Question

I have taken SAT two times, and received lower score on the 2nd time. How does it affect my chances?

Answer 1

The answer is no, it will not affect your chances. College admission officers are looking for reasons to admit candidates; they are not looking for reasons to deny candidates. SAT scores, while they play an important part in the evaluation process, can vary from sitting to sitting. Many colleges super score--meaning they will  take your best section scores from all the test results you submit. This gives the student the best profile with regard to their test score.

There are many colleges that are currently test optional, which means you don't have to submit your SAT or ACT scores. (The University of California and the California state schools are all test blind; they do not look at or consider scores.)

For those test optional colleges: if you score well, you should submit your scores to make your application more competitive. In addition, SAT or ACT scores can, in many cases, help you to be a strong candidate for scholarships or merit aid.

Good luck as you apply to college.

Answer 2

I found the article below very helpful when seeking a clearer understanding of how various institutions use SAT scores in the application/admissions process:

http://blog.prepscholar.com/which-colleges-superscore-the-sat

Good Luck! Janice Kirn-Sottilaro