Can someone explain how SAT Superscoring works?

Hey, I've been hearing this term 'superscore' thrown around regarding the SAT. Could anyone explain what it is, and how it factors into the college admissions process? I’m just a bit overwhelmed with it all, thank you in advance.

Certainly, superscoring, in the context of the SAT, means that a college or university takes the highest section scores across all the dates you took the SAT, rather than looking at your scores as a single sitting. To explain further, let's say you've taken the SAT twice.

During your first sitting, suppose you scored a 720 on reading and writing and a 660 on math, giving you a composite score of 1380. In your second sitting, you scored a 680 on reading and writing but rose significantly in math to an impressive 750. Now, despite your lower score in reading/writing, your composite score is higher: 1430.

When a college superscores your SAT, they take the best scores from each section — in this case, 720 (reading/writing from your first test) and 750 (math from your second test)— and add them together. This gives you a super score of 1470, which is higher than your composite scores from any individual sittings.

In essence, superscoring benefits you by allowing you to showcase your best performance in each section of the SAT, even if those performances happened on different test days. This is why some students choose to take the SAT multiple times. Keep in mind, however, that not all schools use this policy, so look into your prospective colleges' practices to plan effectively.

Remember that while your SAT scores are important, they're just one aspect of your application. Showing consistent academic excellence, demonstrating strong involvement and leadership in extracurricular activities, and crafting compelling essays are all other critical parts of a successful college application. Best of luck in your college application journey!