How many times can you take the SAT or ACT?

Officially? You can take the SAT an infinite times (no, really), and the ACT up to 12 times—which is… a choice. But let’s be real: most students tap out after 2 to 3 tries, and that’s usually enough. Each retake should be smarter, not just “let’s hope for the best again.” Focus on fixing what flopped last time, sharpen your prep, and take full-length practice tests under test-day conditions. Colleges typically focus on your highest scores—and many even superscore—so quality matters more than quantity. Repeating the same mistakes over and over won’t impress anyone (except maybe your test proctor). Be strategic. Be self-aware. And for the love of all things college-bound, don’t treat this like a hobby.