but they won’t super score one test with the reading and one without. Does that make sense to you? Is it a myth?

- Ash Kramer says:
  
  January 23, 2017 at 5:59 pm
  
  Hi Jennifer,
  Great question! While the ACT does have a reading test, it’s not the optional section; the Reading test is the third portion of every test and it is required. I suppose you could technically sit through it and not answer anything and hope that superscoring means it’ll be ignored, but I certainly wouldn’t recommend it.
  
  So I think you’re asking about the optional essay test at the end. Three things to note: (1) schools who superscore are trying to read your application supportively, so throwing out a test because you didn’t take the optional essay test would undermine their aim, (2) relatively few schools require or recommend the ACT essay, and (3) a superscore doesn’t include the optional writing score because the composite score is always only made up of English, Math, Reading, and Science.
  
  Of the 360 schools that we track, only 8 require the ACT and superscore: Claremont McKenna College, United States Military Academy, Soka University of America, Westmont College, Stanford University, California Institute of Technology, Olin College of Engineering, and United States Coast Guard Academy. If any school was going to refuse to superscore an ACT with the optional Writing test with one without, it would likely be one of these. But we haven’t run across this policy in our research.
  
  So I would say it’s 99% a myth, but to be certain, you should always check in with the specific universities to which you’re applying!
  
Diana says:

February 23, 2017 at 7:27 am

Good morning! Enjoy reading your blog and all the data you and Art share, thank you!

Few questions…

First, our son is a junior and has sat for both SAT and ACT, earning the following scores:

January SAT
RW-670 M-730 Total-1400 Essay-6,5,6
Reading 34, Writing & Language 33, Math 36.5, Science 36 , History 32

October SAT
RW-690 M-680 Total-1370 Essay-7,6,7
Reading 35, Writing & Language 34, Math 34, Science 31, History 36

October ACT composite score 33
English 35, Math 32, Reading 34, Science 32, Writing 9

Which test would you recommend he submit when applying later this year… ACT or SAT? If the latter, which sitting?

Second, his October PSAT/NMSQT score was 1460 (RW-750 and M-710) with SI of 221. If he were to make the cutoff for semifinalist in California, do you recommend he take the SAT again or are his scores enough to confirm his PSAT? Third time may be a charm???

With gratitude,

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  March 1, 2017 at 3:46 pm
  
  Diana,
  Thank you. For some students, the strategy varies from college to college because of differing policies. The good news in your son’s case is that his October ACT score trumps his SAT scores and even his superscored SAT score. I think he should keep it simple and submit the ACT. There are a few schools that expect students to send all test scores — SAT and ACT. If he abides strictly be these policies, again, the choice is simple — he’ll be submitting everything.
  
  It looks like his SAT scores will fall just short of confirming level, which was at a 209 SAT Selection Index last year. He may want to reserve a date in the fall for a retake (Oct/Nov/Dec are all acceptable) once he finds out his status.
  
  - Ed B says:
    
    September 12, 2018 at 8:26 pm
    
    I do not believe that Yale requires ALL scores but, rather, requires all scores from whichever test you submit (eg. all ACT or all SAT)
    
    - Art Sawyer says:
      
      September 13, 2018 at 11:47 am
      
      Thanks for catching that, Ed. I know better. I’ve deleted Yale from the comment above to avoid any confusion.
      
Vinit says:

February 25, 2017 at 11:17 am

Hi Jennifer,

My son took both SAT and ACT. He scored 33 composite score on ACT (35 Math, 33 Sci, 30 Eng, 33 Reading). In SAT he scored 1460 (790 Math and 670 reading). We are not sure which one he should attempt second time – ACT or SAT? Also, can you elaborate on “For the ACT, this process generally takes the form of taking your highest test scores across test administrations, but may not result in a new Composite score because colleges use test scores individually”.

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  March 1, 2017 at 5:34 pm
  
  Vinit,
  Your son’s scores fall into what we at Compass consider the “judgment call” range. His ACT score is a little stronger based on a pure concordance, but it is not a runaway winner. Nothing leaps out at me as a great indicator of which test he should repeat. His Math scores are almost topped out on both exams. His writing/reading scores are his weakest area on both tests — a bit weaker on the SAT. I would recommend focusing on the ACT. It’s a higher starting point, and there is not an obvious case for the SAT.
  
  Yes, this is a fine point. Let’s say a student has scores of 30E, 31M, 29R, 30S, 30 Composite and 32E, 29M, 31R, 32S, 31 Composite. A school that adheres to full superscoring would combine those scores into 32E, 31M, 31R, and 32S. The Composite for those scores would be recalculated as 32. A school that uses “superscoring lite” uses the same combination of of tests scores — 32E, 31M, 31R, and 32S — but it does not say “that’s a 32 Composite.” Is there much of a difference? No, not in the vast majority of cases.
  
Margaret says:

April 18, 2017 at 11:51 am

Does Michigan superscore? According to this doc by the SAT (https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/professionals/sat-score-use-practices-participating-institutions.pdf) they take the highest section (version 2) – but I do see “No” under superscore on your list? Thanks!

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  April 19, 2017 at 5:59 pm
  
  Margaret,
  It seems like College Board would know something like this, but one reason we compile our list is that it’s information is often wrong. Here is a direct quote from Michigan’s FAQ: “The University of Michigan does not superscore an applicant’s test results.” If you read their interpretation, you can see why simple labels are sometimes inadequate. In effect, they say “we will use your best score from a sitting, but we are going to consider all of them, but really only if they are better.” This starts to blend into what we sometimes call superscore-lite. The most important thing from students’ perspective is that additional scores will never hurt them.
  
Shelly says:

April 25, 2017 at 1:16 pm

If a college “requires all scores,” does that only apply to SAT/ACT scores, or does it also apply to Subject Test Scores? I’m thinking if it’s one of the four schools that actually requires subject tests, and it’s a school that requires all scores (i.e. Harvey Mudd) , it probably means all SAT/ACT and Subject Test scores. But if it’s a school that “requires all scores” like Georgetown, which only “recommends” subject tests (even though we all know they are essentially required there!), can I safely assume that the student must send all SAT/ACT scores, but the student may choose which subject test scores to send? Thanks!

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  April 25, 2017 at 2:50 pm
  
  Shelly,
  Your rule of thumb is a good one, although Georgetown is an exception that proves the rule. “Georgetown requires that you submit scores from all test sittings of the SAT, ACT, and SAT II Subject Tests.” I think Georgetown takes glee in being the exception. My colleague verified with Harvey Mudd that a) they expect all Subject Test scores and b) they only consider the highest scores (Math 2 being required). That b) is true at many colleges when it comes to Subject Tests. College Board doesn’t help matters by not distinguishing between the SAT and Subject Tests when it comes to Score Choice. For example, students submitting scores to Yale will be told that Yale requires “All scores.” In fact, Yale recognizes Score Choice for Subject Tests. Ultimately, the student is in control of his or her scores.
  
P's parent says:

May 5, 2017 at 3:04 pm

First of all your blog is really helpful for a parent like me(first generation going to college in USA)
My son is a Junior in High School. He took the SAT twice and the 2nd time he got 1500, 800 in Math and a 700 in English (on a 1600 scale) with an essay score of 7/7/7. She took ACT once and got only 30.
Also, his cumulative GPA is 3.91 (with 6 AP classes and 7 Honors) and 21 credits. He is planning take 3 more AP classes in senior year.
He is an active participant in First Robotics club and team Captain this year. He is also part of Science, Model UN and Chem club.
He is passionate about Electronics/Robotics. Also, he has built RC planes from scratch and also works with Arduino.
He is very interested in programming and has learned 5 programming languages (C++, Java, JavaScript, HTML, CSS) in the last couple years.
I was wondering whether you can answer below question:
1) Is he eligible to get any Merit Scholarship?
2) He is interested in applying to MIT for Aeronautical Engineering. Do you think his overall performance have any scope to get into this college?
3) Does he need both SAT and ACT scores to get into MIT or just SAT is enough?
4) Do you recommend that he takes the SAT again or is his scores enough?
Waiting for your valuable opinion?

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  May 7, 2017 at 9:42 pm
  
  P’s Parent,
  1) Is he eligible to get any Merit Scholarship?
  If you are referring to National Merit, he must first qualify based on his PSAT score. See our NMSF post about the scores he would need. If you mean merit scholarships, in general, things are far too complicated to answer simply. His grades and test scores would make him eligible at many colleges. Keep in mind, though, that at many of the most competitive colleges, financial aid is determined by need rather than by academics (the idea is to use finite resources to help students who might otherwise not be able to attend). You will need to research individual colleges.
  2) He is interested in applying to MIT for Aeronautical Engineering. Do you think his overall performance have any scope to get into this college?
  MIT is one of the most selective institutions in the country. Even among highly qualified students such as your son, the chances of admission are long. Your son seems to be within a GPA (as long as the 3.91 is unweighted) and score range for MIT, but so are thousands of other students. MIT is one of the few colleges still requiring Subject Tests. As an engineering applicant, I would recommend Math 2 and physics or chemistry. If he can excel at more that 2, that’s great, as well. MIT has a wonderful admission office that will be happy to give you more information.
  3) Does he need both SAT and ACT scores to get into MIT or just SAT is enough?
  He does not need the ACT, but he will need Subject Tests (I got ahead of myself on the last answer).
  4) Do you recommend that he takes the SAT again or is his scores enough?
  This is a hard one to answer. Despite how well he did on the SAT, a 1500 would probably put him at the low end of the range when compared to admitted students at MIT. Raising his score could be useful. Since MIT superscores, he won’t “lose” his 800M even if he does poorer on a retest. In order of importance: Subject Test (because they are absolutely required) and SAT retest (because it could help him).
  
  While I’ve focused my answers on MIT, the important thing is for him to consider a wide range of colleges. MIT turns away many excellent applicants. He should be able to find a number of great aeronautical engineering programs to which he can apply.
  
Annika says:

July 12, 2017 at 7:31 am

Hi Ash,
I looked at CMU’s website and they say that they require applicants to send all test results of the SAT and ACT. However, in your database I saw that you put Score Choice was OK for CMU.

Thanks,
Annika

- Ash Kramer says:
  
  July 12, 2017 at 9:47 am
  
  Thanks for the note, Annika! You are totally correct and we’ve changed our table to reflect that Carnegie Mellon requires all of either your SAT or ACT scores.
  
Mary says:

July 13, 2017 at 3:46 am

Hi, my son had an ACT test when he was 8th greader, he got 35 out of 36. In high school, he has PSAT, SAT , and two SAT subjects all perfect scores, and eight AP with five. In this case, I am thinking not to summit his old ACT store, but his consoler thinks he can still submit it since 35 is still a good score and it was done when he is in 8th grande. What you recommend?

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  July 14, 2017 at 7:03 pm
  
  I’m siding with mom on this one. The ACT adds no new information for an admission department, and they are unlikely to consider the fact that he got the 35 in 8th grade. His testing portfolio is, quite literally, perfect.
  
Garrett Wood says:

July 25, 2017 at 11:09 am

Hello,

This is a great article! One question – if a college’s website doesn’t specifically state whether or not it super-scores the SAT or ACT, how do you determine whether you should put “yes” or “no” on this chart? I am a recent employee of Mississippi State University’s Office of Admissions, and we have never super-scored either test. Before I commented, I checked with a former co-worker in that office who is still working there to see if anything has changed since I left a few months ago, and they confirmed that MSU still does not super-score either test.

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  July 25, 2017 at 12:44 pm
  
  Garrett,
  Thank you for sharing your knowledge. We based our note on MSU’s pathways to admission. One of the paths to admission is meeting the NCAA standards for Division I athletes. Because the NCAA superscores, this would seem to allow students to qualify under the NCAA standards using superscored SATs or ACTs. I believe — please correct me — that this MSU pathway is applicable to all students and not just to athletes. Of course the NCAA standards also include certain requirements about core classes used to calculate GPA, but this post is only meant to reflect the testing requirements.
  
  We’re happy to clean this up if you and your former colleagues feel that it is misleading.
  
TheRock says:

July 27, 2017 at 11:49 pm

Do I look like a slacker if I only took the ACT once and got a composite score – 33 ? Is that good enough for Ivy League that don’t require writing ?

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  August 1, 2017 at 3:28 pm
  
  Rock,
  Colleges would never hold one-and-done testing against you. If you got the score you wanted, you should be grateful that you can focus on other things. The second part of your question is hard to answer. Plenty of students get into top colleges with a 33. On the other hand, students with higher scores get admitted at a higher rate. Repeat testing depends on a number of factors. Two of the biggest are your motivation level and your confidence that you can improve.
  
- MBradley says:
  
  August 29, 2017 at 4:45 am
  
  Rock,
  For what it’s worth, my son got a 33 on the ACT, had great grades and did not get into any Ivys. He also took it once and was told that that was high enough but it wasn’t. Best of luck!
  
Paul says:

August 4, 2017 at 10:06 am

Daughter has PSAT 1400 690 Verbal 710 Math SAT 1380 700 Verbal 680 Math ACT 32 English, 29 Math, 34 Reading, 32 Science and 32 Composite.

She is planning on taking ACT again to see if she can get the Math up from the 29 and maybe pick up a composite point

However in light of super scoring I think she should also retake the SAT’s for the chance to get those scores up as well. Thoughts on this.

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  August 10, 2017 at 12:51 pm
  
  Paul,
  This is a personal decision, because being prepared for both tests can put a burden on the student — one that some students are happy to bear. Your daughter’s ACT Composite is a good deal better than her current SAT scores. She would need to raise her SAT score by at least 100 points to match her 32. Compass’ advice is generally to focus on one test at a time, as this increases the odds of lifting that score.
  
Pranav says:

August 14, 2017 at 6:23 pm

Do colleges superscore the new SAT essay? I took the new SAT 3 times with all essays and got a 7/7/7 on my highest, and 6/6/6 lowest. Which would they consider, especially since I am superscoring my SAT scores? I am unsure how the essays would work.

Also, does score choice apply for subject tests too? If a college does score choice, I am only required to send my higher subject test score while if they do not score choice, I am required to send both? Is this how it works?

Thank you!

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  August 18, 2017 at 5:07 pm
  
  Pranav,
  Superscoring colleges will generally superscore the essay, as well, so your 7/7/7 would be used.
  
  Not only does Score Choice apply to Subject Tests, even most colleges that consider themselves “non-Score Choice” allow an exception for Subject Tests. This is confusing, because College Board’s website will warn you that a college expects all scores (in other words, their site is not smart enough to distinguish between choice for the SAT and choice for the Subject Tests). You should check individual college policies, but in almost all cases you are allowed to submit your highest scores.
  
David says:

August 20, 2017 at 7:36 pm

Does University of California—Irvine really accept score choice? I am a little confuesd since it seems that all other UC colleges require all SAT or ACT.

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  August 23, 2017 at 1:16 pm
  
  This is a good example of where our fact checkers ran into the obstacle of believing the campus admission office. 😉 The UCs have a uniform policy against Score Choice. The thing to keep in mind is that Score Choice is completely irrelevant for the UCs. They will only consider a student’s highest combined scores and best Subject Tests (which are not required). Withholding scores provides no benefits. We will update the UC policies.
  
Lisa says:

September 5, 2017 at 5:14 am

Hi! If on the ACT my son got a 34 composite with a breakdown of 35E, 31M, 35R and 33S then took it again with a 33 composite with a breakdown of 34E, 33M, 30R and 34S, does it look bad if her composite went down a point even though 2 individual scores went up? We are not sure if we should send the second test to schools that superscore. If we sent both, how do they see it visually? Do they see 34, 33 or do their systems automatically superscore so all they see are the highest individual sections? In other words – we are worried about them seeing that 30R in his 2nd test.

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  September 5, 2017 at 4:21 pm
  
  Lisa,
  Your son is in an interesting situation. Normally I would advise to simply send both scores. Some superscoring colleges only show the highest subscores to admission officers, while others show the original scores and the superscore. However, the intention of superscoring colleges is to view test scores in a supportive manner, and I think that you can trust colleges to do this. The small twist in your son’s case is that his superscored composite would be no higher than his first composite. He achieved a 33.5 (rounded to a 34) on his first test and has a 34.25 (rounded to 34) when superscored. So colleges focusing on the composite will see no difference. It’s best to assume that colleges will see all of his subscores. I would still come down on the side of sending both scores.
  
Diane says:

September 30, 2017 at 3:31 pm

My daughter took the ACT twice
30 composite 31 composite
Eng 30 Eng 32
Math 29 Math 30
Reading 34 Reading 32
Science 26 Science 31

Question should we send both scores to Super score or just the 31 composite since it has the most consistent scores?

- Ash Kramer says:
  
  October 2, 2017 at 9:38 am
  
  Hi Diane,
  
  That’s a good question! I would say that if a school superscores, it’s definitely worth sending both scores because her superscored composite would be a 32. If a school superscores, the admission counselors really only look at those highest sections—I’ve never heard anyone talk about score consistency as an issue that would sway them.
  
  Good luck!
  
  Ash
  
Lisa says:

September 30, 2017 at 7:04 pm

Hi, thank you for all the information which is not readily provided anywhere else. What happens to the essay with the College Board’s SAT Score Choice? It does not appear that one can be selected with score choice to send to the colleges.

- Ash Kramer says:
  
  October 2, 2017 at 9:33 am
  
  Hi Lisa,
  
  My understanding is that you cannot select a separate essay score to send to colleges, so the test date(s) that you do decide to send will include the essay score if it was taken at the time.
  
  Good luck with applications!
  
  Ash
  
Kim says:

October 3, 2017 at 4:51 pm

Thank you for this excellent blog! My question involves which of my daughter’s scores to send — ACT or SAT or both? (She is applying to some selective schools.) If we should send ACTs, which should we send? Her scores are as follows:
June 2017 – 34 composite: 33 Math, 34 Science, 35 English, 35 Reading, 8 Writing
June 2016 – 33 composite, 33 Math, 27 Science, 36 English, 34 Reading, 19 Writing
Is it worth it to send both scores to achieve a superscored 35?
We would send all her SAT scores, considering that she did significantly better in one area each time. Are we correct that all scores are sent if we do not select score choice?
Aug. 2017: EBRW: 770, Math 690, Essay 4/6/6
Jan. 2017: EBRW: 720, Math 770, Essay 5/5/5
June 3, 2017: Subject test – History, 800; Math 2, 770; Biology-M, 760
Thank you!

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  October 9, 2017 at 2:11 pm
  
  Kim,
  Let me pick off the easiest parts first. Yes, ACT and SAT have different reporting policies. For the ACT, you send (and pay for!) each score report separately. College Board will send all scores unless you specifically opt out via Score Choice. I would definitely send all of your daughter’s Subject Test scores.
  
  There is not a universal answer as to which scores are best to send, as policies vary widely — require all scores; require all SAT or ACT; superscore SAT only; superscore SAT and ACT; and probably a few more. Her June 2017 ACT is the best single-day performance and is as good or better than even her superscored SAT. My recommendation would be to send the June 2017 ACT. Should she send June 2016? The fact that she did better in one subject (by 1 point) would usually not be enough to offset concern about her lower Science score. As you point out, though, she happens to be just on the cusp of a superscored 35. I would only send the 2016 results in cases where all scores are required or where a college is explicit that they superscore and consider a student’s best results.
  
DC says:

October 12, 2017 at 12:00 pm

My daughter got a 31 composite on her second ACT, superscored with the first ACT she took she has a 32. However, her composite on the first test was a 29. On the first ACT she got a 36 in English, on the second a 34, but her math and science went up significantly on the second test to account for the increase to 31. For schools that do not super score she will send the 31 composite, but should she also send the first composite of 29 since it shows the perfect score in English?

- Ash Kramer says:
  
  October 12, 2017 at 12:36 pm
  
  Hi DC,
  
  First of all, congratulations to your daughter on that perfect English score! Well done! Most schools view scores supportively, and even those who don’t superscore may look at the subscores from both tests. Sending both tests allows the admissions counselors to say that she’s clearly capable of a 36 in English AND those higher math and science scores. I’d probably send both unless you were really worried about them seeing a lower math or science score. Good luck!
  
David says:

October 17, 2017 at 9:00 pm

I just wonder if colleges could find out whether applicants had followed their score policy. I mean, for these colleges requiring all scores, if applicants didn’t send all SAT scores, do they have anyway to find out? I understand it’s a matter of honesty, but I am still curious.

- Art Sawyer says:
  
  October 18, 2017 at 6:52 pm
  
  David,
  Your curiosity is shared by many. In short, it’s an honor system just as it is with much of an application. There is no “official” route for colleges to know whether or not a student submits all scores, and I have never heard of any college trying to find out as a matter of policy. However, as with most honor systems, violations still do come to light (and consciences are always there). Although it is a declining practice, some schools record test scores on a student’s transcript, for example.

Superscoring and Score Choice Policies

Superscoring

Score Choice

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