How good is a 1290 SAT score for college admissions?

Hello everyone! I just got a 1290 on my SAT and I'm wondering if that's a good enough score for college admissions, especially for competitive schools. Should I retake the test to improve my score, or is this fine? Thanks for your input!

A 1290 SAT score is a solid score for college admissions, but its competitiveness largely depends on the specific schools you're interested in applying to. It's important to know that even with a 1290, you can still gain admission to many colleges and universities across the country.

However, if you're considering applying to highly competitive schools, you should consider retaking the SAT to improve your score. For context, the middle 50% range of SAT scores for admitted students at top institutions is generally around 1400-1550+. A higher score will increase your chances of admission and may help you secure merit scholarships.

To determine whether your score is competitive for the schools you're interested in, you can research the middle 50% SAT score range for admitted students at those colleges. This information is typically available on the schools' websites or on college search platforms, like CollegeVine, for example. If your score falls within or above the middle 50% range, it's a strong indicator that it will be viewed favorably during the admissions process.

In summary, a 1290 is a good SAT score for many colleges, but if you have your sights set on more competitive institutions, retaking the test to improve your score is advisable. Be sure to balance your efforts between your SAT preparation, maintaining a strong GPA, and participating in extracurricular activities to present a well-rounded application.