Improving Your Score When Retaking the SAT
On average, most students will take the SAT twice. Whether you scored poorly on the first attempt or are just looking to get your score as high as possible to get into your dream college, there are many ways to make sure you’re prepared to improve your score on your SAT retake.
Prepare as Much as Possible
Whether you want a large score increase or just a small one, you’ll need to make sure you’re as ready as you can possibly be to take the SAT again. You might think you don’t need to study again since you know what the test is like, but it’s certainly in your best interest to do so.
Since you’ve already taken the test once, you know which areas you performed best in and which you didn’t. Think about why you struggled more on certain sections, and take extra time to work on improving your skills in those areas. Use SAT study books, take timed practice tests, and for extra help, hire a tutor. By studying hard, staying motivated, and getting to know the test as best as you can, it’ll be easy to see your score go up.
Stay Focused
Being distracted while studying or during the test itself can be harmful to your ability to perform the best you can. When studying, try to eliminate as many distractions as you can. Turn off your phone and go somewhere quiet where you can give your SAT booklet the attention it deserves. If you set up a timed practice test, try to mimic the testing environment by setting up a desk space and having someone act as your proctor. During your real test, it's possible that you experience something distracting that hinders your ability to keep your mind 100% on your work, like noises from outside the room or unnecessary chatter. Distractions can lead to score drops, so make sure you’re ready for anything. If there is a significant interruption during your test, however, you can let the College Board know and cancel your scores. Hopefully, it won’t come to this, but always be prepared to battle testing distractions whether it be during practice or the real thing.
Over Half Improve on Retake
It may ease your mind to know that the majority of those who retake the SAT will see their score increase on the second try. The best way to assure that this is the case for you is to take the necessary steps in preparing. Set a reasonable goal for yourself, and compare that to your past scores in every section. For every fifty point increase, you’ll need about four additional correctly answered questions. Keep this in mind when you’re studying, and figure out how well you need to do on each section to reach your ideal composite score. If you know your destination, your journey will be much easier. Practice, focus, and be confident that your SAT retake will yield your desired result.