<p>So as of right now, I'm confused onto how the ACT works in the admissions process. Here are some question:</p>
<p>1) Can you choose which scores get sent to colleges? If you can, please explain how this works.
2) Is there a downside to taking it numerous times?
3) In admissions, is it okay to just take the ACT and not the SAT?</p>
<p>Thank you for any help</p>
<p>1)there is score choice like the sat but some schools request that you send ALL scores
2)No if you’re doing it 2-3 times, but don’t go overboard
3)This depends on the school. Some schools are either/or, other prefer SAT, and depending on the school you might also need subject tests.</p>
<p>There are no longer schools of any ranking which state a preference for a test except for the Cal Poly’s (colleges which are in a state where the SAT is the one most often taken) which in 2008 went to stating a preference for the ACT.</p>
<p>The ACT does not have score choice or any choice. Whenever you order ACT.org to send a test it will send ONLY that test ordered. If you want to send another test to the same college, you have to make an additonal order and pay another fee. It is the SAT that automatically sends all test scores it has for you when you order a score unless you consciously exercise score choice and remove a test from the list being sent.</p>
<p>There are a number of “all scores” colleges which require you to send all scores. However, you have to check each one to determine its actual rule because it varies. All will require you to send all SAT scores if you send an SAT. However, they are divided as to what you have to do with ACT. Some of those “all scores” colleges do not apply the rule to ACT and you can send one or any number you want. Others require you to send one official score but then you must report any other scores in your application (they do it that way so you don’t have to spend the additonal fee per test to send additonal scores). Still others, which apparently don’t care how much you have to spend, actually require you to send all official ACT scores and spend that exorbitant amount of money to do it.</p>
<p>Colleges claim that when you submit multiple tests they will use for admission, depending on college, either that one with highest composite or the highest section scores from multiple tests. Thus, how many you take should not be used against you. However, some, particularly Yale and Harvard, have mentioned that they do not believe that taking it more than twice is useful.</p>
<p>Also, if you are concerned about one of your scores and considering not telling a college about it, you should first determine whether your attempt to do so is a useless act. Many high schools put all your scores on your official high school transcript that is sent to colleges to which you apply and thus your trying to conceal a score by not having the testing agency send it accomplishes nothing. Thus, check what your high school does.</p>