<p>The hard thing for us is that my son’s scores were higher across the board in May, so in my view sending the March scores can only hurt.</p>
<p>And frankly, I’m a little skeptical about the Super Scoring concept. I do realize that in some cases the admissions file may be prepared for the reader in such a way that it only includes the highest scores in each area, but how do you really know that’s happening? And if the reader does see all the scores, it’s hard to imagine him or her not being influenced to some degree by a lousy score along side of a good one.</p>
<p>But if that’s the rule, I’m afraid we’ll end up sending both, if for no other reason than I don’t want to be a hypocrite in front of son—you know, follow the rules until it doesn’t suit you.</p>
<p>I’m trying to decide if it’s worth sending the ACT score (composite 30) at all. It’s just about equal or perhaps a tiny bit worse than one of my son’s SAT sittings (1350/1980), and not as good if you combine SAT sections (1430/2060). So I’m not seeing any advantage to sending the ACT, unless we think that it would be nice from them to see the Science score (which was 30). But I don’t even think they will look at it if they determine that the SAT scores are better anyway, so why take the chance that they will accidentally use the ACT when the SAT is slightly better? (Or in the case of a composite score, a whole lot better?)</p>
<p>I was double checking the stats of some of the schools we are planning on visiting in a couple weeks. The whole GPA thing is very frustrating. I decided to check selectivity ratings on P****** review. What does everyone think of that as a judge for how difficult it is to get in to a school?</p>
<p>Northeastmom, I wasn’t talking about sending the scores in via the test companies. I was talking about what you put in personally on the Common Application. If someone thinks they can list one test date & one score for one school, (say for example this school has the earliest deadline of January 15th) submit the application & then go back in and change test dates & test scores for other schools, they can’t. Those fields “lock up” and can’t be changed. It might appear to be deceptive if you don’t list all scores, that is all I am saying. Personally it would be nice if the Common App said “list your best scores & put down the date it was taken.” OK, let’s bombard those Common App people with suggestions! LOL </p>
<p>I really don’t have as much experience with the ACT as you do. D took them once & didn’t send them anywhere, but listed them on the Common Application. On the SAT’s we used the 4 free test scores for the second test, which of course included the scores from the first test. So we paid for 8 schools ($9.50 x 8 = $76.00) & they got both sets of scores for that price. Much as I hate these ridiculous tests, many times they do enhance the applicant’s application, so test optional is OK, but it doesn’t seem to help my children! If a school is big on merit aid, I would think test scores would be a must if you thought your child would be eligible!</p>
<p>No, didn’t bother, RTR, just listed it on Common Application & sent SAT’s. Your S could do that on the Common Application - Then send SAT scores to the schools. If a school wanted official ACT scores, they could ask for them, right?</p>
<p>slumom, I am far from an expert on this. We have yet to send out a set of ACT scores.</p>
<p>I don’t get the problem then. You can list the scores and seatings that you took and you can send in your highest “official” score. Why can’t you just list 2 dates and send those, or even one date and in one offical score? Why should parents end up paying hundreds of dollars for a point or two difference on one or two subsections? Does the commonapp specifically say that you MUST list all seatings of ALL tests? SLUMOM, unlike the SAT, the ACT charges for each seating sent to each school. This makes it very expensive!</p>
<p>That could be very expensive if that is the way the ACT works with score reporting, northeastmom. </p>
<p>The Common App asks you to self-report all test scores & dates & follow up with having official scores sent by the SAT or ACT. You may also report SAT Subject Tests and A/P test results. With the ACT, you could probably leave some test dates off if you wanted to, but I don’t know enough about the ACT. As previously discussed with warriorboy, the SAT has that list of institutions & their score policy-“All Scores” or the “Highest Section V1” “Highest Section V2” etc. These 3 categories “superscore”. (use the best)</p>
<p>Does the ACT website have a smiliar list of schools & their score policies? Good question!
If not, then I suppose the best place to look is on the school’s website & see what their test policy is. If that particular school should want all ACT test scores, will you send them? Ouch, that will get pricey if so, and you have my sympathy, too!</p>
<p>No, I am not sending in all scores. The schools do not require that. LOL, if they did it would effect their ranking because less people would apply! Some schools are only interested in the highest composite, and others said that they would superscore if more than one date is submitted. In my son’s case, if he sent more than one set of scores bc of different subscores, the composite score would remain the same after superscoring. Frankly, at the schools my son is considering, the composite score seems to be most important.</p>
<p>Oh, the ACT only releases the scores that you authorize to be released. Now, if the high school has the scores and plasters them on the transcript, the schools will get those scores. My son did not send any scores to his hs.</p>
<p>No, not must, but if it is a school like warriorboy and I were discussing, like “all scores” they should be listed. That is going to be up to you. It appears all the schools my S is interested in want “all scores” so they will be listed. I certainly don’t want to mislead anyone, but then again if the school’s policy is “all scores” (like Skidmore for example) then you better put them down on the Common App. </p>
<p>You can interpret the self reporting anyway you like I suppose-Common App scores will no doubt be compared to the official scores. Sorry to confuse the issue! I think someone started a thread on this subject on the SAT forum. But I am not clever enough to post the link to it! LOL</p>
<p>slumom, what if one lists the highest seating, or the scores that one chooses to report on the commonapp, but then under seperate cover sends a letter to the schools that require ALL scores to report ALL scores, as well as sending official score reports of all scores from the ACT and/or Collegeboard to those schools? Why would one NEED to disclose all scores on the commonapp if not all schools require them?</p>
<p>I would have no problem listing D’s highest scores on the common app and then just sending the rest of the scores directly from collegeboard. Also, how do you do this for schools that are test optional and to which you are not submitting scores at all?</p>
<p>Queen’smom, Excellent question! I did not even think of that question because my son will submit test scores to all of the schools he applies to, whether they are test optional or not.</p>
<p>I am definitely not going to recommend this to my son, but what happens if one leaves that section blank, and just sends official score reports? Can one make note of doing this on the commonapp?</p>
<p>Northeastmom, I suppose you could do that & see what happens. </p>
<p>Queen’s Mom, there is a place to check on the Common App, “do not consider test scores” or similiar wording. But the schools see the test scores there! D had a test optional school & I believe she checked that box. That doesn’t sound very test optional to me, the scores are there!</p>
<p>I am not sure that would work northeastmom, it constantly gives prompts about being “incomplete” if you don’t fill in all the necessary boxes when you go to submit it.</p>