What is superscoring on the SAT and ACT?
Updated November 3, 2026 · facts checked against College Board and ACT sources listed below
Short answer
Superscoring means a college takes your highest score in each section across all the test dates you send and combines them into one new total. On the SAT that is your best Reading and Writing plus your best Math; on the Enhanced ACT it is the average of your best English, Math and Reading. Whether a college superscores is its own policy, so check each college on your list.
How it works
- SAT: best Reading and Writing score + best Math score across the dates you send.
- ACT: ACT computes a superscore from your best English, Math and Reading across test dates; for the Enhanced ACT, Science is not part of the superscore.
- Colleges choose: some superscore, some take your single best sitting, and some ask for all scores.
How to use it
If your colleges superscore, a retake can focus on the weaker section: your strong section from the first sitting still counts. A diagnostic that shows which section has more room to grow tells you where to spend the time before the retake.
On the SAT, Score Choice usually lets you choose which test dates to send, unless a college requires all scores.
Common questions
Do all colleges superscore?
No. Many do, but it is each college's policy. Check the testing page of every college on your list.
Does ACT Science count toward the ACT superscore?
Not for the Enhanced ACT: its superscore uses English, Math and Reading.
Is it worth retaking the SAT just for one section?
Often yes if your colleges superscore and you have a clear plan to raise that section, because your other section's best score still counts.
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Sources
Policies and formats change; confirm details on collegeboard.org or act.org before you register.