<p>FYI</p>
<p>[Score</a> Choice - New SAT Score-Reporting Policy](<a href=“http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/sat-reasoning/scores/policy]Score”>Send SAT Scores to Colleges - SAT Suite | College Board)</p>
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<p>And this “official consent from the student, parent or guardian before doing so” should not only never be granted, but should specifically be withheld by the student through an official letter to the high school.</p>
<p>[PSAT</a> Scores - About PSAT/NMSQT Scoring](<a href=“http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/psat/scores/about]PSAT”>http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/psat/scores/about)
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<p>… unless the STUDENT has GRANTED PERMISSION. Pretty straightforward!</p>
<p>I wonder how many schools do exactly this - report those PSAT and SAT scores without the consent of parents and students?</p>
<p>When D2 was applying to colleges and for scholarships, we specificly requested in writing which test scores we wanted reported (her ACT score was significantly higher than her SAT). GC never indicated that she was not following our request. The next year, D3 was a senior and a similar request was submitted on her behalf. Same GC said she had to report all scores. It took several emails back and forth until the principal instructed her to “report scores as requested by the student and her family”. What irked me was that she had simply ignored the requests the year before.</p>
<p>Okay, xiggi, I think I understand what you are saying, which is 1) that HS should not put scores on official transcripts, and 2) that if they have those scores, they may release them without a student’s knowlege, or worse, 3) report erroneous scores. FWIW I agree with the first point. The second point is a violation of FERPA laws. Further, I have direct knowlege that the third point has happened in our HS. </p>
<p>However, withholding or removing scores entirely from student’s records (other than the official transcript) may not be the best way to address these concerns for some students. I know of several prestigious academic programs and scholarships that require the HS to fill out applications on behalf of students, and to report scores in those, e.g., National Merit, Governor’s Schools, etc. I think the answer is vigilence by students and parents, and insisting on carefully reviewing all such applications before they are released. I would add that if the scores are excellent, a student benefits from having them in their records as they may assist the HS in identifying/nominating them for scholarships and academic opportunities. There should be school policy in place to prevent release of any student’s information without permission. See FERPA laws… </p>
<p>Also, insist on reviewing the transcript after each school year to screen for errors and omissions.</p>
<p>With regard to only reporting matriculations for a HS profile–in fact some schools do report all acceptances. The reason is that the acceptances may be more prestigious than the matriculations, because some kids choose less prestigious colleges that offer better financial packages. I do think this approach can be a bit misleading–oftentimes just a very few kids at the top of the class garner the bulk of the highly selective admissions. I am not sure how much focus adcoms put on these profiles, though. A couple have told me they don’t put them in an applicant’s file. Maybe they only come into consideration if the adcom is not familiar with an applicant’s HS.</p>
<p>At D1/D2’s high school, scores were routinely printed on the backs of transcripts. I never heard any parent complain about the practice.</p>
<p>Just a few comments based on my son’s hs and the hs where I work:</p>
<p>Test scores are not on transcripts. It is the student’s responsibility to request test scores be sent directly from college board or ACT to the colleges where they are applying. The student needs to be able to select which test score(s) they want set - so it would be completely inappropriate for the hs to include all scores on a transcript.</p>
<p>Students do routinely put the hs code on the answer sheet when they take a SAT or ACT so that the hs gets a copy of the score report. We put this info in Naviance - so that the student can get a better idea of where they are on the graphs. We also use it when we meet with them and advise them. Finally, we use score date to provide an average SAT and an average ACT score for our hs on the School Profile. That’s it as far as how we use test scores. If a student does not put in their hs CEEB code and we do not get a score report - that’s fine too. Most do, but if a few don’t, I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.</p>
<p>There seems to be an underlying perception with some posters that hs are this evil privacy trampling entity trying to collect all this personal data for nefarious intentions - and it kind of makes me laugh. My job is to assist kids with their college process. They can have as much or as little help from our office as they want. But if they want our help, they will need to share some info.</p>
<p>Xiggi, I have made it very clear that the high school discussed here is out of line. I believe they did have to back down when challenged. I do not believe in forced sharing of data to the public. However, I advocate this sharing.</p>
<p>However, many official transcripts have SAT scores, AP scores and all kinds of info on them. That way the GC can look at a glance and see what is happening with the student. However, schools generate different transcripts for different reasons. There is a sanitized transcript that most schools send to colleges. All it has on it is the barest information that colleges need such as the year end grades for each year. All kids should check and see exactly what is on their transcript that is being sent to colleges just in case their schools do not sanitize the transcripts and info is on there that they do not want shared. I have seen it happen where transcripts were sent with all sorts of stuff on it.</p>
<p>So the GC is usually going to have the test scores that are sent to the school, your grades and the list of colleges during app time. So they will know to which schools you are applying. They will also know which schools need your mid year grades, which can imply which early schools dumped you or deferred you. They will also know to which school you want your final grades. They will have all of this info whether you like it or not. And they often do use the data and they rarely ask for permission. </p>
<p>College Board and the colleges certainly use the info you supply, sometimes without your permission which is often implicit when you apply for their services. </p>
<p>So much of the information IS being and HAS been used. This thread is asking whether kids should share what is traditionally a private piece of correspondence; whether you are accepted, waitlisted or denied. Many kids willingly share the info with the GC; the queston is whether you will share for a Naviance type of information center that could identify you, especially in smaller schools. In many schools, anyone who really wants to take the time can sit there and decode the Naviance pretty easily. If nothing else they can see the range of SATs scores of kids who, say apply to Manhattan College or BC from their school. But a lot of that info is pretty much out there anyways from what I can see here.</p>
<p>And of course, you can decline to give the info. Some kids, I’m sure give wrong info for face saving reasons. </p>
<p>The best way to scramble the Naviance scores is for a school to collect the data for 3 years or so and then put the results in as a composite. That makes it far more difficult though still not impossible to trace who is who. That is what my sons’ schools do. </p>
<p>As for PSAT/ NMQTS, some schools send the outcomes when positive to the local newspapers and/or announce them over the school loudspeakers as part of the daily announcements. You can request to be taken off of all of these auto events, but few kids do. Few kids even know what they are until they happen.</p>
<p>As for SAT scores, though they are not on the sanitized transcripts that a school sends to colleges, they are on the official complete transcript/record of the student in most cases. SOme local schools will accept that test score listed on a transcript cutting out College Board fees in the process and making it a bit easier for the kid. I have seen that happen. Many scholarship groups will also take it from the transcript. We found out that our son’s was not on his transcript, not given to his school upon his scholarship hunt. Believe me it is a pain giving official SATs to scholarship committees and having to pay additonal fees. Easier to ask the school to send out a college transcript but add the SAT scores and AP scores. </p>
<p>If you read the profiles of high schools,most if not all of them report their SAT scores. Where do you think they get that info? It is reported to the state, the district and sometimes even to newspapers who often make stories of the info. Of course, the high schools have most of the students’ test scores and where do you think they store them?</p>
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<p>I doubt people are worried about “nefarious intentions,” or think their hs is “evil.” Rather, the issue is maintaining control over your own private information. As others before me have related, high schools have sent out information erroneously or used it or disclosed it improperly.</p>
<p>Rockvillemom, I think more posters have concerns about incompetent or careless handling of private information than deliberate misuse thereof. </p>
<p>The very events that triggered me to post the original question indicate a misconception on the part of some administrator as to the legal extent of the school’s authority to enforce student data collection.</p>
<p>There is obviously a risk when you provide information–I just think that in this case, the benefit outweighs the risk. In my opinion, the data in Naviance are very useful.</p>
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<p>That must be music to the ears of the people who happen to own … this site.</p>
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<p>Inasmuch as it is not clear that the HS which is the subject of this epic thread wanted the information to feed Naviance or use it for one of those graduation pamphlets everyone loves. It is a given that the operators of Naviance would never endorse strong-arm tactics.</p>
<p>Sometimes high schools even snap your kid’s photo (once - or hundreds of times)from their school-issued laptops.</p>
<p>Most of us get mail all the time from our kid’s school district. But isn’t it special when they sell their mailing list to local businesses? (Yes, this happens.)</p>
<p>When kids start getting mailers from places like Revolution Test Prep or financial planners or summer camps, and they haven’t even signed up for the PSAT, yet, you know that they are getting that information from the school system. </p>
<p>Privacy is elusive, and sometimes data does get transmitted in ways that we wouldn’t approve of.</p>
<p>I don’t have access to our hs Naviance site (actually, I do, but I didn’t save any user information I was given b/c we were not interested in using it), but I’m pretty sure students are required to contractually waive their FERPA rights in order to use the site. I wonder whether that FERPA waiver allows any information the student inputs onto the site to be used by the high school or Naviance for purposes other than adding to the Naviance graph.</p>
<p>Perhaps rockevillemom can address this?</p>
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<p>Ds’ highschool does this for about a 5-year cycle. </p>
<p>And again, both final and interim transcripts include test scores (on the back).</p>
<p>Bay, your statement that Naviance users required to contractually waive their FERPA rights in order to use Naviance sure got my attention. Most kids start with this program before they are 18 years of age. They are minors and cannot waive anything without parental consent (much as they might like to do everything without parental consent). I don’t remember seeing any FERPA waiver from our public district. In fact we have to sign a waiver for our kid’s photos to be used by the district.</p>
<p>Xiggi, the HS that is the subject of this “epic” (love it) thread wanted the college outcome data to report to the board of ed, which reports I gather are generated via Naviance software–rockvillemom, correct me if I’m wrong. They like to publish the graduating class’s matriculations. Also I suppose they are thinking the more complete the Naviance data, the more informative for future users.</p>
<p>P.S. So which of those companies owns THIS site?</p>
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<p>Is this to illustrate the adage of about two wrongs and one right? I understand that you mentioned that no parents have complained about this … most questionable practice. Based on my years of CC discussing this precise issue (in public and many times in private) I happen to think that this is a direct result of an ingrained (and erroneous) belief that that is the way it is and that … nothing can be done anout without ruining a relation with the GC. The reality is that, at no time should a school do this without the written consent (not implied) of each and every student. One has to wonder if the genius who started this ever thought about obtaining consents from the students he or she was supposed to work for? </p>
<p>I also understand that some do seem to value the “shorcut” of having tests scores printed in the back (or in the front) of a transcript, and the potential help provided with applications that do not require TCB official transcripts. I have no idea why scholarships’ providers would prefer to obtain the test scores via the HS as opposed to accept an unofficial copy directly from … the student? Is there a belief that the hearsay version is becoming legitimate because someone at a high school entered it into a computer? Fascinating! </p>
<p>No matter how we look at it, there are NO valid reasons why a high school should include information in a transcript that was NOT generated within the four walls of the school. The rest is simply not for them to release or distribute. End of story! As far as test scores, PSAT are NOT part of a college application, and SAT and ACT scores should ONLY be released by the student, and this at his or her SOLE discretion as to the timing and content. Everything else is an abuse of power and … trust.</p>
<p>Okay, xiggi, if you got a perfect PSAT and wanted it reported officially for say TASP or some other very very selective summer program, you would not be able to do that via TCB. It would have to come from the high school. What else is a student to do?</p>
<p>Sadly, students are considered less trustworthy custodians of their own information than Guidance offices by the people that admit kids to these things.</p>
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<p>I guess they all do since Hobsons is a subsidiary of the parent companies listed. </p>
<p>[Welcome</a> to Hobsons](<a href=“http://www.hobsons.com/]Welcome”>http://www.hobsons.com/)</p>
<p>Interesting how so many elements of the life of US highschoolers is organized by our friends in the UK. From Hobsons’ Naviance to the SAT and Pearson Educational Measurement.</p>