<p>Daughter's applications are in at selective schools, and her ACT score (32) has been sent to all of them. One also required SAT II scores, so she took 3 tests in January and sent the scores only to that school. She did well in Literature, but completely bombed both US History and French. I realize that this dooms her chances at the one school, but have the following questions: will the other schools have any reason or way to find out about the SAT II scores? (we did not have them reported to her high school). Will these scores follow her forever (when she applies for graduate school, for example, or if she wants to transfer)? Should she retake to try to get higher scores in her record even though they won't matter for admissions? (by the way, she is national merit commended).</p>
<p>I'm no expert, but my thought is "No" to all of your questions.</p>
<p>PErhaps, for a more definitive answer (plus I see you're up late, at least on the East Coast...), try reading the SAT's own website about their policies to see if it sheds light on how they're sent (or not sent). </p>
<p>Generally, I think these tests basically DIE on the kids' records once they're finally into college. Nothing follows them. It's not like a course transcript, in other words.</p>
<p>Unless the College Board is instructed to do so, no scores will be sent to no school. So don't worry about it, the other schools will not be able to find out.</p>
<p>And the graduate schools do not care about SAT scores. They want to see your GRE, GMAT, LSAT, or MCAT score.</p>
<p>oh wait, maybe if she wants to transfer colleges, they'd be relevant, but perhaps only if the next college wanted SATII scores. She can also retake them then, or before then, can't she?
Anyways, I think they are of no interest to grad schools. Those would want brand new tests, like GRE's.</p>
<p>by the way, I've heard that Lit is one of the hardest SAT-II's of all, since there's no way to study for it. It is all about your ability to analyze new material placed before you, right then, in-the-moment.
So, be proud.</p>
<p>I think your D's ok with the exception of the one school. I have heard that some employers want to see SAT scores, but I would have to get really creative to come up with a scenario (other than, maybe, a transfer situation) where they would manner.</p>
<p>Get a lovely cup of soothing tea and toast the ACT. This is nerve-wracking time of year, but I think it's going to be just fine.</p>
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oh wait, maybe if she wants to transfer colleges, they'd be relevant, but perhaps only if the next college wanted SATII scores. She can also retake them then, or before then, can't she?
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Should she ever want to transfer, colleges would see them if she has to send them SAT I scores - because all scores go. But if they don't require SAT I scores, they won't see them. And, if she ever does want to transfer to a school requiring the SAT, she can re-take the SAT (I or II) for most schools (maybe all).</p>
<p>So, don't worry about it. Definitely no reason to re-take at this time. Hopefully never.</p>
<p>You really need to relax, so that your daughter can relax. Her scores will only affect her chances at schools that require SAT IIs or schools to whom you report the scores. You do not need to think about graduate school admissions right now, and grad schools won't care what she got on her French SAT II in high school five years ago. If I may ask, what scores did she get? The score may not be as bad as you think, and CC can certainly skew your opinions of SAT scores. You really need to be careful to support your daughter during this stressful time. She may not be "doomed" at that one school, particularly given the late date of her testing. The school may hardly have time to consider her scores much at all. Her scores shouldn't have any effect at all at her other schools or any time in the future. You should have your daughter check with her high school's GC to make sure SAT II scores aren't recorded on the academic transcripts sent out to schools.</p>
<p>Yes, I want to know what you mean by 'bombed' too. You should also be aware that it might not have "doomed her chances" anywhere. And after college applications are in, no one cares about SAT scores anymore, except for a few warped souls who can still tell you their scores thirty years later.</p>
<p>She took 3 SAT IIs in one sitting? I know kids do this, but I'll never understand why. My d did it too, but we regret the strategy. It was just too hard. My son will take his one at a time over his junior and senior years as soon as possible after finishing the related classes.</p>
<p>I agree with corranged...the scores may not be as bad as you think. CC is definitely not conducive to getting proper prospective about things like scores and gpas. ;) And if her score is truly good in Literature (anything over 700 is FANTASTIC and the 600s is certainly very good); that fact and the fact that she took three exams in one sitting may mitigate the lower scores in the eyes of school number 1. Getting a good score in Lit is no easy feat.</p>
<p>I think the definition of "bombed" is important, too, as far as what happens with the one school that will see them. Both my kids had highly uneven SAT 2 scores--what would surely be called bombed by many applicants on CC, and yet they both were accepted to very selective colleges. SAT 2s are only one very small piece of the picture.</p>
<p>Your reaction to your daughter's French score may be overly pessimistic.</p>
<p>The definition of a "good" or "bad" SAT II foreign language score depends on how many years the student has studied the language. A score in the 500s, for example, would be quite reasonable for a student who has only studied French for three years. Even students who have studied a language for five years do not necessarily score in the 700s.</p>
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She took 3 SAT IIs in one sitting? I know kids do this, but I'll never understand why.
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<p>My son did, because the material was fresh. He'd done plenty of review for the ones covered by APs. He got three 800s - he was plenty happy to be done with SAT2s in one sitting. I think it really depends on the kid - for him taking SAT2s in easy subjects required less stamina than the new version of the SAT1.</p>
<p>Thanks, everybody. Here are the scores: Literature 730; French 500; US Hist 470. She has never actually taken a course on US Hist, but felt that her strengths have always been in humanities rather than math and science. She's in her 4th year of French. I realize now that she would have been better off taking Bio and Math, since she's currently in Bio II IB and Calc and is doing well. She only took the SAT IIs because the one school required, and obviously she had to take them on the last possible testing date. She never took SAT reasoning, and all her other schools accept the ACT in lieu of both parts of the SAT. She is at a large public high school in the midwest with minimal guidance support, and I was obviously unsophisticated about this process.</p>
<p>I really appreciate the supportive posts at this stressful time! And one more question--since collegeboard runs the APs, will they report her SAT scores along with AP reports to any colleges?</p>
<p>Speaking of bombing....do you think a 570 on Math IIc is bombing it? In other words, should S retake to try to do better? He's not a math person (obviously).</p>
<p>Oh, and when I asked him just now what that score was again, he said, "Mom, are you spreading that all over the Internet?!" :-)</p>
<p>I could not disagree more that any school will find 500 a reasonable score for someone who took 3 years of language. I would seriously question the caliber of that school's teaching. The language SATIIs are considered very easy tests. </p>
<p>OP, clearly this will hurt her if she's applying to a very selective colleges. But if it's say a state school like the CSUs which add together I and II scores, it won't hurt that much is she has good SATIs.</p>