<p>IsleBoy, I want to thank you for your coherent and comprehensive summary of the issue. It has certainly been helpful to us all. As parents, we wish to see our children treated fairly, and welcome all suggestions. I also have a suggestion for you. Because you seem passionate about this issue, it would be an excellent topic for a college essay. Why not submit it to an English teacher for a critique of logical organization and such? Your effort could be worthwhile in helping you to think clearly and write concisely.</p>
<p>BTW:</p>
<p>I'm not attacking parents or students who make the mistake of sending their scores to their HS.</p>
<p>I know it sounds like it, but it's more of a function of trying to type as fast as my thoughts flow.</p>
<p>Isleboy, have you considered that some of the information one wants or needs to delete is a ... PSAT score? Since the PSAT is administered at your HS, good luck trying to get the score not reported to the high school! There is simply no reason to report PSAT scores on a college application; this decision should be 100% in the hands of the student, and not in the hands of a zealot at a local high school official who is on an ego trip. </p>
<p>The issue is not about what constitutes an academic record; it is about the privacy rights of students and about the control and distribution of private information. The high schools that receive the SAT scores receive them only for informational purposes, not for further dissemination.</p>
<p>The PSAT score is a part of the academic record...at least for me. I do not have a problem with that, even though it was lower than my SAT scores.</p>
<p>Celloguy: thanks for the advice about my writing. I'm glad to know that even parents can forget that forum writing is different than an essay...usually not a problem for me, mostly straight A's, but thanks for the concern.</p>
<p>It probably would not be a good topic for a college essay, since it does make adults uncomfortable. Why risk the adcoms being uncomfortable. </p>
<p>And, since no one asked, all my scores are on my high school transcript, by choice...the good and the not so good.</p>
<p>Again CELLO: It isn't about "fair" to many parents, it's about getting into an excellent college. Don't couch it as being fair...many low-income kids do not have that luxury. Have you seen how the poorer school districts function? Don't see too many parents agitate for other peoples kids...do you?</p>
<p>Fair? Please, maybe you should take a refresher course in marshalling arguements.</p>
<p>instead of checking a box 'no", I would challenge any education official as to why s/he should spend tax payer or private tuition dollars to waste time and money putting such stuff on a transcript.....ther e is NO RATIONAL need.</p>
<p>Xiggi:</p>
<p>Thanks for not being snide.</p>
<p>I know the trend is to "put your best foot forward", but I worry that selectively editing information now, will lead to legitimizing such behavior in other areas (eg. one person clubs, several sports captains).</p>
<p>My PSATs and other test scores did not hurt me, so I'm taken aback by how much angst (parents and kids) goes into a test score. I always thought that people are more than just a number. But, it seems that things are getting out of hand, when even educated HS kids talk about AA and poor minority performance based on test scores.</p>
<p>The editing of scores, implies that decent or low scores, are bad. But, there are colleges that do not require them. Bates, for instance, blacks out the scores, if you do not want them to consider SATs. I have to trust that the college would not be speaking falsely.</p>
<p>I understand how "end of the world" a low score can be (my PSATs were not so hot), but it is part of the package. Poor kids have choices limited by financial aid, but some people do not see that as bad. That's why this bothers me, since some parents think it's okay to limit certain categories of applicants, but when it comes because of test scores, there is talk about litigation.</p>
<p>It seems that some parents care only when it is their child whose choices are limitied by scores, aid, geography, poor schooling, etc...</p>
<p>If the issue of reporting scores were tackled BEFORE registration, then I'd be singing a different song.</p>
<p>How often does a parent (or kid) want an excellent score taken off a HS transcript?</p>
<p>The legal argument about who owns the score is a great topic, but it usually comes up AFTER the fact.</p>
<p>Perhaps my parents are a little nerdy, they read everything--even the fine print. But, it did enable us to discuss the positives and negatives of having scores sent to my HS or not. In the end, I had to trust that the colleges would stay true to their word and take my highest scores.</p>
<p>I tend to be liberal in general, and I believe in choice, but saying "I didn't know" did not get me anywhere as a kid or anywhere in the classroom.</p>
<p>Just an opinion. I do agree with you in theory...but not so much in practice because I have been surrounded by ambitious parents that do many things to boost their kids chances, even though it is questionable.</p>
<p>That is why I find it ironic that people ding me for going to a private HS...if I had not seen it with my own eyes, I would not have believed the extent to which parents justify certain behavior and how often they let their kid off the hook.</p>
<p>Blue:</p>
<p>In my opinion, it's part of the academic record. And, it can help those who do not have the good fortune of being able to send out so many score reports to colleges (as there is a limit to fee waivers). </p>
<p>Some of my less affluent friends rely on the HS transcript because it is far less costly than the Collegeboard. For some, it is an issue of money. And, I do applaud spending tax payer money and private school money to ensure that even socioeconomically challenged kids have a shot at the best schools. If it means having scores on transcripts, then I'm okay with that. </p>
<p>Again, at least for me, it is part of the academic record, in as much as it is a snapshot of how a kid is doing within the context of his/her HS performance, although the Collegeboard says it enables adcomms to "compare people from different school and show the rigor of the HS". I don't REALLY buy the second arguement, but some parents seem to be okay with score comparisons (as are kids here on CC, especially when opposed to AA). The reason is that I've seen many people prep for the tests and use private counselors to refine their apps. Fair? Probably not.</p>
<p>It just seems like many people will do whatever it takes. The expected answer to the question, "If someone jumps in the fire, will you, " is usually no. But, with college admissions, it seems to be a race to the fire.</p>
<p>isleboy:</p>
<p>son, check out fee waivers.....and, your third paragraph is just illogical and off topic. Your fourth par is just plain incoherent. I do hope your papers are more clear when and if you hit the college scene.</p>
<p>it is NOT part of the academic track record...not at all...its an OUTSIDE test that is somehow supposed to be a way to compare people and its a CHOICE to send it or not....and the school should not if you don't want them to...</p>
<p>no one has to take the test, many schools don't use it, and you have the ACT if you want...</p>
<p>it is "supposed" to be an academic test...at least that's what the Collegeboard says....and people say when AA is discussed.</p>
<p>Blue: The waivers are not unlimited.</p>
<p>Paragraph 3, just illuminates HOW people believe that a test score can make a difference when looking between candidates. I personally believe that kids are NOT their scores, but many believe that they are.</p>
<p>Paragraph 4, is not incoherent if you understood that parents will do almost anything for their children, including have socres taken off after their kids take the test, even though THEY could have read or done their research, or prevented said kid from sending the scores to their HS.</p>
<p>I"m done being nice about it. It's over controlling parents that can see no sense in sins of ommission being okay, and lying being very different things. At some point they will overlap if you travel down the slippery slope.</p>
<p>Again with the PERSONAL attack, cute. I did not realize I was in an academic forum, I'll make sure to write well when the situation calls for it, but, as this is a general forum, I believe that if you cannot comprehend what I am alluding to then perhaps it is more indicative of your reasoning capabilities BLUE, rather than mine.</p>
<p>Parents (including the affluent ones I'm most familiar with), tend to do things to promote their own children and are okay with dividing people into different score ranges as long as their kid gets the upperhand.</p>
<p>Lower-income kids usually bear the brunt of such machinations, but some parents can't see past their own nose.</p>
<p>Citygirl: it is a part of the academic record...and I agree that kids have a choice, they just need to be aware of it. The problem is that those who threaten litigation do not do their homework BEFORE having their kid REGISTER for the tests. </p>
<p>It's different, if they get upset about the legalities BEFORE their kid registers for the test and try and remedy the situation by not having the score reports sent to their HS. It would be a NON-ISSUE because the PARENTS would have controlled where the scores were sent. </p>
<p>I AGREE that the school should not have the scores on the academic transcript, and the way to do that is not to have the scores SENT to the HS. Just because there is a "bad" test score after the fact, is no reason to suddenly be insensed about the situation.</p>
<p>AGAIN, a parent or student can choose to not have scores SENT to the HS. So be it. If an individual registers to have it sent to the HS, then, for better or worse, it's a part of the academic record, like other test scores.</p>
<p>Trying to turn that simple scenario into one where the school is to blame is not taking responsibility for the CHOICES one makes when it is important.</p>
<p>How that is not recognized is beyond me, especially, since my intellect continues to be assulted (that goes to show that SAT, perhaps, are NOT indicative of ability perhaps?!), and parents, adults are being snide.</p>
<p>No wonder my generation is mixed-up and we're looking for leadership anywhere we can find it.</p>
<p>Just goes to show you that even parents can be childish.</p>
<p>I think the College Board should send all test scores for tests taken. Let the schools get the full info.</p>
<p>Collegeboard DOES send all scores for tests taken if you choose to send any SAT or SAT II score. The issue is when a kid takes the ACT and SAT and only wants the ACT score given to colleges, or vice versa. However, ACT offers score choice.</p>
<p>at my Ds HS, they ask the kids to have the scores sent to them so they can see how their students are doing as a whole, but the student has the option of what the HS does with them, and if our HS has the option of whether to send them or not at the students request, obviouslly it is possible, the colleges have no problems with how we do it, and we have kids applying to a large range of schools....with 99% going off to college, with several kids not wanted the school to send the scores...so obviouslly the colleges deal with it...and we respect the students request with regards OUTSIDE testing....</p>
<p>and WHEN you take the test, you are hoping for the best, and that day, may not be your best...for all kinds of reasons, so if the college board gives you the option of who to send it to, so should your high school....and your HS school has no right to override your request for information regarding an outside test...if you have not requested collegeboard to send it, the HS as well should honor that....to do otherwise is not following even the test givers themselves</p>