How do colleges view scores?

Test Preparation
1

So I’ve been wondering, how are scores interpreted? I’ve been under the assumption that I’ll send the scores from my individual SATs and they’ll then look at my highest Reading/Writing score and my highest Math score and use those in their decision making.

Is that right? Or do they just take what you get on each individual test?

I’ve also heard you can send scores as combined via some sort of mesh score you make with your highest and they accept that as well.

So, does anyone know what colleges look at and can clear this up for me? Thanks.

2

Colleges as a group generally state that they use the highest scores to determine admission and do not hold lower scores against you if you submit more than one test. As to what that actually means, colleges come in essentially three different groups: (a) those that superscore SAT (meaning they use the highest section scores from multiple tests) and also superscore the ACT; (b) those that superscore the SAT but for ACT use that test with the highest composite, and © those that use that test with the highest composite for either the SAT or ACT. Majority of private universities are in the first or second group and the majority of public univesities are in the third group.

There are some colleges that vary somewhat from one of those groups. For example, even though the college uses that test with the highest composite, its engineering department might actually consider a higher math score from another test (example UIUC). There are also actually a very small number of colleges that superscore the combination of ACT and SAT tests (Rose Hulman is one), in that they use the highest math from either test and then either the reading score from the SAT or the English score from the ACT, depending on which is considered higher. Then, there are also a number of colleges, like Wake Forest, that do not even require test scores but they may consider them if provided, or colleges, like NYU, that accept either three SAT subject tests or three AP tests if you do not submit an SAT or ACT. Most colleges will tell what they do in the admissions section of their sites, although it may be hard to find sometimes, and if you cannot find it on the college’s site, you can just ask the college to provide the information.

As far as actually sending scores, you generally cannot choose to report just a portion of a test along with a portion of another test, which I assume is what you mean by your reference to a mesh score. For one thing, neither the ACT nor the SAT will allow you to send only partial scores from any one test.