Hello!
Searched for a while online and unable to find a clear answer.
My SAT score is 1550 but my essay score is bad (16/24). When I do self reporting on Common App, can I say “no” to the question “Have you taken SAT essay?” and do not report the bad score? Most of colleges I am applying do not require SAT essay. But my concern is that when I accepted into a college, I will have to submit SAT report from College Board and essay score will be included. Will the college consider this as “cheating”, as I had said I hadn’t taken SAT essay in my Common App?
I don’t think they’ll consider it “cheating.” What they’ll consider it is lying. I don’t think it will help your application to lie. If you took the exam with the essay, what’s your basis for answering no to a question that directly asks you if you did? Just answer honestly.
–Most colleges require you to send the SAT scores directly from the College Board before making an admissions decision so they will see the writing score and see that you lied about not taking that section.
–If any schools are OK getting the official scores sent after an admissions decision and they see you outright lied on the application it could be grounds for an offer of admissions can be rescinded.
–Very few colleges care about the essay score.
@austinmshauri Thank you so much for your quick reply! Yes, I guess so:( But the purpose of self reporting is to let student choose what they wish to report, right? Most colleges I am applying to do not require essay scores. So I hope there’s a way to “hide” my essay score by self reporting… but apparently I can’t. And I don’t have time to do another test:(
Again thank you for your input!
Right, but knowingly answering a direct question (Have you taken the SAT essay?) incorrectly in order to hide your score is disingenuous, at best. As previous posters have noted, if the school you matriculate at sees that you lied after you send in your official score report, they could rescind your acceptance. Why risk this, when the essay isn’t important at many schools?
You misunderstand the purpose of self-reporting standardized tests on an application. It is to get the information when the application comes, not to let the student choose what sections of a standardized test they feel like reporting. And colleges definitely don’t want applicants to lie on the applicant --the writing score is not viewed as important by most colleges – but lying could be seen as a big negative.
There is something called Score Choice where student can pick which exam date to send (ex. if a student took the SAT twice and did better in every section on one of the exams then he/she can request just the scores for the better exam date be sent) – but in every case the full exam (every section taken on that test that day) will be sent.
by self reporting… but apparently I can’t. And I don’t have time to do another test:(