<p>I am a rising senior who has taken both the SAT and the ACT. I took the SAT 3 times, scoring my highest the first time (1940). The second time, my score dropped 100, and it was a similar score my third time. After failing to achieve my goal SAT score, I decided to take the ACT. To my surprise, I scored a 31 (SAT 2140 equivalent). I am taking it one more time in September before submitting my applications. For the schools I'm applying to, my SAT scores are sub-par. Is it possible to block the schools I'm apply to from seeing my SAT scores? I've heard they can get access to them at any time, even if you don't send them in--- is this true? </p>
<p>Basically- what is the best way to make sure the schools I'm apply to don't see my SAT scores, the fact that I have even taken the SAT, and especially the fact that I took it three times?</p>
<p>Well, I think you just have to submit all of the testing from whatever kind of test you do. For example, if you had taken the ACt 3 times you would have to submit all of them. However, I think you could JUST submit the ACT and not any of the SAT. Just send them the ACT. I plan to do that with my son. He made a 34 on the ACT but a 1990 on the SAT.</p>
<p>But I’ve heard that some schools put all test scores on your transcripts, which the schools will ultimately see. Is there a way to prevent this?</p>
<p>If that isn’t the case, would there be a problem because I’m submitting SAT II’s. When I send those scores in, will CollegeBoard gives schools access to my SAT’s too?</p>
<p>I work as a SAT/ACT tutor/instructor. If you don’t want them to see SAT, just don’t have the College Board send anything. ACT is not run by the College Board, so you can just have them send your ACT score. Schools treat both tests exactly the same.</p>
<p>Now, if you are sending SAT II’s, it will not cause your SAT scores to be sent as long as you don’t tell them to send it. College Board will only report the tests you tell them to. </p>
<p>Last, you have to report a complete date of scores, so if you want them to see a particular test date’s subscore (say, then Reading on the SAT because maybe it was excellent), you do have to send the whole score from that date. You do not, however, have to send a test date’s score if you don’t want the school to know that test even existed. But then they won’t even see anything good from that date.</p>
<p>The above is not quite correct as a matter of process. College Board sends all SAT and SAT II scores it has for you in one order unless you exercise score choice and choose not to send a particular test. You do so by unchecking the test when your on-line order is shown. Thus, you do not choose which tests that get sent but instead which ones don’t get sent. ACT always sends only that test ordered so there is no choice to make.</p>
<p>Also there are two problems with exercising score choice . One, as you have heard, many high schools put all your test scores on the official transcript that is sent to colleges and thus not having College Board or ACT send a score could accomplish nothing. You need to find out if your high school does. If it answers yes, you might also ask if it will avoid doing so upon request. </p>
<p>Two, there are many colleges that require you to send “all scores” For those that do, the meaning of “all scores” varies. Some require all SAT , SAT II and ACT scores, others just all SAT and ACT scores, others all SAT and SAT II scores or alternatively all ACT scores; there are other variations and you need to check the rules of each school.</p>
<p>That’s interesting. In my experience I’ve never heard of a school that puts SAT scores on high school transcripts. Even so, I imagine you could get around this by not entering a high school code on the test itself. Plus, I believe a student should be able to request standardized scores to be removed from the transcript. It’s not really any of the high school’s business to put it on there.</p>
<p>I also am not aware of any place that requires you to send “all scores” meaning everything you’ve ever taken…just everything you’ve taken from the particular test provider. Since ACT and SAT are administered by two separate parties, I can’t see how they would know one way or the other if you chose to not send your SAT or ACT.</p>
<p>You’re right about the procedure but it amounts to the same thing. I didn’t imagine my response was unclear there.</p>
<p>Examples: Penn requires everything, all SAT, all ACT and SAT IIs that you have taken: [Penn</a> Admissions: Required Tests<a href=“%22Penn%20requires%20that%20applicants%20submit%20all%20testing%20results%20from%20each%20administration%20of%20the%20ACT,%20SAT,%20and%20SAT%20Subject%20Tests.%20It%20is%20the%20student’s%20responsibility%20to%20ensure%20that%20official%20score%20reports%20are%20released%20and%20submitted%20to%20the%20University%20of%20Pennsylvania%20for%20all%20tests%20taken%22”>/url</a>. Stanford requires you to report all SAT and all ACT scores but not all SAT II scores since it recommends but does not actually require SAT IIs: [url=<a href=“Page Not Found : Stanford University”>Page Not Found : Stanford University]Testing</a> : Stanford University](<a href=“http://www.admissionsug.upenn.edu/applying/testing.php]Penn”>http://www.admissionsug.upenn.edu/applying/testing.php). </p>
<p>I am in Illinois and high schools I am aware of put all your scores on the transcript. That seems to be an expected practice since there are still a number of colleges that accept scores as reported on the transcript without requiring official scores from the testing agencies. That is a dwindling number of colleges but not too many years ago it was a very large number.</p>
<p>@stanfordbound… It’s not. But the college admissions game usually isn’t. There’s not enough space for every qualified individual. Every college has to come up with its own generally arbitrary way of weeding out applicants.</p>
<p>And from the College Board’s own site: “Colleges cannot “opt out of” or “reject” Score Choice. Score Choice is a feature available to students. Colleges set their own policies and practices regarding the use of test scores. The College Board does not release SAT test scores without student consent. This will continue under Score Choice. Colleges, universities and scholarship programs will receive the scores applicants send to them.” ([SAT</a> Score Choice - Choose the Scores You Want To Send To Colleges](<a href=“The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board”>Send SAT Scores to Colleges - SAT Suite | College Board))</p>
<p>Stanford, Penn, and the like will have no way of knowing as long as your transcript doesn’t reveal too much. Your ethics are the only thing that stand in the way. That’s on you. You’d (perhaps fortunately) be surprised how much that can weigh you down in the end.</p>