The SAT: How Much Is Too Much?

Working as a college counselor in Asia, I hear a lot about the SAT (and standardized testing in general).  Many East Asian countries, such as Taiwan, China, and Korea, have a national college entrance exam which all students who are staying in their home country must take in order to go on to university.  Because of this many Asian families confuse the SAT with a college entrance exam.

I don't blame parents for this mistake.  Most only know this system from their own university experiences and they hear a lot about the importance of the SAT or ACT, and make this assumption.

I spend a lot of time dispelling the myth that the SAT and ACT are college entrance exams.  For many students, the score they receive on these tests are something tangible that they can use to measure against other students who were admitted to a specific college or university.  Most schools in the US have this information on their website or published in books such as the Fiske Guide (which I regularly use).  For some second language students and parents, using this number as a measure of entrance is an easy way to determine academic fit.

As a former admissions officer, I can say with certainty that most colleges in the United States use the SAT or ACT as just one measure of admissibility.  I often tell parents and students that it's just one piece of the puzzle (ok, maybe two or three, but who is counting!).

So, down to the question: How many times should my student take the SAT?

The official stance by the College Board, which is the organization that administers the SAT, is TWO TIMES.  This information is coming for the organization that makes money every time you take the test.  They could encourage you to take the test ten times and make five times the money, but they don't.  Why?  The College Board recognizes that taking the test again and again doesn't really show a college or university anything about your academic ability.  It simply shows that you are learning how to master the test.

I feel that three times is appropriate but NO MORE.  Unless a student chooses the Score Choice option, which I don't recommend and will be covered in a future post, each college or university that a student applies to will see every SAT test date score.  Frankly, taking the SAT beyond three times makes a student appear desperate.  I would often wonder as an Admissions Officer why this student was so fixated on this one exam when there were so many other important parts of the application.  I would often see a student over testing when it was clear that their application was lacking in other important areas.  It was made to seem that they were using this test score to make up for deficiencies in other areas.

What is my advice instead of fixating on the SAT or any other form of standardized testing?  Learn a new hobby.  Volunteer with an organization in your community that you care about or one that you want to learn more about.  As your Grandparents about their lives and what they did before they became Grandparents.  Learn a new sport or continue to excel at one you are already passionate about.  Join a club at school that has peaked your interest or start a club if there isn't one that interests you.  Read a book that hasn't been assigned for school.  Be a leader.  Be excited about something.  Be passionate.  Be personable.  Be proud of who you are and all that you have accomplished!