Common app timing / self reporting SAT

Applying to College Common and Coalition Application
1

My DD had her SAT dates in May, June, and now August cancelled. She has a September date and October date scheduled, but we will see what happens. In prior years, our school required common app be submitted by around October 20th for November 1st deadlines to allow the October results to be self reported. Due to COVID, the date is now October 5th. She has an old SAT which is OK, but not great. I know common app gives the option to report future test dates, but:

  1. Should she even report the old score?
  2. If she reports and old score and reports two "future" sittings, will schools even look for SAT score reports or will they just go with self reported scores? I know they don't have a lot of time.
  3. If she reports a date and she does worse, does she still need to report them? If she report two future dates, it is unlikely that sending both is optimal.

I am not sure if I am asking the right questions. Any advice is appreciated.

2
  1. Depends on the score and the college. Submit if over the median for the college. Don't submit if below.
  2. Yes.
  3. No, unless the college requires all scores like Georgetown
3

Agree with the above, adding that you have to decide upfront if you are applying test optional or not, and that can’t be changed (at any school AFAIK).

So, if applying to a school where her current test score is lower than the median accepted score for class of 2023, your D should apply TO. But, if your D scores higher on the fall tests, and she has already sent in her TO application, the schools will never see those higher scores.

4

wow, I have never heard of a hs requiring an earlier deadline than ED/EA for test score reasons. A lot depends on the college. It appears that for UCs, no test score will be allowed.

5

This does not address your concern about test score reporting, but I’m curious why the HS cares what date the common app is submitted to colleges. Is it that they want to know the app has been received in advance of the school materials (transcript and recommendations) being sent? Our HS doesn’t have anything to do with test scores, either official or self reported. Their only deadline applies to the date by which transcripts or recommendation requests must be made for the materials to be received by colleges on time. I could see how during the pandemic high schools might want to move up request deadlines.