Superscoring the SAT


Posted by Chris Zhang

May 23, 2020 at 2:30 PM

College Admissions SAT Strategies SAT

What is Superscoring?

Think about your favorite artist/musician. What are the chances that all of their music is good? Probably zero. Maybe one song has a really good beat but terrible lyrics. Can we conclude that that artist can’t write lyrics and should hire a ghost writer? No, because maybe another one of their other songs has good lyrics and a bad beat. Colleges that superscore have the same mindset in that just because you score poorly on the Math section one time you take the SAT, doesn’t mean you are bad at math. Superscoring is about seeing the potential in you so even if you haven’t made a complete song yet, we know you have the talent to create one.

Superscoring is when colleges take your highest scores from all SAT scores that you submit and use those scores to create one “superscored” composite score. Colleges realize how stressful the SAT is and want to see the positives in you so they created superscoring in order to see the greatness in you! The superscoring process creates the highest possible composite score for you so you can portray the best you!

Example: The first time you take the SAT you get a 700 on the Math and a 500 on the Reading for a total score of 1200. The second time you take the SAT you get a 600 on the Math and a 600 on the Reading for a total score of 1200. Colleges that superscore will take the 700 on the Math from your first test and the 600 on the Reading from your second test so you’ll end up with a superscore of 1300 as opposed to the previous total scores of 1200.

advice

Using Superscoring to Your Advantage

When submitting your standardized test scores, the responsibility of superscoring falls on both the colleges you are applying to and yourself. Now, you aren’t directly involved in the process of superscoring - it’s not like there’s an honor code and you can just input your scores. You still have to submit your scores through the SAT website - but you yourself can superscore.

By this I mean if after the first time you take the SAT you are satisfied with your Reading score, then you could prep intensively for the math section for the next time you take the SAT. With this strategy, you are concentrating on building your highest “superscore” composite score rather than trying to achieve your highest composite score on a single test.

There are some cons to superscoring: you have to pay the SAT registration fee ($50 without writing and $65 with writing) and you have to sit through the whole SAT (you can’t choose to only take the Reading or Math section). These cons are why I recommend trying your hardest to get as high of a composite score as possible the first time you take the SAT rather than prepping intensively for just one section each time you take the SAT.

Obviously, there’s the chance that you don’t perform well on either section, and you have to retake the SAT at least another 2 times to get a good superscore, but there’s also the chance that you crush the SAT and won’t have to take it again!

strategy

If you plan on superscoring, you should plan on taking the SAT early enough, maybe spring of your sophomore year, where you’ll have enough SAT test dates to take and build up your superscore. If you’re not getting satisfactory results, don’t worry about taking the SAT too many times, as long as you don’t exceed around six times.

However, be conscious of your actions. If you get a 500 on the Reading and a 700 on the Math the first time you take the SAT and get a 600 on the Reading and a 200 on the Math the second time you take the SAT because you didn’t bother answering any questions on the Math section, then colleges will probably think the 700 on the Math you got the first time was a fluke. You don’t necessarily have to prep intensively for the Math section if you are satisfied with your score, but it’d look a lot better to colleges if you got a 600 on the Math the second time rather than a 200.

Every College That Superscores the SAT

Now that we know about how awesome superscoring is, it’s important to realize which colleges superscore. It’d be pretty awkward if you tried some of the strategies above, and you ended up applying to a college that didn’t superscore. Imagine you tried the scenario above. On the bright side, you got a superscore of 1300! On the down side, you applied to a school that didn’t superscore so you still have a composite score of 1200. Oof, back to square one.

Here’s a list of colleges that superscore. Since it is a long list, if you want to search for whether a specific college is on the list, press crtl + F for Windows or command + F for Mac and then type the specific school of interest.

       
Abilene Christian University Adelphi University AIB College of Business Alamance Community College
Alaska Bible College Albany State University Albion College Alfed University New York State College Ceramics
Algoma University College Allegheny Wesleyan College Allen County Community College Ambrose University College
American College of the Building Arts American International College American Musical and Dramatic Academy American University DC
American University of Puerto Rico American University of Sharjah American University Rome Amherst College
Anderson Univeristy (SC) Andrew College Anne Arundel Community College Antietam Bible College
Aquinas College (TN) Argosy University Twin Cities Arizona State University Tempe Arkansas State University
Arkansas State University Beebe Armstrong Atlantic State University The Art Institute of Ohio Cincinnati Assumption College
Atlanta Christian College Augsburg College Augustana College South Dakota Austin College
Austin Peay State University Ave Maria University Latin American Campus Azusa Pacfic University Babson College
Brainbridge College Baker University Baldwin-Wallace College Ball State University
Baltimore International College Baptist Bible College and Seminary Barbados Community College Barclay College
Barton College Bates College Baylor University Beacon University
Belhaven College Bellarmine University Belmont Abbey College Belmont University
Beloit College Bemidji State University Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology Bentley College
Berea College Berks Technical Institute Bethany Lutheran College Bethel College Indiana
Biola University Bloomfield College Blue Ridge Commmunity College Blue River Community College
Bluefield College Boise State University Boston College Boston University
Bowdoin College Bowie State University Bowling Green State University Brandeis University
Brevard Community College Brewton-Parker College Bridgewater State College Brookdale Community College
Broward Community College Hollywood Brown University Bryan College BryanLGH College of Health and Sciences
Bryant and Stratton Eastlake Campus Bryant University Bryn Athyn College Bryn Mawr College
Bucknell University Butler County Community College Kansas Butler University Cabarrus College of Health and Sciences
California College of the Arts California Maritime Academy California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (CalPoly) California Polytechnic State University Pomona
California State University Bakersfield California State University Channel Islands California State University Chico California State University Dominguez Hills
California State Universty East Bay California State University Fresno California State University Fullerton California State University Long Beach
California State University Los Angeles California State University Mentor California State University Monterey California State University Northridge
California State University Sacramento California State University San Bernardino California State University San Marcos California State University Stanislaus
Calvary Baptist College Calvin College Canadian Mennonite University Canisius College
Cape Breton University Cape Fear Community College Cardiac & Vascular Technology Carleton College
Carlow University Carroll College Montana Carroll University Carson-Newman College
Carthage College Case Western Reserve University Casper College Catawba Valley Community College
Catholic University of America Cathy McMorris Cayuga County Community College Cedar Crest College
Cedarville University Center for American Education Central Alabama Community College Alexander City Central Alabama Community College Childersburg
Central Carolina Technical College Central Connecticut State University Central Wyoming College Centre College
Charleston Southern University Chattahoochee Valley Community College Chippewa Valley Technical College Christendom College
Chirstopher Newport University Chukalongkorn BBA City Vision College Claremont McKenna College
Clarendon College Clark University Clarkson Unversity Clearwater Christian College
Clemson University Coastal Carolina University Coe College Cogswell Polytechnical College
Coker College Colby College College of Charleston College of Coastal Georgia
College of Eastern Utah College of Mount Saint Joseph College of Mount Saint Vincent College of New Rochelle
College of Office Technology College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University College of Saint Mary College of Saint Scholastica
College of Santa Fe College of Southern Maryland College of Southern Nevada College of the Atlantic
College of the Mainland College of the Ozark’s College of Westchester College of William and Mary
College of Wooster Colorado Christian University Coloardo College Coloardo State University Ft Collins
Columbia Union College Columbia University Columbia-Greene Community College Community and Technical College West Virginia University
Community Christian College Concordia College Concordia College New York Concordia University (Ann Arbor, MI)
Concordia University Wisconsin Contra Costa College Cornell University Cottey College
County College of Morris Craven Community College Creighton University Crossroads College
Crown College (TN) Danville Regional Medical Center School of Health Professionals Dartmouth College Carton College
Davidson College Davison County Community College Dawson Community College Daytona State College
Delta State University Denver Academy of Court Reporting DePauw University DeSales University
DeVry University DeVry University Alpharetta DeVry University CA DeVry University Centers
DeVry University Houston DeVry University Long Beach CA DeVry University Missouri DeVry University Texas
Dickinson College Digipen Institute of Technology Divine Word College Dominican College of Baluvelt
Dominican University of California Dowling College Drake University Drexel University
Duke University Dunwoody College of Technology Durham Technical Community College Earlham College and Earlham School of Religion
East Carolina University East Los Angeles College Eastern Connecticut State University Eastern Illinois University
Eastern Kentucky University Eastern Main Community College Eastern Oregon University Eastern University
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania Edison State College EDP College San Sebastian El Centro College
Elizabethtown College Elmira College Elon Univery Emerson College
Emmanuel College Georgia Emory University Erie Business Center Main Campus Erie Business Center South New Castle
Escuela de Artes Plasticas Puerto Rico Essex Community College European College of Liberal Arts Berlin Fachhochschule Aachen Abteilung Juelich
Fairfield University Fairhaven Baptist College Fairleigh Dickinson University Vancouver Campus Faith Baptist Bible College
Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising San Fransisco Feather River Community College Ferris State University
Ferrum College Fitchburg State University Flagler College Florida Atlantic University
Flordia College Flordia Gulf Coast University Flordia Institute of Technology Flordia International University
Florida State University Flordia Technical College, Jacksonville Fordham University Frankford Hospital School of Nursing
Franklin and Marshall College Franklin College Franklin Pierce University Free Will Baptist Bible College
Frostburg State University Furman University Gainesville State College Gannon University
Gardner-Webb University George Mason University Georgetown College Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Perimeter College Georgia Southern Univerrsity Georgia Southwestern State University Gettysburg College
God’s Bible School and College Gogebic Community College Goldey-Beacom College Grayson County College
Great Basin College Griffith College Dublin Grinnell College Grove City College
Guilford Technical Community-College Gwynedd-Mercy College Hagerstown Community College Hamilton College (IA)
Hamilton College (NY) Hampden-Sydney College Hanover College Harding University
Hardin-Simmons University Harford Community College Hariri Canadian Academy of Science and Technology Harris-Stowe State University
Hartwick College Haverford College Hawaii Pacific University Heidelberg College
Helene Fuld School of Nursin Camden Henry Ford Community College Herbet W Armstrong College Heriot-Watt University
Heritage Baptist University Herzing College Orlando Hesston College Hillsdale College
Hinds Community College Hodges University Hofstra University Hogeschool Universiteit Brussel
Holmes Community College Holy Family University Horry-Georgetown Technical College Houghton College
Houston Community College Hudson County Community College Humboldt State University Huntington University
Husson University Illinois College Illinois Eastern Community College Frontier Illinois Eastern Community College Olney
Illinois Wesleyan University Indiana State University Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University East
Indiana University Kokomo Indiana University of Pennsylvania Academy of Culinary Arts Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
Instituto Tec y de Estudios Superior de Monterrey Internationa Christian University Japan International School University of Hofstra International Universty in Germany
Inver Hills Community College Iona College Iowa Lakes Community College Island Drafting and Technical Institute
Ithaca College ITT Technical Institute Tucson Ivy Tech Community College Evansville Jacksonville College
James Madison University JNA Institute of Culinary Arts John Carroll Unviersity John Paul the Great Catholic University
John Hopkins University Johnson C Smith University Johnson College Jones College
Kalamazoo College Keene State College Keiser College Kendall Kenai Peninsula College
Kennesaw State University Kent State University Kentucky Wesleyan College Kenyon College
Keuka College King College Kings College Pennsylvania Kings University College
Knox College Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kuyper College Kwansei Gakuin University
La Salle University Lafayette College LaGrange College Lake Area Technical Institute
Lake Forest College Lake Superior State University Lakeland College Lancaster Bible College
Landmark Baptist College Latter Day Saints Business College Lehigh University Lenoir Community College
Lenoir-Rhyne University Lesley University Lester L Cox College of Nursing and Health Science Lewis-Clark State College
Lexington College Liberty University Lincoln College Lincoln Technical Institute Allentown
Lincoln Technical Institute Columbia Living University Lon Morris College Lone Star College System
Longy School of Music of Bard College Louisburg College Louisiana State University Baton Rouge Louisiana Tech University
Louisville Technical Institute Loyola Marymouth University Lubbock Christian University Luther College
Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts Lynchburg College Lyon College Manatee Community College
Manhattan School of Music Mansfield University of Pennsylvania Marian College Marist College
Marlboro College Marquette University Marhsall Community Technical College Marshall University
Mary Baldwin College Maryland Institute College of Art Marymount Manhattan College Maryville University Saint Louis
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Master’s College and Seminary Matanuska-Susitna Community College
Mayo School of Health and Sciences McNally Smith College of Music MedCentral College of Nursing Mercy College Dobbs Ferry
Mercy School of Nursing (PA) Mercy School of Nursing (NC) Mercyhurst College Messenger College
Messiah College Miami Dade College Miami University Middle Georgia College
Middle Tennessee State University Middlebury College Midreshet Lindenbaum Mid-South Community College
Midwester Baptist Theological Seminary Millersville University of Pennsylvania Milligan College Minnesota State University Moorhead
Misericodira University Mississippi Delta Community College Missouri Baptist University Missour State University Springfield
Missouri Western State College Monmouth University Monroe College Montana State University
Montana State University Northern Montana State University Tech Greater Falls Montclair State University Moravian College
Morehouse College Mount Allison University Mount Holyoke College Mount Mary College
Mount Saint Mary’s College Mount Saint Vincent University Mount Vernon Nazarene University Muhlenberg College
Muskingum College Nash Community College National Polytechnic College of Science National University
Nazareth College of Rochester Nebraska Christian College Nebrasks Methodist College Neosho County Community College
New College of Flordia New England Institute of Technology New Jersey Institute of Technology New River Community College
New World School of the Arts New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts New York Institute of Technology Newberry College
Niagara County Community College Nichols College Nihon University North Carolina Agricultural Tech State University
North Carolina Central University North Carolina State University Raleigh North Central College Noth Dakota State University Fargo
North Georgie College and State University Northeastern Technical College Northeastern University Northern Arizon University
Northern Illinois University Northern Maine Community College Norther Marianas College Northern Michigan University
Northwest Christian University Northwest Missouri State University Northwest University Norhwestern Technical College
Northwestern University Northwood University Texas Northwestern Polytechnic University Oak Valley College
Oakland University Oberlin College Occidental College Ocean County College
Ogeechee Technical College Ohio Bible College Ohio Business College Ohio Dominican University
Ohio State University Columbus Ohio University Athens Ohio Valley University Ohio Wesleyan University
Okefenokee Technical College Oklahoma Panhandle State University Olin College of Engineering Omore College of Design
Onondaga Community College Oral Roberts University Oregon State University Otero Junior College
Otis College of Art and Design Otterbein College Our Lady of Corpus Christi Oxford College
Ozark Christian College Pacfic Union College Paris Junior College Park University
Parsons Paris School of Design Patrick Henry College Paul Quinn College Peabody Conservatory of Music
Penn View Bible Institute Pennsylvania College of Technology Penn State University Park Pepperdine University
Peru State College Pfeiffer University Philadelphia Biblical University Philadelphia University
Philips Beth Israel School of Nursing Phoenix College Pidemont College Piedmont Community College
Piedmont Technical College Pitt Community College Pittsburg State University Pitzer College
Platt College Colorado Plattsburgh State University Plymouth State University Post University
Potomac State College Presentation College Prince Georges Community College Princeton University
Purdue University West Lafayette Queens University Ramapo College of New Jersey Randolph-Macon College
Raphael Recanati International School Rasmussen Business College Eagan Redlands Community College Reed College
Regent University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rets College Rhode Island College
Rhodes College Rich Mountain Community College Richard Bland College Richmond Community College
Ripon College Rochester College Rochester Institute of Technology Rock Valley College
Rockingham Community College Rocky Mountain College Roger Williams University Rollins College Winter Park
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Rosemont College Rowan University Rutgers University
Sage College Albany Sagina Valley State University Saint Andrews Presbyterian College Saint Anselm College
Saint Bonaventure University Saint Charles Community College Saint Clares Saint Cloud State University
Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing Saint John Fisher College Saint John Vianney College and Seminary Saint Johns River Community College
Saint Johns University Staten Island Saint Joseph’s College Saint Joseph’s College, ME Saint Joseph’s College Patchogue
Saint Joseph’s University Saint Lawrence University Saint Leo University Saint Louis College of Pharmacy
Saint Louis University Madrid Campus Saint Margaret School of Nursing Saint Martin’s University Saint Mary’s College (IN)
Saint Mary’s College (MD) Saint Mary’s Seminary and University Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Saint Mary’s University of Texas
Saint Michael’s College Vermont Saint Olaf College Saint Peter’s College Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Saint Thomas University Saint Vincent College Salem State College Salisbury University
Salve Regina University Sam Houston State University San Diego State University San Fransisco Art Institute
San Fransisco State University San Jose State University Sandhills Community College Santa Clara University
Snata Fe Community College Savannah College of Art and Design SBS Swiss Business School Schuylkill Health School of Nursing
Seattle Pacific University Seattle University Sewickley Valley Hospital Shawnee State University
Simmons College Sinclair Community College Singapore Polytechnic Skidmore College
Smith College Somerset Christian College Somerset Community College Sonoma State University
South Carolina State University South Piedmont Community College Southeast Technical Institute Southeastern Bible College
Southeastern Free Will Baptist College Southeastern Oklahoma State University Southeastern Technical College Southern Arkansas University Tech Branch
Southern California Institute of Architecture Souther Catholic College Southern Connecticut State University Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Southern Methodist University Southern University Agricultural and Mechnical College Southern Utah Univerity Southern Vermont College
Southern Virginia University Southside Regional Medical Center School of Nursing Southwestern Christian University Southwestern University
Spartanburg College of Aeronautics Spartanburg Methodist College Springfield College St John’s University Jamaica
St Joseph’s College of Nursing State University of New York College at Brockport State University of New York College of Agriculture andNatural Resources State University of New York Binghamtom
State University of New York Albany State University of New York Buffalo State University of New York Fredonia State University of New York Geneseo
State University of New York at New Paltz State University of New York at Oneonta State University of New York at Oswego State University of New York at Potsdam
Stephens College Sterline College (KS) Stevenson University Stockbridge School
Stonehill College Stony Brook University State University New York Suffolk University Suffolk University Madrid
Sul Ross State University Swarthmore College Sweet Briar College Tama University
Taylor University Upland Campus Texas Christian University Texas Tech University Texas Womans University
Thammasat University The King’s College Three Rivers Community College (Poplar Bluff, MO) Tomball College
Towson University Trenholm State Technical College Trine University Trinity College
Trinity International University College of Liberia Truett-McConnell College Union Bible College Union College New York
US Air Force Academy US Marine Corps Syracuse US Military Academy US Naval Academy
University of Edinburgh University Central Florida University Georgia Athens University of Alabama Birmingham
University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville University of Arkansas Fayetteville University of Arkansas Monticello University of Calgary
University of Charleston University of Chicago University of Cincinatti University of Colorado Boulder
University of Connecticut University of Dallas University of Dayton University of Delaware
University of Findlay University of Florida University of Hartford University of Hawaii at Manoa
University of Houston Main Campus University of Idaho University of Illinois Chicago University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
University of Indianapolis University of Iowa University of La Verne University of Maine Orono
University of Mary Hradin-Baylor University of Mary Washington University of Maryland Baltimore County University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Boston University of Massachusetts Dartmouth University of Miami University of Michigan Ann Arbor
University of Michigan Dearborn University of Minnesota Crookston University of Minnesota Morris University of Minnesota Twin Cities
University of Montevallo University of Nebraska Lincoln University of Nevada Las Vegas University of New Hampshire Durham
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill University of North Carolina Greensboro University of North Carolina Pembroke University of North Dakota Grand Forks
University of North Texas University of Northern Iowa University of Notre Dame University of Oregon
University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh Titusville University of Portland
University of Prince Edward Island University of Puget Sound University of Rhode Island University of Richmond
University of Rochester University of Saint Thomas University of San Diego University of San Fransisco
University of Scranton University of Sioux Falls University of South Carolina Aiken University of South Carolina Upstate
University of South Flordia University of Southern California University of Southern Maine University of Tampa
University of Tennessee Knoxville University of Texas Arlington University of the Arts University of the Cumberlands
University of the Incarnate Word University of the Ozarks University of the Southwest University of Toledo
University of Tulsa University of Utah University of Vermont University of Virginia
University of Virginia’s College at Wise University of Washington Bothell University of Windsor University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
University of Wisconsin Fond Du Lac University of Wisconsin Green Bay University of Wisconsin Madison University of Wisconsin Marshfield
University of Wisconsin Osh Kosh University of Wisconsin Stevens Point University of Wisconsin Stout Menomonie University of Wisconsin Whitewater
University Tokyo PEAK University of Wisconsin Colleges University of Wisconsin Richland Center University of Wyoming
Ursinus College Ursuline College Valdosta State University Valley College of Technology
Valparaiso University Vance-Granville Community College Vanderbilt University Vassar College
Vealius College Villanova University Virginia Polytechnic Institute State University (Virginia Tech) Waldorf College
Walla Walla University Warner Pacific College Warren County Community College Wartburg College
Washington and Jefferson College Washington and Lee University Washington Bible College Washington Hospital School of Nursing
Washington University Washington University Watkins College of Art and Design Waukesha County Technical College
Wayne State University Waynesburg University Weatherford College Webb Institute
Webber International University Weber State University Wellesley College Wentworth Institute of Technology
Wesleyan University West Chester Univeristy of Pennsylvania West Shore Community College West Virginia University Hospitals Radiologic Tech
West Virginia University Morgantown Wesern Career College Stockton Western Carolina University Western International University-Online
Western Michigan University Western Nevada Community College Western New England College Western Washington University
Westfield State College Westminister College Pennsylvania Westwood College-DuPage Wheelock College
Whitman College Widener University Willamette University William Jessup University
William Paterson University of New Jersey William Penn University William Woods University Williams College
Wilson College Wilson Community College Winthrop University Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College
Wofford College Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester State College Word of Life Bible Institute
Wright State University Dayton Xavier University Xavier University Louisiana Yellowstone Baptist College
York College of Pennsylvania York St John York Technical College Young Harris College

Note: Colleges are constantly changing their admissions policy so if you don’t see a college you’re interested in on this list, then look at their admissions website or call them to ask about their policy. This list was created by Prepscholars.

Next Steps

Superscoring is an important and useful tool in aiding students during the college process, but ultimately, your standardized test scores will be determined by your preparation. Unless you have a perfect score in one section, you should give it your all in preparing for both sections everytime you take the SAT.

Even if you have a high score in one section and plan on superscoring, you never know whether you can beat that score or not. Maybe the questions on the next SAT suit your strengths, maybe you’re feeling it that day, or maybe you used Prepmedians to help you in your SAT prep and you feel much more empowered to crush the test even more.

When you are using superscoring to your advantage, you are placing more emphasis on one subject while preparing, but you should always aim to do well on both sections. Always strive to do better and never be complacent with your scores. The higher your scores are; the stronger of a candidate you look to colleges. And once you’re done the college process, you’ll be glad and relieved you got as high of an SAT score as possible to get into your dream school and set you up for some of the best 4 years of your life!

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Posted by Chris Zhang

Chris scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT in high school and is currently studying Economics and Data Science at Colby College. Fun fact: The only movie he ever cried in was Fast and Furious 7.