<p>My son is taking the SAT for the first time. </p>
<p>When registering, there is the option to send the scores free of charge to 3 colleges. So my question is---should you send scores to prospective colleges before knowing the results?</p>
<p>When our older children took the SAT, all scores were required to be sent. But now that there is a choice of which scores to submit (at least that is my understanding), what advice can you share about whether or not to send scores in advance of knowing scores?</p>
<p>Do not send scores anywhere.
Due to ScoreChoice, you can almost ‘hide’ a score from most colleges, so if your son does not perform well, he can retake and forget about this score.</p>
You’re right. (I also said most colleges.) I think 3 or 4 of the Ivies require all scores. I know Yale and Columbia are two of them. On the other hand, Princeton and Harvard allow ScoreChoice.</p>
<p>And also no score choice for Penn and Cornell I think.</p>
<p>The problem with forfeiting the free score reports is that those reports cost around 10 dollars per school, which really adds up to a lot of money in the end (besides, when you apply to college you have to pay not only app fees but also css-profile, more score reports, stamps, sometimes even transcripts). It easily adds up to over $1000 if you apply to 10 schools or more.</p>
<p>Maybe send scores to three safety schools? That way, it would not matter if he doesn’t do so well since he’ll probably be accepted no matter what, but if he does do well, you just saved some money for later. Or he can send scores to schools that do not accept score choice.</p>
<p>The SAT score is part of your application. The majority of seniors send in their applications, including their SAT scores, during their senior year usually around the time they send in their applications. It is such a simple process that it is fine if you procrastinate.</p>
<p>You would only need to “rush” or send before you even receive your scores if you don’t want to miss the deadline, meaning you take the LATEST possible SAT (typically December or January of senior year). Send 2 weeks before the deadline and your son should be fine. </p>
<p>Keep in mind that if your son takes SAT IIs, he may have to pay anyway because the free score reports aren’t “flexible,” meaning they don’t allow you to choose which SAT IIs within a test date to send. You have to send by the test date (meaning if he took 3 SAT IIs on one date, he must send all 3 of them). You would have to pay to choose which test within one test date to send. This isn’t an issue for the normal SAT because it is unique to a given test date.</p>
<p>^Are you responding to something I’ve said ? What I meant to say is if you want to take advantage of the free score reports, then designate three colleges now, which will save you some money down the road but in doing so you give up the opportunity of using score choice to conceal these scores specifically for these three schools. It’s a trade-off, and it may be how collegeboard wants to make money for itself. Of course you can send in SAT scores any time before college applications are due.</p>
<p>I appreciate the advice and insights-thanks. I will advise my son to send scores to one safety and 3 other schools and keep my fingers crossed that he does well. It seems to me that most top tier schools want to see all the scores anyway, right?</p>
<p>well, some Ivys, as mentioned before (Harvard for example) promote ‘showing them your best work’. So, they promote score choice. So, no, you don’t NEED to show them all your scores, just the best ones. </p>
<p>Some schools may require all scores. I, personally, would only send to schools that require the scores (mandatory) or safety schools where your son will get in for sure anyways.</p>
? What I meant to say is if you want to take advantage of the free score reports, then designate three colleges now, which will save you some money down the road but in doing so you give up the opportunity of using score choice to conceal these scores specifically for these three schools. It’s a trade-off, and it may be how collegeboard wants to make money for itself. Of course you can send in SAT scores any time before college applications are due.</p>