It sounds like you're doing all of the right things! You have a strong record and should be in the running at a number of fine schools. In response to your specific questions, the only thing I can think of that you could do to possibly improve your chance of getting into a top school is to take the SAT again, as you mentioned. You have a very good score, but if you think you could raise it a total of 100 points or so you probably would improve your chances at some of the top schools.

It's hard to say how many "reach" schools you should apply to. I think you just need to decide which ones you would really like to go to. A number in the 2 to 4 range comes to mind, but, again, that's a personal choice. I don't know if financial considerations affect you, but, as you know, schools charge an application fee.

In regard to your legacy question, that depends on the school. Some schools will give a preference to legacies, so you need to check directly with the schools you have in mind.

I’ll answer your last question first. ACT scores are determined by counting the number of questions on each test that you answered correctly. No points are deducted for incorrect answers. Then, the number of correct answers (your “raw score”) is converted to a scale score.

While a scale score of 29 out of 36 might seem low, considering the number of questions you answered correctly, it’s important to put the number in context: According to the ACT website, an English score of 29 puts you in the 93rd percentile nationally. This means you scored higher than some 93 percent of high school students who took the test -- very impressive! (Your composite ACT score, by the way, falls in the 95th percentile, which is also quite impressive.)

If you still want to improve your scores, the best strategy is to take a test preparation course or to organize a course of study on your own. Whichever you choose, the most important thing is to take as many practice tests as possible. (The makers of both the SAT and the ACT publish old tests for practice purposes; you can find them in your local bookstore.)

Another way to raise your English scores is to beef up your vocabulary. Many test prep books contain lists of the most commonly tested words. Try studying a certain number of words nightly until you’ve mastered the lists.

You add the 625, 500 and 460 for a total of 1585. These are your scaled scores (reported in the range of 200 to 800). The scores for the multiple choice and essay are subscores that were used to compute your total score of 460 in the writing section. The multiple choice subscore is reported on a 20-80 scale, and the essay subscore is reported in a 2 to 12 range. According to the College Board, the multiple choice subscore counts for about 70% of the total writing section scaled score, and the essay counts for about 30%.

The SAT and ACT are both standardized tests designed to give colleges a common measurement by which to judge applicants. The SAT tests critical reading, math, and writing and is scored from 200 to 800 per section, for a total of 2400 points. The ACT tests English, math, reading, and science and is scored from 1 to 36. The ACT also has a writing section, which is optional, unlike the SAT's writing section, which is required.

The focus of the exams is also slightly different: The SAT ostensibly measures “aptitude,” meaning there is an emphasis on problem solving and critical thinking. The ACT, in contrast, is more content-based, with a larger focus on knowledge acquired in high school. Most American colleges will accept either the SAT or ACT. The important thing is to find out which test is required by the schools to which you're applying (and, in the case of the ACT, whether or not the writing section is required). Since most schools accept either exam, it’s a good idea to determine which test plays to your strengths.

The SAT II tests are one-hour, multiple choice tests, on writing, literature, mathematics, history, sciences and foreign languages. Some schools, particularly the most competitive schools, require that you take as many as three of these subject tests. The schools that do require them may designate which subject you need to take or they may let you pick them. These schools may use the test results to determine your acceptance or placement in college courses.

Even if a school does not require the SAT II, they will still consider your scores on those tests. Therefore, it's something for you to consider taking, although it's hard to say how much weight a particular school would put on these scores if they're not required.

If the schools you're interested in don't require them, I would take them only if you're looking to get exempted from certain course requirements and/or to be accepted in certain courses that may require the SAT II without any other prerequisite courses.

I'm going with the spring of one's junior year of high school and fall of one's senior year. I recommend taking either of the tests twice, unless you're completely satisfied with your score. If you take it in the fall of your senior year, you still have late-winter opportunities to take it again if needed.

A lot of people would kill for mid-600s. But anyway, I’m not sure what situation you want colleges to investigate. That you are better in math than your scores show? I mean, you’re 150 points from perfect!

However, if you are unsatisfied with your score, take the darn thing again. Colleges consider the highest score. Before you take it again, though, develop a strategy for working faster. This might mean taking an SAT prep course, or simply buying a book that provides SAT prep. If you didn’t want to take the test again, maybe you could get a recommendation from a math teacher touting your math ability.

At any rate, I’m not sure how selective of a college you’re after, but based on math SAT scores, you’re going to be in the running.

While taking practice tests will help familiarize you with the test format, your test scores probably won’t increase until you learn how to take the test. Taking an SAT prep course should do the trick. Not only are their teachers SAT whizzes, but they’ve spent hours figuring out tricks that will make the SAT less painful — and help you discern exactly what the test makers are looking for. They’ll also help you come up with a personalized study plan designed to help you earn your target score.

The major test preparation companies also offer private tutoring, but the cost of private tutoring typically exceeds the price of one of their prep courses. Plus, while an individual tutor can work with you one-on-one, that arrangement doesn’t give you the benefit of hearing other students’ questions and concerns. However, you need to decide whether taking a course or getting a private tutor will be better for you. I think it depends mainly on whether you're disciplined enough to study on your own without being prodded by a private tutor each week. Everyone is different in this regard.

If you don't have or want to spend the money for a course or private tutor, and if you are disciplined enough for total self-study, there are also books (available in the “Study Guides” section of most bookstores) and CDs you can purchase that will teach you the same tricks taught in the courses. If you decide to buy a book or CD and teach yourself, however, make sure you actually set aside time — ideally one to two hours — to study every single day for at least four weeks before the test day. Also be sure that you study in a quiet place so you can get used to the conditions you’ll be taking the test in before test day.

You're right that the SAT now offers a new Score Choice policy, which allows you to choose specific scores to be sent to colleges--but keep in mind that all scores from a particular test date must be sent. The ACT has long permitted you to pick the test date from which all the scores will be sent. Although the colleges will see all of the scores from whatever test dates you designate, many schools do often use the highest of each section.

So, if you feel like you want to retest, go ahead, since schools generally look at your top scores. Good luck and happy testing.

First, congratulations on your SAT score. You should be very proud of yourself!

With regard to your first question, the answer varies from school to school. Most schools will take the higher of the two cumulative scores or take the highest score from each section, although some will average your scores from each section. Unfortunately, most schools don’t disclose on their web sites which method they use, so it would be a good idea to call the admissions offices of the schools to which you’re thinking about applying, in order to find out how they handle multiple SAT scores.

If you’re willing to study hard to retake the SAT, and you think you can raise your score by at least 50 points, then it is probably worth your while. If you’re not planning to devote a lot of time to studying, though, it might not be worthwhile, since your score might stay about the same or end up going down. (Note: The updated Score Choice offered by the SAT as of 2009 allows a student to send their best scores to schools.)
 
It’s also important to keep in mind that SAT scores are just one part of your college application. Admissions committees also evaluate grades, rigor of curriculum, essays, recommendations, and extracurriculars. So, if you already have a great GPA, extracurriculars, and recommendations, and you’re confident you can get into the school of your choice with a 2200, then it might not be worth retaking the SAT.

That said, don’t make this decision unless you are very confident in your qualifications. There’s a risk that the admission committee will be forced to choose between you and an otherwise identical candidate who has a higher SAT score. Plus, if you’re applying to really competitive colleges, it would probably be a good precaution to retake the SAT, just to be on the safe side...as every little aspect of your application could affect the admissions committee’s decision. But again, it’s only worth retaking the SAT if you’re willing to study hard and think you can improve by at least 50 points.

Finally, be sure to apply to a broad range of schools to keep your options open. After all, many qualified candidates are denied admission to their top-choice schools each year simply because there aren’t enough available spots. Luckily, you can get a great education at dozens of different schools, so long as you take advantage of the opportunities with which you are presented. Good luck!

Hmm. It could be that you may just happen to be a poor test-taker, which college admissions offices will take into account if the rest of your academic record is stellar. You may want to look into whether you may have a sort of "test-taking anxiety," and if that's the case, you could mention that in your college applications under the "extenuating circumstances" section(s).

Also, if you have the chance to take each test one more time, I highly suggest you do that--this time studying test-taking strategies instead of specific ACT or SAT strategies (sometimes prep courses focus on the subject matter more than specific test-taking strategies). Browse around on the Internet for information about test-taking best practices and test anxiety assistance. It's a really common phenomenon among excellent students, so don't worry too much about that! Good luck.

Usually you get four free schools to send your scores to. If you have somewhat of a good idea some schools you want to apply to, you might as well send your scores there for now. If you wait till later, you'll have to pay for them. (And you'll have to pay for each school you send scores to after the first four schools anyway.)

Regardless, you're in no way required to attend one of the four first schools you send your scores to, so don't worry about that! Go ahead and send a few now - it can't hurt.

No. The ACT sends all scores from a specific testing date. You can, however, choose which test date to send to schools. Check the ACT website for more information about scores.