Is a 1470 a good SAT score for college?

A 1470 SAT score is considered excellent and puts you in approximately the 97th percentile of all test takers. This means you scored higher than about 97% of students who took the SAT, making it a very competitive score for college admissions.

For most colleges and universities, a 1470 SAT score will strengthen your application significantly. This score is well above the national average of around 1050 and exceeds the middle 50% range for many highly selective institutions. It's typically competitive for prestigious public universities and most private colleges, though admission requirements vary by school.

Regarding scholarships, a 1470 often qualifies you for merit-based aid at many institutions. Many universities offer automatic scholarship consideration for students with SAT scores above 1400, and your score could make you eligible for significant financial awards. However, specific scholarship opportunities and amounts vary by institution.

While your 1470 is already an impressive score, whether to retake the SAT depends on your target schools. For most universities, including many selective institutions, this score is more than adequate. However, if you're specifically aiming for Ivy League schools or other highly selective institutions where the middle 50% of accepted students score between 1470 and 1570, you might consider retaking the test if you believe you can improve your score.

Given the strength of your current score, focus your energy on other aspects of your college application, such as maintaining strong grades, developing your extracurricular activities, and crafting compelling essays. These elements, combined with your excellent SAT score, will create a competitive college application package.