I have a much stronger ACT than SAT score. I didn’t really study for the SAT and took it because, most likely, I’ll qualify for the National Merit Scholar program.
I’m looking to apply to T20 universities and most of them require you to only send one or the other (phew). I did well on both subject tests I took and will send these to colleges. My question is, if I send these subject scores (which are required or “strongly recommended”), do I have to send the SAT as well? Some of the colleges ask you to report ALL SAT OR All ACT. I’ll obviously report ALL ACT, which is 2 dates, and my 2 subject scores but if I do, can I not send SAT or am I not obeying their policy?
The schools I’m looking at are Harvard, Princeton, Brown, Northwestern
If the school or university requires you to send SAT scores, then I recommend sending them. SAT scores help school get a general comparison of one’s intelligence. T20 universities typically use SAT scores so I recommend that you attach your scores to the admissions. These T20 Universities are usually referenced from US World News, and have a strong reputation of being a renown university.
For the must part, sending SAT Subject tests is independent from your sending SAT I scores and you can generally select which SAT subject scores to send.
As you correctly point out, most colleges ask you to report ALL SAT scores or ALL ACT scores. When they put it in that context, they are NOT referring to subject tests, but rather the SAT verbal/math scores (with essay, in most cases).
Offhand, the only school that I can think of that requires that all SAT and ACT scores be sent is Stanford. They state: “All scores from all high school sittings of either the ACT or SAT (or both if you took both) are required.”
As @skieurope points out, you need to verify what each individual school’s policy is.
Thanks for your responses! As ski noted, the only college I’m interested in requiring all SAT will be Stanford. For the rest I’m choosing to only report ACT because my concordance is far higher.
Thank you for clarifying that SAT 1 and 2 are considered separate.
Another question. I’m applying to Stanford and, for example, Harvard. I would like Harvard to only see my ACT score, so I send them an official test report from ACT and don’t send them my SAT from collegeboard. For Stanford I send both. But, on my common application, I have to self-report both right? Because I’m submitting the same common app to both schools, I’ll have to adhere by Stanford’s policy and report all scores? Is this not right?
You do not have to self-report all scores on the common application and can choose to report only SAT or ACT or none at all… Stanford requires all scores but they can be submitted however you want to submit them, e.g., just send official scores through the testing agencies.
Nevertheless, you should be aware of the possible transcript issue. Along with your grades, many high schools put all your test scores on the official transcript sent to colleges. Thus, you need to check what your high school does because withholding a score through College Board and not mentioning it in the common application may accomplish nothing.
No. You can report any/all/none. But as @drusba correctly states, be aware that some high schools lists all standardized testing on the transcript. Good luck.
@gurt567 - Self-reporting doesn’t accomplish much. And, as others have posted, you need to check your HS transcript.
As for the Common App, you can make changes to the CA before submitting it to any particular school. This would allow you to self-report ACT and/or SAT scores individually for each school, if you so chose.