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Does UChicago superscore the SAT?

By Eric Eng

By Eric Eng

Writing in a desk using a pencil.

Does UChicago superscore the SAT?

Does UChicago superscore the SAT? Yes! Both the SAT and the ACT are given a “superscore” by the University of Chicago. This means that if you take either test more than once, the admissions officers at UChicago will take your highest individual sub-section scores and combine them to give you the highest possible overall score.

Even though a redesigned version of the SAT was made available by the College Board in March of 2016, UChicago does superscore the SAT scores , UChicago will continue to accept scores from the previous version of the SAT for as long as the scores remain valid, which is five years. UChicago will also superscore within both the previous exam and the new exam, but UChicago will not superscore between the two different versions of the test.

Unidentified person writing in a desk.

Applicants from any country in the world, whether they are domestic or international, have the option of sharing either their official or self-reported SAT or ACT scores with the admissions committee. These students will not be required to provide official test scores unless they are offered admission and decide to enroll in the program. Students have the option of either self-reporting their test scores through the Coalition or Common Application or sharing a transcript with their test scores already included.

Applicants who attend a high school in the United States can self-submit their high school transcripts and will be required to submit an official transcript if they are admitted and choose to enroll. Students coming from other countries are required to provide an official copy of their high school transcript.

Regardless of a student’s testing options and UChicago can superscore the SAT,  the University of Chicago encourages all students to send in any additional materials that they believe best highlight their skills, talents, and potential contributions to the University of Chicago. Students can use their UChicago Account to upload any supplemental materials that may be required.

These materials may include but are not limited to, works of creative writing, excerpts from performances of music, dance, visual art, or theater; school capstone projects such as the Advanced Placement Capstone or the International Baccalaureate Extended Essay; research project abstracts; business plans; or other notable works of work.

Students can voluntarily and independently report the results of any additional testing they have taken, such as AP exams, SAT Subject Tests, or other supplemental examinations.

As UChicago superscore your SAT scores, know that you can take the SAT exam as many times as you see fit. In a typical scenario, everyone would believe that the scores you submit can come from whichever test you performed the best on.

Two students smiling at the camera while holding their books.

The students are relieved of this burden by the SAT’s superscoring method, making the score submission process more convenient for them. The SAT superscore is calculated by adding your highest scores from each of the test’s sections. Simply put, it indicates that if you take two different exams, you can make your composite score by averaging the two highest scores from each of the separate sessions.

As an example, your scores on the SAT from your two most recent attempts are as follows:

SAT Scores:

English: 30, Reading: 29, Math: 31, Writing: 9

English: 33, Reading: 27, Math: 30, Writing: 10

SAT Scores After Superscore:

English: 33, Reading: 29, Math: 31, Writing: 10

The SAT’s optional “Superscoring” feature enables test takers to calculate their final composite score by adding their highest individual section scores. You cannot independently add these new scores to your existing ones and then send that total to the college as your final score.

You are required to report the results for each and every one of the times that you have participated in the examination. After receiving both sets of scores, the admissions staff at the college will compare them and determine which set contains the higher total.

The SAT and the ACT both permit superscoring, but only the results of one of the two exams can have their scores increased. It is impossible to create a composite score by adding up the highest possible scores on both of these exams and presenting the combined total.

Although UChicago does superscore your SAT scores, you should also remember that some universities will accept SAT superscores while others will not. Some universities accept SAT super scores while others do not. For this reason, you should check the official websites of the universities that you are interested in attending in advance to acquire additional insight.

How Do You Apply to Schools that superscore?

Remember that many of these schools are competitive and will require more than just a strong test score to get in even though you might believe that applying to a school that superscores might be easier than one that doesn’t keep in mind that many are still very competitive.

Students taking an exam in a desk.

Look at the reports of the average SAT score from the previous year of applications.

Even though this may be a superscored average, it will still provide a useful guide for determining what score you should aim for when taking the SAT.

Pay close attention to the requirements for the application, and ensure that you take them seriously.

Essays, letters of recommendation, and possibly even other types of information may be required by certain educational institutions. If they are asking for information, it means that they read it and take it seriously when deciding whether or not to admit you, so you want to ensure that you do your best on every part of your application. If they ask for information, they read it and take it seriously when deciding whether or not to admit you.

During your junior year, give the SAT a shot.

It is recommended that you take the SAT twice during your junior year, once in the fall and once in the spring. This will allow you to avoid the stress of preparing for the SAT while you are working on your college applications during your senior year, which will cause you more stress than is necessary.

Young man studying in front of his laptop.

If this is not the case, you should take the exam at least once during the spring of your junior year to get an idea of how much additional preparation you will need before taking the exam at the beginning of your senior year.

What is the Average SAT Score at UChicago?

The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is a standardized test that is given to high school students to evaluate how well they are prepared for college and to give colleges a single point of data that can be used to compare the qualifications of each individual applicant. The range of SAT scores considered acceptable by the University of Chicago for admission in 2021 was 1020-1600.

The middle ground Half of the students who were accepted to the University of Chicago had SAT scores in the range of 1510-1560. Therefore, a minimum SAT score of 1020 is required for admission to the University of Chicago, and 75% of students admitted to the University of Chicago had SAT scores that were higher than 1560. 53% of applicants to the University of Chicago decided to include a copy of their SAT scores as part of their application.

The following is a breakdown of the SAT scores of admitted students.

SAT Score Percentile of accepted students
1020 Lowest score
1510 25th Percentile
1560 75th Percentile
1600 Highest score

The following is a section-by-section analysis of SAT scores.

Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
Math 770 800
Reading + Writing 740 760
Composite 1510 1560

Does UChicago Require the SAT for 2022?

The UChicago Empower Initiative, a test-optional admissions process, was introduced by the University of Chicago on June 14, 2018. The goal of this initiative is to make the University of Chicago’s undergraduate College more accessible to students from first-generation families and families with low incomes.

Along with increased financial aid and programmatic resources, the University of Chicago will enable more students to pursue higher education, regardless of their background, geographic location, or ability to pay for it. UChicago is the first top-ranked college to implement a policy that allows students to opt out of taking standardized tests.

Female student writing in her desk.

Although the University of Chicago believes that your transcript demonstrates your academic record within the context of your school, they also believe that it is helpful to see evidence of academic achievement that exists outside of the context of your school.

This is because schools can be very different from one another. Because of this, some educational institutions require applicants to provide their SAT or ACT scores. In this broader context, an applicant’s score on either the SAT or the ACT can be interpreted as a reflection of their academic preparedness.

Some applicants might think that their SAT or ACT score does not adequately represent their academic preparedness or potential. If this describes your situation, you have the option of applying to the University of Chicago using the test-optional method, in which case you will not be required to submit your SAT or ACT scores along with your application.

We encourage all students, regardless of the testing plan they have chosen, to send in any additional materials (details of which can be found in the Supplements section) that they consider to be the most representative of their abilities, interests, and possible contributions to the University of Chicago.

The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), the American College Testing Program (ACT), and other standard measures can continue to be an essential component of the University of Chicago’s holistic admission process for students who elect to send scores. Additionally, the SAT and ACT are required components of the application process at many other highly selective schools.

These examinations have the potential to provide useful information about a student, which we and other colleges will take into consideration along with the other aspects of an applicant’s application. Students are strongly encouraged to take standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT and to report their scores to the University of Chicago if they believe their scores accurately reflect their abilities and potential. They expect that the vast majority of students, given that many of their peers do require testing, will continue to take tests and may still submit their test scores to UChicago. This is because many of their peers do require testing.

What is the Average GPA Score at UChicago?

The typical grade point average at the University of Chicago is 4.48. GPAs are necessary for admission to the University of Chicago. Because of this school’s average grade point average, admission to the University of Chicago is exceedingly difficult.

Some of the most accomplished students from all over the world have already submitted their applications to the university in the hope of securing a place to live in Chicago. If your cumulative grade point average is lower than or equal to 4.48, then applying to the University of Chicago might be a stretch. However, the University of Chicago considers the ENTIRE application; therefore, we can compensate for a low GPA with additional factors, which we will review in the following paragraphs.

You have reached the pinnacle of academic achievement if your cumulative grade point average is 4.48 or higher. When deciding whether or not to admit a candidate, the admissions staff at the University of Chicago considers several factors, including the candidate’s grade point average (GPA), test scores, extracurricular activities and work experience, class rank, recommendations, and essays. All of these aspects are significant, and we do our best to consider them.

What is the Current UChicago Acceptance Rate?

The acceptance rate for students applying to the University of Chicago Class of 2026 fell to a record low of 5 percent, marking a new low point. There was a decrease of.83 percentage points from the Class of 2024’s acceptance rate to that of the Class of 2025, which brought the rate down to 6.48 percent.

There were almost 38,000 applications received for the Class of 2025, which is almost 3,600 more applicants than there were for the Class of 2024 (34,372 applications). The average SAT score of the Class of 2025 was 1535, which is a very high score. U Chicago has always had a strong emphasis on standardized test scores, but now they are boasting about this orientation, and prospective students should take this into consideration.

Not only do scores on standardized tests like the ACT and SAT matter, but AP scores do as well. The University of Chicago made the announcement that they would be test optional back in June of 2018, which was slightly hypercritical and caused even more confusion among applicants.

This is one of the factors that contributed to the overall increase in the number of applications. As a matter of policy, the University of Chicago does not reveal its acceptance rates until after the incoming freshman class has moved in. This demonstrates how proud the university is of the quality of applicants they were able to attract.

In addition to UChicago’s ability to superscore your SAT scores, and maintain academic excellence that is in line with the standards for admission to the University of Chicago, you should also get involved in extracurricular activities that align with the principles that guide UChicago.

If you need help putting the finishing touches on your early applications or want some advice on whether or not applying Early Decision or an Early Action is a good option for you, at AdmissionSight, we have over 10 years of experience guiding students through the competitive admissions process, including our athletic recruitment program.

AdmissionSight can help you put your best foot forward when applying to college this fall. Contact us today for more information on our services.

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