The Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (SweSAT) is, together with
grade point average (GPA), used in the selection procedure for higher education in Sweden. The SweSAT is administered twice a year, it consists of 122 items and the total raw score is transformed to a normed score which is used in the selection procedure. Certain rules apply to the SweSAT when it is used for selection to higher education and one of these rules is that the test taker can repeat the test. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of repeated test taking for the SweSAT. The effects are described in terms of normed score, partly in relation to the rules for selection, and partly in relation to the test taker who elect to retest. The result indicates that the effects of repeated test taking mainly occur between the first and second testing. This is a tendency that is observed when the effects of repeated test taking are analysed in relation to the rules for selection as well as in relation to the test taker. According to the rules for the SweSAT in the selection system the best score is used if a certain applicant has more than one valid score and the model for description of score gains in this study is based on this fact. Another purpose was to relate the effects of repeated test taking to subtests of the SweSAT. Proportional stratified sampling and multivariate linear models are used when describing the effects of repeated test taking in relation to the test taker, while a reference population and a calibrated raw score is used as a basis when the effects are related to subtests. With regard to subtests, the main effect of repeated test taking is related to three subtests: WORD, DS and ERC. The summarised conclusion that is made in this study is that the effects of repeated test taking between the first and second test occasion, in terms of standard deviation units for total normed score for the SweSAT, is about 0.2 and this finding is in congruence with findings in earlier studies. Plausible hypotheses for
the obtained results are discussed.