<p>I've never taken the SATs and I'm planning to apply for Fall 09 intake.</p>
<p>So if I were to give SAT 1 in October and SAT 2 in November, and if I were to send in score reports as they come, and find that I did badly in SAT 1 and want to give the december attempt,</p>
<p>How would universities know to wait for the December score?</p>
<p>They would not know. However, the issue is where you are applying:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>SAT IIs are not required or used by majority of colleges, but most high ranks require them.</p></li>
<li><p>Regular admission at many colleges (includes essentially all high ranks) has an application deadline in January and they do not even start to make decisions until after your December test score would be in their file so there is no issue of concern. </p></li>
<li><p>Many colleges follow "rolling" admission where they make admissions decisions as applications are received. If you apply to any of those in the fall it is unlikely they will wait for a December score to decide.</p></li>
<li><p>Many of your regular admission colleges with Jan app deadlines which send out decisions in March to April, also have Early Action or Early Decision where, if you apply by a certain date (often Nov 1 or Nov 15) you can get a decision in December. If you are applying EA or ED, your December score is irrelevant because the test is too late for EA or ED consideration.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks a lot drusba, that clears up a lot! I'm probably applying RD to places that require the SAT 2s, so I think I'm in the clear here. Woo.</p>