<p>Son is applying as early as possible in the rolling admiss process & some college websites said to send "official" scores from ACT or CollegeBoard; and that "scores from the HS are not official."</p>
<p>Then, on the ACT website, after you've selected the school to which to send scores, the ACT asks you whether scores should go to the student or to the HS. </p>
<p>Wondering if there is a best route, here? Get them yourself & forward them to the school or have them sent to the HS GC? Not even sure why ACT wants them sent to us/HS since we specified on the ACT site that the specific colleges should receive them.</p>
<p>One factor: GC has admitted she will not be in the office more than 2 or 3 days the rest of this summer and has "tons" of backed-up work to do. So, would prefer to not give her this task, unless that's how it's traditionally done.</p>
<p>Do not even list the high school on the ACT form. Some high schools "help" by putting your ACT/SAT and state tests scores on your transcript. That defeats your "score choice " advantage. You choose who sees what and when.</p>
<p>If it's a really good score, don't forget to tell the school and get them a copy. You'd be really ticked off at yourself if you killed their chances at a pretty decent honor because the school didn't know. Don't ask me how I know this. :(</p>
<p>Thanks curmudgeon. I've been scrolling through the FAQ section of the ACT trying to figure it out. Son already took ACT in March...we're at the 'sending the scores to the colleges' part. I thought by paying the $8.50 per school, we were getting an auto-transmit <em>to</em> the college, but then there's this question before you submit your request as to 'who gets them' -- HS or student. I didn't want either---(GC would be OK getting a copy)---I want to make sure they go directly to the college w/out intermediary. </p>
<p>Son got a 34, so this is going to be one of the stronger parts of his app package & I don't want to somehow mess it up...! (or leave anything to the discretion of the over-busy GC).</p>
<p>Jolynne - There have been a few threads on the topic of when/where/whether to send the "free with your test fee" SAT/ACT scores. Our family was ignorant (but lucky!) with D1 and used all the available "free" ones. Ugh. With D2 we used the better approach of (1) take SAT and send nowhere (2) take ACT and send nowhere, (3) retake whichever test student did best on, and (4) choose the score(s) to send and pay for those transcripts. Worked for us.</p>
<p>PS, As curmudgeon points out, it's easy to mess this up. Neighbor's D ruined application to first choice school by sending low SAT score (using one of the "free" transcripts). The school was SAT optional, but used any scores actually sent to them.</p>
<p>Hi NewHope--I did a search on CC on 'sending SAT/ACT scores' and found a few discussions, as you said.</p>
<p>The thing--we're past the point of free reports; just doing it 4 months after the test and trying to get those reports (w/$8.50) to the schools. ACT is good--definitely want to send. Just trying to triple check that ACT is not requiring us to mail the reports out ourselves to schools (after sending them to us) or requiring GC to send them out, after sending them to her.</p>
<p>Want ACT to send them <em>directly to the schools</em> after we pay our $8.50 per fee. Seems like that might be the case, but language on the ACT website is ambiguous. Have called them; will call again.</p>
<p>Jolynne, as one who dealt with the insanity of getting a score off a transcript, I implore you to send the scores directly to the colleges. If you are then happy with the scores, send to the high school at that time, as well. In case of scholarships/awards, but don't let control of the scores out of your hands.</p>
<p>Jolynne-I think that question is giving you the option of also sending a report to the student or GC in addition to the schools you've selected. If you just want to send reports to the schools (the usual case), leave it blank.</p>
<p>You do not mail scores from your home. Scores from ACT direct to colleges are "official," so pay the $8.50. Some colleges will accept a test score printed on a HS transcript, but not all. However, every college will accept an official transcript from ACT or Collegeboard. Indeed, they prefer to recieve the scores from the official source bcos they arrive electronically. If the scores arrive on a HS transcript, they have to be manually transcribed.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Do not even list the high school on the ACT form.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That is only half the work EVERYBODY should do. Not only should you never list your high school on any standardized test, you need to go one step farther and monitor the information that MIGHT appear on your transcript. Despite students NOT listing their high schools, chances are that the high schools might still receive the scores part as electronic deliveries. The College Board does (of course) have a student's PSAT information and the Midwest "other" test has the PLAN )or whatever they call it.) Unfortunately, this means that the College Board might still share your scores with your high school. Remember that a big part of TCB business is to sell YOUR standardized scores and, accordingly, they try to compile the most extensive and collated lists.</p>
<p>However, this should not stop you. From the very start of 9th grade, ask the GC to provide you an OFFICIAL trannscript every semester AND notify the school OFFICIALY that you do NOT release your children scores. Not now ... not ever. If the school alleges that it is STANDARD procedure to list ALL scores on the transcript, send a letter to the College Board and TELL them to remove your high school from the list of recipients.</p>
<p>Remember that this is YOUR information and that you have the right to decide who sees it, not your high school. Your reasons for this are very simple: the high school will not be responsible for errors and the scores they list on the transcript are NOT official. </p>
<p>When it comes to HS transcript, checking often and with great attention is paramount.</p>
<p>When we had ordered scores after the ACT was taken we just had it sent to the college - not to the HS or the student. The college wants it direct from the ACT - they probably will not accept it forwarded from the student or the HS.</p>
<p>Thanks all, appreciate it very much. Am on hold w/ACT now just to double check what was said above (it makes sense). I just want to be absolutely sure that my $8.50 gets the scores <em>directly</em> to the colleges, without any middleman (me or the HS GC). Although, I'd be fine w/the HS getting the ACT score on the transcript...it's a positive, in son's case.</p>
<p>Thanks for the tip, xiggi, to get copy of official transcript to double check all info. Will do that when we go in Thursday to hand list of rolling admiss colleges to GC (need early letter of rec from her). </p>
<p>Again, appreciate!</p>
<p>PS Edit: ACT just explained that the website question about scores going to HS or student pertains to just a 'courtesy copy' -- the scores do go right to the schools designated. Whew! Thanks again for the help.</p>
<p>Jolynne, you had me worried for a moment, as I requested scores today for my S to be sent to the colleges he is applying. I did not see the message you refer to and thought by paying $8.50/each the scores were going directly to colleges. Thank goodness you posted ACT's response. I thought I may have wasted $51......</p>
<p>Here's something to be glad about: we're going to be spending $8.50 each to send reports to probably 17 or more schools. Your $51 doesn't sound too bad! </p>
<p>I must say I was surprised to find SAT scores on son's hs transcript just received the other day. School says this is standard procedure and doesn't want to remove. Should I push the issue? Is there any benefit to having or not having. Until now I did not realize they reported the score.
Thanks</p>
<p>More and more schools are deleting scores from transcripts--ours deleted scores after "liability" issues (nebulous fear that someone would sue them if the scores on the transcript were wrong) and the fact that almost all colleges require a report directly from the College Board and won't accept a report on a transcript.</p>
<p>Other schools have deleted them due to privacy issues (FERPA--scores are private info and access to scores controlled by student). I believe that it is the College Board's position that SAT scores should not be reported on transcripts, but then they have a vested interest in having all scores sent from them.</p>
<p>There have been a number of threads that dealt with the issue.</p>
<p>I'd venture to guess that if the SATs were good (& your son wasn't taking any additional SAT stuff...SAT IIs, etc. that he might not want reported if he didn't do well) that it would be okay to have them in (seems like a plus). Then, as xiggi pointed out, it's likely worth checking the official transcript to make sure they are right!</p>
<p>I'm actually glad you mentioned that...want to review son's transcript to see if SAT is on; if so, maybe we'll ask for it to be removed. SAT was only 2110; whereas ACT was 34 (much higher percentile). Also, son wants to retake the math I SAT II (got a 700 & is planning on math-related college major).</p>
<p>Y'all need to think about state tests, too, not just SAT/ACT. D's high school had that TAKS crap all over the back of her transcript. None of it was negative. Just confusing the issue.</p>