Four Fun Facts About SAT Retakes
The only thing better than taking the SAT, some say, is taking it twice. But who really says that, besides test prep professionals like yours truly? Believe it or not, this flippant comment is supported by research. A new National Bureau of Economic Research study titled Take Two! SAT Retaking and College Enrollment Gaps explored data on millions of SAT-takers, finding that only half retake the exam, with even lower retake rates among low income and underrepresented minority students. What appears to be a minor finding actually presents major implications: 1. Scoring below multiples of 100 increases retaking, implying some students have round number target scores. Even though the SAT scale doesn’t ascribe special status to round numbers, most test takers focus on those easy breakpoints. Today’s students strive for 1300 or 1400 or 1500, but the last version of the SAT, which was scaled on a 600-2400 scale, offered…