Standardized Testing

Score Choice, Retesting & When to Submit

6 minCourse moduleModule 5.4

§ 01

Overview

5.4 Score Choice, Retesting & When to Submit

The Poker Game of Admissions

Taking the test is only half the battle; knowing when to show your hand is the other. Many parents mistakenly believe that every time their child sits for an exam, the results are automatically beamed to the schools.

This is rarely true. You have significant control over who sees what. Treating your test scores as a private asset until you are ready to "release" them is a fundamental strategy of elite admissions.

1. The SSAT Strategy: The "Wallet" Approach

The SSAT offers the most user-friendly reporting policy, which allows for aggressive testing strategies.

  • The Mechanism: Think of your SSAT account as a digital wallet. You can take the test in October, November, and December. All three scores will sit in your account, visible only to you.

  • The "Blind" Rule: Never designate a school as a score recipient during registration.

    • Why? If your child wakes up with a migraine or simply chokes on the math section, you do not want that score going anywhere.

    • The Cost: It costs a small fee to send scores after you see them (rather than for free during registration), but this "insurance premium" is worth every penny.

  • The Execution: Take the test multiple times. Once you have all your scores, select the single best administration date and send only that report to your school list. The schools will never know the other two tests even occurred.

2. The ISEE Strategy: The "Seasonal" Constraint

The ISEE is more restrictive, requiring careful calendar planning.

  • The Seasons: The ISEE divides the year into three testing windows:

    • Fall: August -- November

    • Winter: December -- March

    • Spring: April -- July

  • The Restriction: You may only take the ISEE once per season.

    • Most applicants take it once in the Fall (usually October/November) as a baseline.

    • They take it again in the Winter (usually December/January) as their final attempt before deadlines.

  • Reporting: Like the SSAT, you can choose which score report to send. However, because you likely only have two data points (Fall and Winter), your choices are limited.

    • Warning: Some schools require the ISEE results to be sent directly from the testing agency. Ensure you check if the school accepts the "ERB Score Analysis" or requires the official report.

3. The "Superscore" Myth

In college admissions, "superscoring" (combining your best Math from October with your best Verbal from December) is common. In private high school admissions, it is rare.

  • The Reality: Most admissions committees look at the highest single administration.

  • The "Mental" Superscore: If you send two reports (e.g., one with great Math, one with great Verbal), an admissions officer might mentally give you credit for both. However, this is risky. It draws attention to your inconsistency.

  • Recommendation: Send one strong, balanced score report. Only send two reports if your performance is wildly split (e.g., 99% Verbal in Oct, 99% Math in Dec) and you have no other choice.

4. When to Retake (and When to Stop)

The line between "perseverance" and "obsession" is thin.

Retake If:

  • You Underperformed Your Practice: If your child was scoring 90% at home and scored 70% on test day, retake it. That is an anomaly.

  • Something Went Wrong: Illness, distraction, or technical issues during the test.

  • You Are "On the Bubble": You are in the 75th percentile and applying to a school where the median is the 85th.

Do NOT Retake If:

  • You Are in the Median: If the school average is 85% and you have an 87%, stop. A 92% will not get you in. Moving from "Qualified" to "Highly Qualified" on the test matters less than spending that time on your interview prep.

  • You Have Taken It 3 Times: Submitting a student to a 4th standardized test looks desperate and can signal to schools that the parent is overly intense.

  • The Gains are Marginal: Improving from the 91st to the 94th percentile is statistically irrelevant.

Summary: Timeline for Success

  1. October: Take the first official test (SSAT or ISEE). Treat this as a "warm-up" but prepare seriously.

  2. November: Receive scores. Analyze weaknesses. If scores are great, you are done. If not, hire targeted tutoring for the weak section.

  3. December/January: Take the second official test. This is usually the high-water mark for student performance.

  4. January 15: Most application deadlines. Ensure you have digitally "released" your best score report at least one week prior.