If I take the SAT but choose not to send out my scores do colleges see that I’ve taken the SAT?
It depends…
In some states, all students in the state take the SAT or ACT, usually some time their junior year. Admissions officers who have been in their jobs for a while may know which states those are. Knowing that, would they count it against you? Likely not. But technically the answer to your question in those states (and outside of a covid year because this spring’s tests were canceled) could be “yes” for some students and “no” for others from a non-SAT/ACT-testing state.
Also, there are some high schools out there that put the test scores on student transcripts. Our high school gives students the choice whether to have them on there or not. Most, however, do not report them at all. You can ask your guidance counselor about your school’s policy.