This title may be a little ambiguous, but I’m wondering about how applying to colleges works, and when everything should happen. I’ve just complete my first round of SAT II tests, and am preparing for my SATs, but I’m most likely going to retake them in the Fall and hope to get better scores. CollegeBoard says that I won’t be able to send out my scores to four colleges for free unless I select the colleges to send them to on the 11th, but should I send them whenever they’re ready, or should I wait until I start applying? I’m really confused at how the sending scores online and applying works in general actually. If I send them, do they sit in a database, ready to be pulled up when they receive my application, or could they get lost in a void? And I’ve seen a lot of schools say that they’d take the best scores out of every SAT I sent them, but should I just wait until I get my final results and send the best anyways? Finally (sorry to ask so much), if I’m applying for Early Action, which I intend to for all schools that support it, will I have time to retake the SATs and SAT II tests in the Fall, and send the scores out immediately? If I do have to send them immediately, what happens if they’re worse than my original scores?
Sorry for asking so much, and thanks for any clarification anyone can offer me!
Whenever you register for the SAT or subject tests, you can send your scores to four colleges for free but only if you designate the colleges as recipients in your registration for the test by the second Monday after taking the test, and you do not get to know your scores before they are sent. Because of that many are wary to use the four free sends particularly when you can wait until later when you apply and just send them for $11.25 per college, but if money is an issue, you should consider using the free sends now.
Colleges start an application file (your mentioned “database”) for you when they receive anything that is intended for that file. If you send test scores now and apply in the fall, your application will be matched to the existing test scores as long as the identifying information provided for both the tests and the application, such as the name and social security number, match.
As to early action or early decision, there are a small number of colleges where the last allowable test date is June for the SAT, but those that have Nov 1 or after application deadlines generally accept at least through the Oct test, but for a small number you will have to use those free sends with the Oct test and send them blind because they want the scores by Nov 1 and the only way to assure that will occur] is by using those free sends (that is the fastest form of delivery and in most cases scores actually are sent and delivered two days before you even get the scores online; note colleges tell you on their websites if the scores have to be in their hands by Nov 1). For the vast majority of EA and ED colleges, the Oct test is fine and can arrive after Nov 1 and be sent as soon as you know your scores. Moreover, a large number of those even take the Nov test for EA or ED (such as all the ivies), but for that one you definitely should be be using those free sends and sending the scores blind to assure they get there in time to be considered.
As far as scores to send when you have multiple tests, you have to check the rules of the colleges. There area fairly small number of colleges that require you to send all test scores, at least all SAT test scores, i.e., you are not supposed to withhold any tests. With others you can pick and choose. As to what they do with multiple tests, all profess that they will not hold lower scores against you. As to SAT, the majority of colleges “supersocre” multiple tests, meaning they use the highest section scores from the multiple tests to determine admission; a large minority (including the majority of public colleges) use that test score with the highest composite or that test with highest combined reading and math score if the college does not use the writing section for admission (many do not). As to subject trests, for the small number of colleges that actually require them (majority of colleges do not even consider subject tests for admission), they generally use the two with the highest scores.
Thank you very much for your help, this was very informative!
If you submit the SAT2 score before you have any SAT score, it may only express your interests at those schools. Otherwise, it would do nothing more than submitting them together with your SAT score later as they would be bundled together with no extra cost.
Most schools would consider your best score and many even do super score. As long as your practice score is not too far off the admission range, you should be fine to make use of the free score report particularly for safety schools and schools that want all scores anyway. You should treat each attempt as your last attempt of the test.