Last spots for Class of 2026 seniors — get expert college counseling before deadlines. Submit inquiry.
Last spots for Class of 2026 seniors — get expert college counseling before deadlines. Submit inquiry.
Updated November 3, 2025
What is superscoring? It’s a college admissions policy that can give students a strategic advantage on the SAT. In this guide, we’ll explain what SAT superscoring is, how SAT superscores work in college admissions, and which colleges use it so you can make the most of every test score.
A superscore is a student’s highest combined SAT score across multiple test dates. Instead of reviewing your scores from just one SAT sitting, colleges that superscore the SAT will take your best Evidence-Based Reading & Writing (EBRW) score and your best Math score, even if they occurred on different days, and no matter how many times the student takes the SAT.
SAT supercore example:
This combined score is what the college will use when reviewing your application—it’s your super score.
What is a good SAT or ACT score?
For many IVY+ schools, the mid-range SAT score is between 1510 and 1570, and the mid-range ACT score is between 34 and 35.
The ACT Composite score is calculated by taking the average of the Reading, Math, Science (Optional), and English sections. Starting in September 2025, students will have their ACT super score calculated only with English, math, and reading.
Unlike the SAT, the ACT automatically superscores for all students who have taken the exammore than once; however, students still have the option of sending their superscore or a full composite test score to colleges. ACT test takers may also retake individual sections of the exam.
All colleges and universities have their own policies regarding superscoring, but the vast majority do superscore.
You can find a school’s official testing policy on its admissions website, but it would be a good idea to seek out this information from admissions officers during in-person or virtual visit experiences.
If you apply to an institution that superscores tests, you will need to submit official records of all of the test administrations that you would like to be considered. For example, if you take the SAT three times and receive your highest EBRW score on the second attempt and your highest Math score on the third attempt, you should prioritize sending the exam scores associated with only your second and third testing dates.
Students who take multiple attempts at the ACT or SAT are not advised to automatically send their scores to colleges, as normally prompted on test day. Instead, wait until you receive the scores and then you can later decide which score records you would like to have considered for superscoring. If a college requires all scores, they will see every SAT score you’ve submitted.
Standardized testing can be used to determine eligibility for merit scholarships, honors colleges, or other special programs. By understanding how superscores are calculated and used, you can create a smarter test-taking plan.
At AcceptU, we work with students to identify testing strategies that maximize results. Whether it’s through personalized prep or timeline planning, our counselors and test prep tutors help students put their best scores forward. Schedule a free consultation today to get started with a custom SAT plan.
It’s your highest EBRW and Math section scores from multiple test dates, combined into one total score.
Ben received a BA from Cornell University and has spent more than 15 years working within education and college preparation. Prior to joining AcceptU, Ben was a long-time teacher with Kaplan, and subsequently built and launched multiple tutoring and test prep programs through Varsity Tutors and Learner.com.
