How Superscoring Works
"Superscoring" means a college will take your highest section scores from different test dates to create a new, higher composite score.
- Example:
- Test 1 (March): 700 Math, 600 RW = 1300 Total
- Test 2 (May): 650 Math, 720 RW = 1370 Total
- Superscore: 700 (Test 1 Math) + 720 (Test 2 RW) = 1420 Total
Does the Digital SAT Change Anything?
No. The College Board has confirmed that scores from the Digital SAT are valid for superscoring.
In fact, you can even superscore a Paper SAT score with a Digital SAT score if a college accepts scores from that far back (though most students now only have Digital scores).
How to Send Your Superscore
- Go to the College Board website and navigate to "Send Scores."
- Select the colleges you want to apply to.
- Choose "Score Choice" to select which test dates to send.
- Send all dates that contain a highest section score. The college's admissions system will automatically calculate the superscore for you.
Which Colleges Superscore?
The vast majority of US colleges superscore the SAT, including:
- Ivy League: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, UPenn, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell.
- Top Private Universities: Stanford, MIT, Duke, UChicago, Johns Hopkins.
- Public Universities: UVA, UNC Chapel Hill, Georgia Tech, and many others.
Always assume a college superscores unless their website explicitly says they do not.
Superscore vs. Score Choice vs. "All Scores"
These three terms get confused constantly, but they mean very different things. Understanding the distinction is the key to a smart submission strategy:
| Policy | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Superscore | The college combines your best section scores across multiple dates into one composite. |
| Score Choice | You decide which test dates to send to a college; you can withhold weaker sittings. |
| All Scores Required | The college requires every SAT date you've ever taken — no withholding allowed. |
How Much Can Superscoring Raise Your Total?
For most students who test two or three times, superscoring adds 20 to 60 points to their best single-sitting total. The gain comes from the fact that students rarely peak on both sections the same day — a strong math day often pairs with an average reading day, and vice versa. Superscoring lets each section's best moment count. Run your different sittings through the calculator above to see your exact superscore, then benchmark it with our percentile calculator.
Superscoring Strategy
Knowing that superscoring exists changes how you should prep.
- Don't stress about a "perfect" single day. If you bomb the math section but get a great English score, that English score is "banked."
- Focus on one section at a time. For your second attempt, you might spend 100% of your study time on Math, knowing your English score is already secured.
- Plan to test two or three times. Because superscoring rewards multiple sittings, building a 2–3 test schedule into your timeline is one of the highest-value moves you can make.
- Mind the "All Scores" exceptions. If a target school requires all scores, a weak sitting can't be hidden — factor that in before you sit a test underprepared.
🎯 Related: The same logic applies to the ACT. If you're weighing both tests, see how your sections compare with our SAT/ACT concordance converter, and review what counts as a good SAT score for your target schools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all colleges superscore the SAT?
Most colleges do superscore, but not all. Most Ivy League, public universities, and top private colleges accept superscores. However, some schools (like Georgetown) require you to send 'All Scores' from every test sitting.
Is the Digital SAT treated differently for superscoring?
No. Colleges treat a Digital SAT section score exactly the same as a Paper SAT section score. You can even combine a Paper SAT math score with a Digital SAT reading score if the college accepts scores from that time period.
How do I send my superscore to colleges?
You don't send a 'superscore' directly. Instead, you use Score Choice on the College Board website to send the specific test dates that contain your highest section scores. The college's admissions system will then automatically combine them to create your superscore.