You’re sitting there staring at a score report that feels... okay. Not great. Just okay. Maybe you hit a 1250 but you know that your dream school usually wants a 1400. Or maybe you just had a really bad day, the person behind you wouldn't stop tapping their pencil, and you're wondering if you're stuck with that number forever. You aren't. Honestly, the short answer is yes—you can take the test again. In fact, you can take it a lot. But should you? That’s where things get a little more complicated than just signing up for every available date on the College Board calendar.
Most students feel like they’re under a microscope. They worry that if they show up at a testing center three or four times, admissions officers will think they’re obsessed or, worse, incapable of getting it right the first time. Here’s the reality: colleges generally don't care how many times you take it. They care about your best performance.
The Logistics of Can You Take the SAT Multiple Times
Technically, the College Board doesn't put a hard cap on your attempts. You could, in theory, take the SAT every single time it’s offered throughout your junior and senior years. There are usually seven national testing dates in the U.S. per year. If you started in August of your junior year and went until December of your senior year, you’d be looking at a massive pile of score reports.
Nobody recommends this. It’s expensive, for one. Between the registration fees—currently $60, though that climbs if you miss the late deadline—and the sheer mental exhaustion, testing monthly is a recipe for burnout. Most experts, including those at The Princeton Review and Khan Academy, suggest that the "sweet spot" is usually two or three times.
Why two or three? Because of something called the "Score Choice" policy. Most colleges allow you to choose which scores you send. If you take it in March and get a 1300, then take it in May and get a 1420, you just send the May score. The college never even sees the 1300. It’s like the first attempt never happened. However, a handful of elite institutions—think Georgetown—historically ask to see all your scores. Even then, seeing a steady upward trajectory is actually a positive signal. It shows grit. It shows you can identify a weakness and fix it.
Why Your Second Score is Usually Better
There is a very real phenomenon where scores jump between the first and second attempt. This isn't magic. It’s familiarity. The first time you walk into that testing room, everything is high-stakes and a little bit scary. The proctor's instructions feel intense. The digital interface (now that we’ve moved to the Digital SAT) might feel slightly different under pressure than it did during your practice tests at home.
By the second time, the "newness" is gone. You know where the bathrooms are. You know how the break timing works. According to College Board data, about two-thirds of students see a score increase on their second attempt.
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The jump isn't always huge, but it's often enough to move you into a different scholarship bracket. That’s the part people forget. Taking the SAT multiple times isn't just about getting into a "better" school; it’s often about paying less for the school you already like. A 50-point bump can be the difference between a $5,000 merit scholarship and a $15,000 one.
The Superscore Secret
If you’re asking about taking the SAT multiple times, you absolutely have to understand superscoring. This is the ultimate "cheat code" offered by most universities.
A superscore is when a college takes your highest Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score from one date and combines it with your highest Math score from another date.
Example:
Attempt 1: 700 Reading / 600 Math (Total 1300)
Attempt 2: 640 Reading / 720 Math (Total 1360)
Your Superscore: 700 Reading + 720 Math = 1420
See the magic there? Your "official" score for that college becomes a 1420, even though you never actually earned that total on a single Saturday morning. This is why taking the test at least twice is almost always a smart move. It allows you to "bank" a high score in one section and then go into the next test focusing almost exclusively on the other section. It lowers the stakes. You can breathe.
When Stop Means Stop
There is a point of diminishing returns. If you’ve taken the test four times and your score has plateaued—or worse, started to drop—it’s time to hang up the No. 2 pencils (or, well, close the Bluebook app).
Admissions officers at places like Harvard or Stanford have mentioned in various panels that once you hit five or six attempts, it starts to look a bit desperate. It suggests that you’re spending all your time prepping for a standardized test instead of doing things that actually matter, like leading a club, playing a sport, or having a life.
Also, let’s be real: the test is a measurement of a specific set of skills. If you aren't changing your study habits between Attempt 3 and Attempt 4, your score isn't going to change either. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is... well, you know the saying. If you hit a wall, the problem usually isn't the test day; it's the preparation.
Managing the Timeline
If you're a junior, start now. Seriously.
The ideal timeline looks something like this:
Take your first "real" SAT in the winter or spring of your junior year. This gives you a baseline. You get your results, you see that maybe your geometry is weak or you’re struggling with the craft and structure questions in the reading section.
Then, you spend the summer or the early fall of your senior year prepping specifically for those weak spots. You take it again in August or October. For most students, this is the end of the road. You have your scores ready for Early Action or Early Decision deadlines in November.
If you wait until the end of your senior year to take it for the first time, you’ve trapped yourself. You have no room for a "bad day." You have no room to take the SAT multiple times if you need to.
The Cost Factor and Fee Waivers
Let’s talk money. Not everyone can afford to drop $60+ multiple times. The College Board knows this. If you’re eligible for a fee waiver, you get two free SAT tests. You also get unlimited score reports to send to colleges and waived application fees at participating schools.
If you’re on the fence about retaking because of the cost, check with your school counselor. Don't let the price tag hold your score back. The ROI on a better score is usually measured in thousands of dollars of financial aid. It’s worth the hustle to get those waivers.
Practical Steps for Your Next Attempt
If you’ve decided that one more go-round is the right move, don't just "wing it." That’s a waste of a Saturday.
- Analyze the Score Report: Don’t just look at the big number. Look at the section breakdowns. The Digital SAT provides insights into which "domains" you struggled with.
- Simulate the Digital Environment: Since the test is now on the Bluebook app, your practice needs to be there too. Do not practice on paper if the test is digital. It’s a different experience.
- Targeted Drills: If your math score is high enough for your target schools but your reading is lagging, spend 80% of your time on reading. Use your superscore strategy.
- Rest: The week before your second or third attempt, sleep. A tired brain makes "silly" mistakes, and at the 700+ level, the difference between a great score and a good score is often just two or three careless errors.
Deciding whether to retake the SAT is a personal choice based on your goals and where you’re applying. If you’re 10 points away from the median score at your top-choice school, take it again. If you’re already in the top 75th percentile for their last freshman class, you might be better off spending that time on your common app essay.
The most important thing to remember is that you are not your score. It’s a data point. It’s a door opener. If the door isn't open yet, and you have the time and energy to try again, go for it. Most people do.