What should I do after I get my SAT score?

Question

Accepted Answer

After you get your SAT score, do three things in order: look at where the report says you were strong and weak, compare the score to the colleges actually on your list, and then decide whether to retake, send scores, or stop. Decide with a clear head — not on the day the score lands. Give it a day. The first reaction to a score, good or bad, is rarely the best moment to decide anything. Read the whole report first, including the performance information by content area, which is the useful part for deciding what to work on. Next, put the score next to your actual college list. Check each school's current testing policy and, where they publish it, the range of scores they typically see. The point is to know whether more testing would change your options, not to judge the number in isolation. If you are thinking about a retake, look at the registration deadlines and give real prep time before the next date — retaking without changing how you prepare mostly repeats the same result. Our page on how many times to take the test walks through the trade-offs. Sending scores is a separate decision with its own steps. Some schools superscore, some want everything, and the process and timing are set by College Board and each college. Check the rules for each school you are applying to before you choose what to send. If the score is final for your plans, shift the energy elsewhere — grades, essays, activities, applications. A test score is one piece of an application, and a calm plan for the rest is worth more than a fourth attempt.