<p>just called the ACT to add college recipients for this last ACT testing date, and was surprised and concerned about a bit of advice they shared with me. I'm hoping perhaps I misunderstod, but wanted to ask your collective advice.</p>
<p>(BTW, I've ALWAYS had wonderful help when I've called ACT. Prompt, curteous, informative.... much more user friendly than the CB)</p>
<p>My d. just wanted to add schools to receive the scores (She had not previously done so when registering). It was an easy process. HOWEVER, ACT suggested that we add up to 2 more requests NOW (for a fee) rather than wait until she sees the scores. It appears there is a "black-out period" when no scores can be requested. I was told this black out period may be between 4-7 weeks (basically while they are scoring the tests). I knew you could not send any scores for FREE after Thurdsay noon. However, I was concerned about the potential of a 7 week delay before we could even request additional scores. I thought scores were typically ready in about 3-4 weeks max. </p>
<p>She chose the particular 4 college recipients because she is applying early action to a few, and for scholarships with earlier deadlines at the others. But, for the remainder colleges, she wanted to see the results before sending the scores (She took the test last year, and while they are "okay", she was hoping to do better....). She is also still finalizing her college list! She knows her first choices, but a few options are still in flux. There will be more than 6 colleges (the limit to list at test time), so some will require that she send AFTER the scoring period.</p>
<p>A potential 7 week "black out period" means it is possible that the scores cannot even be requested until late December! Then, adding another 2 weeks for processing, they might not be available to the colleges until after Jan. 1, the deadline for many applications. I was unaware the Oct. test results would take so long to be sent. Many colleges with Jan. 1 or 15 deadlines even told us the December test is acceptable. How could that be?</p>
<p>Anyone have a better feel for the timing of all this? Is the 7 week black-out period typical?<br>
Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>I recommend looking at the ACT web site. I am unaware of any such blackout period. Perhaps you and the ACT representative didn't communicate with each other clearly? </p>
<p>Anyway, my understanding is that you can request scores in advance (up to a certain point) or you can wait until the scores are available. Once the scores are available, they can be ordered. I believe that the 4-7 week delay you were told about includes the time needed for scoring the tests plus the time it takes to report those scores to colleges (assuming you don't do a priority request). Ordering in advance probably cuts that time down a bit because the request can be processed and be ready for execution once the scores are available.</p>
<p>Realize that the priority, rush score reports are also available, for a price. (Not all schools are set up to receive them, though -- you need to check first if you want to do this.)</p>
<p>Check with potential colleges, but my understanding is that if you request the scores on time, the usual rule is that it isn't critical that they actually reach them by the deadline dates. Heck, if test scores are missing from an application, the schools simply let you know and tell you to send them. They don't throw the application out. My daughter's ACT scores were unavailable to two schools (don't know if ACT didn't send them, they were lost in the mail, or the schools lost them). Both places let us know and we took care of it. One place wanted a new official report (so I called ACT and they sent it for free) and another one said we could just fax them the score report we received at home.</p>
<p>Anyone can feel free to correct me if my understanding is incorrect. But obviously schools accept these later tests; they say they do. So the logistics have to work out :) I've even seen colleges that accept November testing for ED/EA applications ...</p>
<p>4-7 weeks means that's how long it might take to score your test. You can order more reports the day your scores are in, which could be ten days after the test. And it normally does not take two weeks to process the reports. They could be to colleges the day after you order them, depending on how the college receives scores.</p>