What can I expect with a 1360 SAT score?

Hey all, I scored a 1360 on my SAT and I'm curious about what kind of colleges I could get into with that score. Is it good enough for competitive schools, or do you think I should retake it? Thanks for your help!

A 1360 SAT score is a solid score, and it puts you above the national average (approximately 1060). However, whether the score is competitive enough for admission depends on the specific schools you're targeting. If you're looking at top-tier colleges, like Ivy League institutions or other highly selective schools, you may find that your score falls slightly below their average admitted student range. For instance, many top-tier schools have middle 50% SAT scores ranging from the high 1400s to 1500s.

That being said, a 1360 SAT score will make you a competitive applicant at many colleges and universities across the nation. If your target schools have average admitted student SAT scores within or near that range, you should be in good shape. Make sure to research the middle 50% SAT scores for your target schools to determine if you fall within or near their range. You can usually find this information directly on their website.

It is important to remember that while test scores play a role in college admissions, they are only one factor among many. Strong grades, a rigorous course load, extracurricular involvement, and compelling essays can all contribute to a well-rounded application.

If you want to know how your application as a whole stacks up at the schools you're most interested in, I'd check out CollegeVine's free chancing engine, which accounts for all quantifiable elements of your application, including test scores, GPA, course rigor, and extracurriculars to give you personalized odds of acceptance at hundreds of colleges: https://www.collegevine.com/admissions-calculator/.

You can experiment with this tool by putting in higher SAT scores, to get a concrete idea of how much you'd need to increase your score by in order to boost your chances significantly. Since studying for an SAT retake takes time and energy, you want to make sure that time would be well spent.

It's also worth noting that many colleges practice "superscoring," where they consider the highest section scores across test administrations. Retaking the SAT gives you an opportunity to potentially increase your superscore, especially if you did much better on one section than the other. Make sure to check the admissions pages of your top choice schools, or even reach out directly to their admissions teams, to see if they practice superscoring, as not all schools do.

Ultimately, the decision to retake the test is up to you and will depend on your target schools and other factors. Just make sure to balance SAT prep with the other important components of your application. Good luck!