I recently found out that apparently I have to send my scores to colleges? I thought that my scores automatically go on my permanent files. So do I have to send every single score for every test I have taken? If I don’t send some score will colleges think I am lying?
I have taken the SAT twice, ACT once, and 2 SAT Subject test, one of which I am planning to retake. Do I have to send my AP scores as well? I am just really confused…
I’m fairly certain you don’t have to send every test score…
Are you a Senior applying for colleges this year? If not, then you do not need to send any scores? If you are a Senior, each school will specify if you need to send all scores or you can choose which scores to send. Check the school website (s) for this information. AP scores are sent to the school you end up attending and after you graduate HS. No need to send them now.
^ This.
Your scores may actually go on your high school transcript that is sent to colleges but majority of colleges still require you to have official score reports sent by the testing agencies. When ordering scores, be aware that College Board, as to the SAT and subject tests, automatically sends all test scores it has for you when you order scores sent to a college unless you sepcifically choose to withhold one or more tests. ACT sends only that test requested when you do an order and sending another test requires another separate order per college.
AP scores are not required by any college as part of your application for admission. If you want to provide them, you can list them in the application or an essay or just send copies of your scores rather than paying for official scores to be sent. You will need to provide official AP scores after being admitted in order to obtain college credit.
As to sending all SAT, ACT or subject test scores or withholding some when you order scores sent, it depends on college. Most colleges allow you to send whatever tests you choose to send, although many of those recommend that you send all SAT tests, and some all ACT tests. because they “superscore,” meaning your score used for determining admission is that derived from using the highest section scores from the multiple tests, and thus it can be to your advantage to provide all scores.
There are a limited number of colleges that specifically require you to send all scores but what that actually requires varies. Those colleges are:
Georgetown requires all SAT, SAT subject tests, and ACT scores.
Yale requires either all ACTs or, alternatively, all SAT and subject test scores; if you submit any SAT or any subject test scores, you must submit both all SATs and all subject tests.
Cornell is somewhat ambiguous but appears to require all SATs or alternatively all ACTs, plus all subject test scores.
Stanford and Penn require both all SATs and all ACTs, but you can send whatever subject test scores you want to send.
Carnegie Mellon and Harvey Mudd require either all SATs or all ACTs, plus all subject tests
Rice and Tufts require all SATs if you send any SATs but you can send the ACTs or subject tests you want to send.
UCs require all SATs if you send any SAT but it appears you can send whatever ACTs or subject tests you want to send.
Barnard’s rule is ambiguous but appears to require either all SATs or all ACTs plus all subject tests.
Syracuse requires all SAT scores if you send SAT but you can send whatever ACTs you want to send (it does not require or consider subject tests).