<p>Will it hurt your chances if you don't submit your test scores to SAT/ACT optional schools (particularly selective ones?)</p>
<p>They are test optional for a reason. You do not have to send those scores unless a) you want to, or b) they are required for consideration for a specific scholarship.</p>
<p>Pick up the phone. Call them. Ask for the details.</p>
<p>Schools evaluate each applicant for whether they are academically qualified to meet the challenge at their institution. That almost always means a successful applicant will present a transcript and/or test scores proving his academic ability. While the absence of test scores doesn’t hurt at test optional schools, it also doesn’t help. It’s a bit like leaving blank an optional essay where you could have really shined. The adcom ends up having to base the academic evaluation more on transcript. </p>
<p>Applicants who present strong test scores, even at test optional schools, are certainly helped by those scores in the academic evaluation portion of the admissions process.</p>
<p>I believe the two most selective schools that are test optional are Bowdoin and Wake Forest, though correct me if I’m wrong. I have no info on WF, but at Bowdoin, I specifically asked admissions what they though of students who don’t submit test scores and how they dealt with it. Their reply was they don’t evaluate what they don’t see, all evaluations are based only on the submitted info. If you do submit a test score, it will be used, if you don’t, it doesn’t hurt you, so obviously you only want to submit a test score that will help.</p>
<p>Considering Bowdoin has been test optional since 1969 and that 15% of applicants, but 20% of matriculants didn’t submit a test score, I’d say they probably have their procedures down pretty well and you’ll be judged fairly, whether you submit a test score or not. There is always the worry that they’ll think any missing test scores is a poor test score, but apparently that’s not the case there. I have no idea how it works at other schools, but I’d bet it’s probably very similar.</p>
<p>In the interest of full disclosure, I will say that D is a Bowdoin ED1 applicant and she did not submit a test score. And will they please give us a release date.</p>