How superscoring works
A superscore takes your highest score in each section across every test date and combines them. Your best single sitting is the highest total from any one test date. When your best sections come from different dates, the superscore is higher.
SAT superscore
superscore = highest Reading and Writing + highest Math
College Board says some colleges consider your highest section scores across multiple test dates.
You can't send one section from one day and the other from another day. You send whole test dates, and the college does the combining. See College Board's help page.
ACT superscore
ACT's steps: list every test date, circle your best score in each section, then average them. For the enhanced ACT, add English, math and reading and divide by 3. For the legacy ACT, add all four sections including science and divide by 4. Round to the nearest whole number, with one-half rounding up. ACT's superscore FAQ adds that the Superscore Composite now includes only English, Math, and Reading,
so the enhanced rule is the default here. Use the legacy rule only if a college asks for a four-section average.
ACT superscore = round((best English + best Math + best Reading) ÷ 3)
Sources: How to Calculate Your ACT Superscore, ACT Superscore FAQs and Understanding Your ACT Scores (ACT), and What's an SAT Superscore? (College Board).
College policies vary
Colleges set their own rules. Some superscore, some use your highest single test date, and some ask to see every score. Check each college's admissions page before deciding which dates to send, and check scholarship rules too, since they may ask for a single sitting.
Worked example
SAT: March 650 Reading and Writing / 700 Math, May 690 / 680, August 660 / 740.
Best Reading and Writing is 690 (May). Best Math is 740 (August). Superscore: 690 + 740 = 1430. Best single sitting: August, 660 + 740 = 1400.
ACT, enhanced rule: best English 32 (June), best math 31 (September), best reading 31 (April). (32 + 31 + 31) ÷ 3 = 31.33, which rounds to 31.
Common questions
Do all colleges accept superscores?
No. Policies vary by college and can change from year to year. Some superscore the SAT but not the ACT. Check each college's testing policy on its admissions site.
Can I send just my best math score from one SAT date?
No. College Board sends scores by test date, not by section. To let a college superscore, send every date that has one of your best sections.
Is a superscore the same as my score report?
No. Your SAT score report shows each test date. The superscore is something colleges calculate from the dates you send.
Does the ACT superscore include science?
Not anymore. ACT says its superscore composite now includes only English, math and reading. The older legacy method averaged all four sections including science, and you can switch to it above if a college asks.
Should I retake the SAT or ACT to raise my superscore?
If one section is well below your others, a retake that focuses on it can raise your superscore at colleges that use one. Plan your prep time with the study schedule planner.