Hello everyone I am a senior applying to various colleges with different test policies and need some help.
I have taken two SAT subject tests (Math 2 and Chemistry) and have done well, scoring 800 on both. I have also taken the old SAT twice and have scored relatively well (2210 and 2230, 2290 superscore). I recently took the ACT and received a score 36 composite with all 36’s.
As you can see my ACT score is a lot better than my SAT scores and I would like to only report my ACT and SAT 2 scores to colleges. However, each school has its own test reporting policy so I am in a dilemma.
If a school requires all test scores should I report all scores on the common app AND send all scores, or should I just report my SAT 2’s and ACT (not my SAT) while sending all my scores (so other colleges would only see my SAT 2 + ACT on the common app)?
UC’s: Require all scores, I’ve already sent all of my scores to them through the free reports, not too worried here
Stanford: Require all scores. I would prefer to send/report my ACT and SAT 2’s only but the website states, “Applicants should self-report their highest scores to date in their application while their official test scores are being processed and sent to Stanford.” I’m assuming from this that I would have to report my SAT scores on the common app.
Other privates with score choice: I would like to only send my ACT and SAT 2’s. If I end up reporting SAT scores on the common app due to Stanford, should I still officially send my SAT score, or does it not matter?
Cost isn’t an issue for sending my SAT scores since I’m sending my SAT 2’s regardless.
UCs do not require both all SATs and ACTs. They did require all SAT scores if you sent SAT but you could chose to instead to send only ACT. Moreover, you could send whatever subject tests you wanted to send even if you did not send SATs. Also, be aware that admissions personnel have been informing applicants that the UCs no longer require all scores even if you send SATs. See discussion here http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1935358-sat-act-scores.html#latest
Stanford does require both all SAT and all ACT scores. You can send whatever subject tests you want to send. The other colleges that require you to send both all SAT and all ACT scores are Georgetown, Barnard and possibly Harvey Mudd. All other colleges with all scores rules allow you to submit either SAT or ACT and you do not need to send both if you took both.
As to what happens if you in fact send both all SAT and ACT scores, the answer is generally nothing bad. First, your SAT scores are high. Second, colleges generally, including all the colleges that require you to send all scores, use to determine admisison that test, SAT or ACT, the college believes is higher and will not hold lower scores against you.
Do you recommend that I report and send all my test scores for all schools on the common app or report and send the SAT 2 and ACT for all schools other than Stanford, and send all scores to Stanford? (or does it not matter)
The decision is yours. I personally believe if you provide all scores, SAT, ACT and subject tests, to all colleges, it will make no difference. To determine admission they will use the ACT and the subject tests (if the college uses subject tests) and not hold any other scores against you. However, applicants often have a hard time convincing themselves that the colleges are telling the truth when they say they use only the highest test scores to determine admission, but one has to ask oneself the following question in that situation: if I believe the college is in fact a scumbag liar, why am I applying to it?