<p>Since my last child took ACTs,(first group requiring photo fall 2012), we were still able to opt not to have scores sent to high school, we just did not identify school.
My next child is taking it June 14, first attempt as a sophomore. I anticipate very good math score, 30+, however the english section well it probably will not be pretty. </p>
<p>Since it seems now, the only way not to report to high schools is mark homeschooled, has anyone used this option to prevent school from seeing scores? Second guessing registering for exam if school will get scores. Some prep has been done, but not at all adequate, and would rather high school not know. We were going to use this test as a baseline to prepare over the summer.</p>
<p>Mark homeschooled yet walk in with school ID for proof? Or should we get DMV ID? </p>
<p>I know school tends to place the better scoring kids into the better AP teachers as well, one of the reasons I do not want school to get them until we choose. </p>
<p>Get the kid a DMV ID. It is useful for a lot of stuff (like domestic travel), not just for exams. Alternately, send the kid with the current school year ID, and the home-school box checked. Who knows? Maybe you intend to home-school from here on out.</p>
<p>As for not being able to find an over-ride for this on the ACT website, pick up the phone and call them. While you are on the phone, find out why it looks like the scores have to be sent to the HS. If enough customers question this, maybe the instruction can be changed.</p>
<p>If your kid doesn’t need the writing section score, a mock ACT in a somewhat stress-inducing environment could give you the baseline score that you seem to be looking for. That might be worth arranging instead of the real exam just yet.</p>
<p>Oh, and about this:</p>
<p>“I know school tends to place the better scoring kids into the better AP teachers as well”</p>
<p>Then it is about time that the parents had a little sit-in at the principal’s office don’t you think?</p>
<p>Just enter the wrong code, or 0000 for the school. One of my kids’ scores never appeared on her high school transcripts. She entered so many things wrong on that exam I’m surprised it was even linked to her (right SSN). ‘Someone’ told her to only bubble in the first 3 letters of her last name, so we could tell all the things that came from that SAT.</p>
<p>“I know school tends to place the better scoring kids into the better AP teachers as well”</p>
<p>I’m curious how are you able to tell which AP teachers are better than others? We only have 1 teacher for each AP subject so our kids have no choice. Is it that the teacher is more likable, more or less homework or that the kids get better scores on the AP tests? </p>
<p>“I know school tends to place the better scoring kids into the better AP teachers as well”</p>
<p>I’ve never actually seen or heard of that happening. Usually teacher assignment is based on what would fit best in the student’s schedule. That might not apply for every school but still. </p>
<p>The following is the answer I received when I questioned reporting to our HS. Personally, I feel that a test I pay for, outside of the domain of HS should not be anyone’s business but mine. And as for a counselor at our school knowing my kids best, that’s laughable. </p>
<p>"'I’m sorry, but there is no way to opt out of this requirement. Because this is one of ACT’s test security procedures, reporting the scores to the high school happens automatically.</p>
<p>Test score integrity is very important to us. Our goal is to ensure that every student’s scores reflect his or her own independent work. Sending score reports with photos to high schools allows the integrity of students’ ACT scores to be reinforced by the people who know them best – the teachers and counselors at their schools. </p>
<p>Please let us know if we may be of further assistance."</p>
<p>Last time I looked and granted this was over a year ago, you could pick which ACT scores to send to the colleges. And it’s possible a college or uni would lsuperscore (I don’t think that many superscore ACT). 2 or 3 times at the ACT is not that big of a deal especially if one is as a sophomore. A better question would be to ask at your high school of the ACT scores are on the transcript. In our system they are (because the ACT is a state mandated test for all high school juniors). </p>
<p>“Sending score reports with photos to high schools allows the integrity of students’ ACT scores to be reinforced by the people who know them best – the teachers and counselors at their schools.”</p>
<p>Sure looks to me like they are hoping to get the schools to flush out those people who take exams for others.</p>
<p>It looks like checking the “home school” option is the only way to keep the test scores out of the school’s hands.</p>
<p>We are in one of the states that has mandated ACT test. It is required (and the State pays for it) for HS graduation. The score is not shown on the transcript though. I see no reason not to let the HS knows the student’s performance on ACT.</p>
<p>I don’t want the school to get them until I say so, my oldest HS class of 2008, the school sent all on transcript, they were never given permission to send, it was supposedly an accident by an uninterested GC. a story for another day. In 2012 my second child never sent any scores to the school, when filling out the information with GC, pulled up scores on GC computer and showed them to the GC. Had photo uploaded and ID checked at testing site. </p>
<p>We are not in a mandated state for ACT, SAT territory, I believe since we pay for the test, the info belongs to us.</p>
<p>As far as knowing which teachers are better, our school tracks the data of passing scores and teachers. Information a parent can request at any time. We do have two teachers per AP course in the more popular AP courses, so its easy enough for the school to place kids where they want them, no scheduling conflicts. </p>
<p>I think we will mark homeschooled and see what happens. </p>
<p>Another option is to take the ACT after course selection has occurred. I know for the SAT our school automatically receives them (much to my surprise) but doesn’t use them for placement purposes. My guidance counselor had all my stats from tests and such when entering it to programs such as Naviance and writing recommendations.</p>