I applied early to a top school, and if I get in, I will only be applying to 5 more schools. But if I don’t get in, I’ll be applying to 15 more schools. My problem is I don’t know if I should send my SAT scores to my regular decision colleges now and risk wasting $120 if I get in early, or should I wait and send all the scores after, possibly risking that they won’t get there in time?
Are you guys going to wait until after early decisions to send your remaining SAT scores?
Timing of SAT submission does not matter as long as it’s done by the due date.
I wouldn’t waste the 120 dollars personally. Are you certain you could get in 15 applications within the timeframe of finding out from the top school and the 15 college’s due dates? That’s the most important thing to think about
They don’ t have to arrive before jan 1st. You’ll be fine. Don’t send until you hear back from ED/EA school.
I am assuming you are applying REA or SCEA to a top school. If you don’t get in, why apply to 15 schools? That’s too many. Are you playing college lottery? If so, your chances are just as bad at the other colleges. Applying to more top 20 colleges is not a strategy. Or are you trying to get max merit or financial aid? In which case, I say you will spend over $1000 applying to 15 colleges. Are your parents okay with that? I hope you have some safeties and matches lined up. If your list is balanced, you do not need to apply to 16 colleges in total.
Back in October someone posted a schedule which showed on exactly what dates the College Board sends out scores. They seem to only send them out 2-3 times a month. Scores ordered by December 11 will be sent on December 14. Scores ordered by December 26 will be sent on December 29. My D is in a similar boat to you. If she doesn’t get accepted to her SCEA school, she will file many more applications. If she does get in, she will file just a few more. If you have the test scores and the GPA, then I don’t think applying to 15 schools is too many. When you’re looking at schools that have acceptance rates in the single digits to low teens, it is very difficult to predict which one(s) if any will take you. Good luck!!
Your caption mentions early decision. I assume you are aware that if accepted Early Decision, you agree to atend and withdraw any other applicaitons, and thus it would be improper for you to then apply to 5 other colleges.
As to sending SAT scores, and assuming your early school is early action and not early decision, you should send the scores now to the five you are definitely going to apply to even if accepted EA, they will match the scores to your application when it arrives. As to the other 10, ordering them sent December 15 or 16 will most likely get them there by end of the year but, to be safe, check each of the colleges you are considering for how late scores can be sent. There are a fairly small number that actually require you to get the scores to them by the application deadline and for any of those you should consider sending scores now. But most accept scores that arrive after the app deadline and thus sending them mid-Dec will be more than timely for a Jan 1 app deadline. If the school does not definitley say on its site that it wants all application materials including test scores by the application, the college is likely one that accepts scores after the app deadline. Ways to check without actually calling the college when it appears unclear: (a) does it say it accepts Jan test scores; obviously if it does scores can arrive after the app deadline; (b) does it accept the Dec ACT; if so it must accept test scores that arrive after Jan 1 because ACT can take as late as the first week of Jan to get out all of its writing scores for those who took the esaay section and, if you took writing, it will noit send any of the socres until the essay section score is available.