If a college recommends to send all test scores, but doesn’t require, is it in our best interests to send all of them? Money is a concern of mine, and I don’t exactly want to send a poor test score to a school. Sorry if this isn’t the right section to post this question in.
Thanks in advance!
First, if you are talking about the SAT, then money is not an issue because you can send all scores with one order per college. The ACT is different in that sending each test to a college requires a separate order and fee.
Second, if you are asking whether the college will use your failure to provide all scores against you in any way, the answer is no.
Third, if the college superscores tests, then it can be to your advantage to send multiple scores if the combined tests give you a higher score than a single test. For example, assume you have two SATs, one with a 700 math and 680 reading/writing score and the other with a 680 math and 720 reading/writing; superscoring gives you 700 math and a 720 reading/writing, which is better than the test with the highest composite. In that situation you gain an advantage by sending the multiple tests. However, if, for example, you have two tests and one has section scores all higher than the other, then sending both creates no advantage.
Fourth, even if you can gain no advantage by sending all scores, you should not be concerned about being disadvantaged by sending all scores because colleges all claim they will not hold lower scores against you.