How long will it take for colleges to get my scores?

I requested my SAT scores right after I took the December SAT, selecting five colleges of recipients. I have also added my previous SAT scores to the same report. Will the colleges get the SAT by ~Dec. 22? When does CB start to send those scores out? I am worried that the scores may not get there in time for the deadline.

If you identify colleges in your test registration as ones to automatically receive scores upon release and do not exercise score choice to prevent any or all prior tests from being sent, as you have apparently done, then usually you will be triggering the fastest form of delivery and scores will be sent to colleges on or up to two business days before you get them online. As to how fast the college gets them after being sent depends on each college’s selescted form of delivery. Most have electronic delivery via an online account with College Board into which CB places the scores. In that situation sending and delivery are simultaneous acts, although it may take some time for the particular college to download the scores and match them to applicants’ files.

There can always be the risk of some delay to the above. Usually it does not matter because for most colleges, the application deadline date is not the receipt-of-test-scores deadline date, and test scores can arrive after that app deadline date passes…