If I take my SAT subject test and I did really bad, can I opt out of submitting it as if I never took it. The schools I am applying to do not require it so I do not need it. If there are top schools that require you to submit all scores ever received, which ones?
Georgetown, Carnegie Mellon, and (I believe) Yale each require you to submit ALL scores. There may be more. Other colleges require you to send 2-3 scores, but you can pick your best ones. Requirements can differ from college-to-college, so you need to check the web page of each college that interests you. Don’t guess - or go by someone’s answer on a web page - because requirements can and do change, and your app won’t be considered if it is incomplete.
If “top school (a.k.a. prestige)” plus “they don’t require you to submit subject scores” are your primary requirements in selecting a college, make sure you have matches and likely schools on your list in addition to those.
If they do not require it, for example, Case Western states, “SAT Subject tests are not required”, even if I did take it I do not have to submit it correct?
If they don’t require them, you don’t have to submit them.
"Does not require does not mean the college “Does not want.” Wherever the competition is high, they like all the metrics provided. Not submitting can mean, well, your situation, exactly: did not score well.
Can one just self-report on the common app the scores or do schools want an official copy?
But what if a student simply couldn’t afford it?
UPenn says “SAT Subject Tests are recommended but not required. Applicants who do not take SAT Subject Tests will not be at a disadvantage in the admissions process.” What if you did take it. Do you have to submit
I have not taken it yet but am not sure if I would get a high enough score so I am just wondering if taking it and getting a lower score will hurt me and if its better to just not take it
If you can’t afford the fees, that is a legitimate reason to not take/submit.
If you are going to take them, study and prepare so you do your best.
I’m at a loss as to why a student who is targeting schools where Subject Tests are recommended would not want to put together the strongest application possible - and that includes Subject Tests, certainly for Penn. Now if you took the Subject Tests and the scores sucked, don’t send them. But to not even try? SMH.
Subject Tests aside, if you’re not willing to take a risk, you’re not the applicant that a school like Penn wants, and you likely would not be happy there anyway.
Anyway, the only US college that requires all Subject Tests is Georgetown. For all other colleges, you have the choice to send what you like.