What To Do When You Didn't Get the SAT/ACT Score You Wanted

It's a few weeks after the June SAT and ACT, and scores are being reported. 

All test-takers have the hope that this time they've done it. They've reached their goal. Sure, there might be other tests in the future; but, they will never, ever have to take the SAT or ACT again. Ever.

Some of you will log in to your account page and be flooded with a sense of relief.

You've done it! Mission accomplished!

Others of you will have a different experience upon viewing your scores. And, you are the people I want to talk to today.

My yoga teacher Nevine says that there are four to handle any situation: 
You can take a good situation and make it better; you can take a good situation and make it worse; you can take a bad situation and make it better; you can take a bad situation and make it worse.

My goal is to help you to make this situation better, no matter how you scored on your most recent test—and that doesn't necessarily mean taking the test again.

First of all, let's divide test-takers who are less-than thrilled with their scores into three basic categories:

Category 1: You scored well, but wonder if you could score better.

Category 2: You didn't score quite as well as you wanted, but think you can probably improve your score if you prep for the next test.

Category 3: Umm.... What happened? This is not the score that you were hoping for. Not even close. Shoot.


For those of you in Category 1, I have a couple of questions to ask you:

–Would you be willing to put in the work to improve your score? 
–Do you think that a score improvement will significantly change your odds of admission at your top school?

These are important questions. I worked with a student who scored a 32 on the ACT. She had scored a 35 in English, but a 28 in Math. Now, she very well might have decided that she was willing and able to do the work to raise her Math score enough to improve her overall score by a point or two, but she very reasonably decided that she didn't want to do that work. Furthermore, applying to most colleges with a 33 or 34 rather than a 32 wouldn't change her odds of admissions significantly. Just as I would have supported her decision to keep going to see if she could raise her score, I supported her decision to let the test go.

As far as I'm concerned (especially when a student is applying to top colleges), no score is high enough to *get* you admitted. The applicant pools are simply too competitive and filled with too many smart, talented people (yourself included!). Given this, your goal should be to earn a score that doesn't detract from your application.

Once you've done that, you can certainly try for a higher score, but you should do so with a work ethic that makes the higher score possible and a devil-may-care attitude that says that, no matter what happens, you are going to apply to your colleges with solid scores that you are proud of. Incidentally, if you do choose to retake the test, feeling more relaxed may be enough to raise your score a point by virtue of how it eases the pressure and frees you to think more clearly.


Those of you in Category 2 can ask those same questions from Category 1. Except, in this case, the answers are probably "Yes, I am willing to do the work," and "Yes, I think it will make a difference." 

If your answer isn't "Yes, I am willing to do the work," I suggest you take some time to sit with the resistance that is impinging on your willingness to do the work. Is there a fear that you are doomed to failure? Are you exhausted from the process? What is stopping you from wanting to take the actions that will set you up for success? How can you gently address these obstacles so that you can take positive steps? Who can support you in your efforts? How would you like them to support you?

If you answered "No, improving my score won't make a difference," then you are likely in one of two situations. You may have a better score than you are giving yourself credit for, in which case consider switching yourself to Category 1 for your own peace of mind—you can still retake the test, and you can still dedicate yourself to the preparation for it, but you can do so with greater confidence and ease. 


Alternatively, you may have adopted a bit of a defeatist "Nothing I do matters," attitude. If this is the case, I challenge you to flip the script and ask yourself, "What is in my control? How can I impact this experience?" For example, you have control over your attitude, how you use your discretionary time, and whether or not you decide to retake the test. Your score isn't something you receive like a door prize (or booby prize); it's something that you earn, something that reflects where you are in the test prep process.

Those of you in Category 3 can start by taking a deep breath. I'll take one with you.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Repeat, as necessary.

Now, remember that this is not the end, it's only the beginning. You will have opportunities to take both the SAT and the ACT again in the fall—even if you are hoping to apply Early Action.

The ability to retake the test creates new opportunities for preparation. Take some time to reflect on your previous test prep process. What did you do that worked well? What did you do that could have worked better? What did you avoid that could have used your attention? What could you experiment with moving forward? (If you took the SAT, it might even be worth trying a practice ACT, and vice versa.)

What happened on the test day? Were you particularly tired? Particularly nervous? Particularly stressed? Did you run out of time? Did you make errors while bubbling in your answers? The reason to ask these questions isn't to make excuses, but to discover areas that you can address now so that you have a different experience next time you take the test.

Most of all, be gentle with yourself. {Tweet It} 

No matter where you fall in the score continuum, kindness and patience with the process are two of the surest way to emerge feeling triumphant.


For additional advice on dealing with the emotions of receiving your scores, you can refer back to my previous post, 5 Techniques for Letting Go.

As always, I love to hear your comments below.
And, if you feel inspired, please share this post with your social networks.


Looking for more ways to focus your future efforts?

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