When The College Board rolled out the new Digital SAT a few years ago, lots of questions were raised. Now, high schoolers across the nation are familiarizing themselves with all of the latest facets of the test-taking experience — from a testing algorithm that adjusts its level of difficulty according to performance to digital calculator and annotations tools that attempt to improve upon the good old pencil and scratch paper format. But amid all these changes, a question remains: can you superscore across both the Digital and Paper SAT?

What is Superscoring?

Let’s back up for a second. What even is superscoring? Here’s  The College Board’s definition:

“Imagine you’ve taken the SAT twice, once in the spring of your junior year and again in the fall of your senior year. The second time around, you find that your Reading and Writing score has increased 80 points, but your Math score is 10 points lower. In this case, your superscore would be a combination of your scores from the Math section on your first SAT and the Reading and Writing section on your second SAT.

Colleges that superscore the SAT use your best section-level scores, even if they’re from different tests. Many colleges that follow a superscore policy encourage students to submit all test scores, and some colleges require that all scores be sent. This allows them to see and consider the highest section scores consistently and fairly across all applicants.”

So your superscore is the highest score drawn from each combined section. This can significantly enhance your college admissions competitiveness. However, we at Ivy Coach always caution our students against reporting multiple SAT scores to colleges (instead, we’re all for taking the SAT until a student gets their best Math and Reading subscores on one sitting). After all, sending two or more distinct test scores to colleges, whether they’re superscored or not, can signal that you had to work twice as hard as the student who got a competitive score the first time around.

Still, sometimes taking the SAT twice is inevitable. And sometimes, your two testing days are so far apart that the entire format is overhauled during the interlude! Will colleges allow you to superscore across the Digital and Paper formats?

Can Superscore Across SAT Formats?

There shouldn’t be any problem with superscoring your SAT results across test-taking formats — if the schools to which you’re applying allow you to superscore in the first place (and almost all do)! The College Board doesn’t have a problem with it, and most of America’s elite universities don’t either ( however, a couple of elite universities don’t superscore the ACT). That said, take some time to thoroughly research the testing policies at your dream schools before signing up for that second exam. This information can be gleaned from a quick glance at their admissions website.

And while you’re busy digging up this information, remember not to be fooled by any so-called “test optional” policies you happen to stumble across. We at Ivy Coach have long decried the notion that schools won’t penalize you for taking them at their word and applying without submitting test scores. But the fact of the matter is that they will! Students who don’t submit a standardized test score along with their application are absolutely at a disadvantage compared to those who do!

Ivy Coach’s Assistance With SAT Prep for Elite College Admissions

Whether you superscore or not, you must enter into your SAT exam with the utmost preparation. With college acceptance rates shooting downward and average SAT scores for admitted students at elite colleges shooting upwards, it’s more important than ever to give your child expert help. That’s where we come in: Ivy Coach’s Senior Tutor, Dr. Fran Bigman, has been tutoring the SAT for over 20 years with a highly personalized approach that has helped countless students earn admission to highly selective schools. 

If you’re interested in enlisting Dr. Bigman’s tutoring services, fill out Ivy Coach’s complimentary consultation form and we’ll be in touch.