By CampusCompare

Duhn duhn duhn… Today is the day that SAT scores will be released. Whether you’re jumping up and down or getting ready to jump off a bridge, there are some things you can do to get the most out of your SAT scores.

If you got…

Good news: Congrats! You aced the SAT’s and now the world is your oyster. Or so you thought. Taking the SATs is just one tiny step in the long college application process:

• Re-evaluate your college options. Are there some “reaches” that are looking more like “targets”? Or are some of your “targets” now “safety” schools? Make sure your scores match your college list. You may even want to consider applying to some schools that weight the SAT highly. Often large state-schools look for high SAT scores as they are a more objective measure of admissions, and these schools tend to me inundated with applicants. Add a couple to your pile, and you may wind up pleasantly surprised come the spring.
• Search for scholarships. Some merit scholarships, both national and those offered by individual colleges, offer monetary amounts for higher SAT scores. Some even have minimums whereby you are not eligible if you get below a certain score. Use your high score to your advantage and get scholarships for high-achieving students such as yourself.

Bad News: Don’t worry. If your scores are not as high as you like, there are a couple things you can do to mitigate the disaster.

• Retake the SATs. Many, many students take the SATs multiple times. If you didn’t get the score you wanted, try to study and brush up on areas you had trouble with. A lot of colleges let you report your highest score, so retaking your SATs can give you a boost.
• Look into “SAT Optional” colleges. Some colleges are turning away from the SATs. They feel that standardized tests do not provide a good measure of college success, are biased, and ultimately, preference wealthy students who can afford private tutors. A number of liberal arts colleges are joining this movement. Check some of them out to see if an “SAT Optional” school might be the schools of your dreams.

CampusCompare is a free website that helps college-bound students find the right school for them by offering free college search tools, like the Financial Aid Calculator, information on 15 categories of college life for over 3,000 colleges, and expert, hype-free college admissions advice. Check us out at http://www.campuscompare.com.