What happens if you miss the deadline to send in your SAT scores for UC’s and CSU’s? I listed my SAT scores on both my CSU and UC admissions, but I just found out you also need to send in your scores formally through the College Board (I thought you only had to do this if you somehow forgot to list them on your application). I applied to at least 10 schools in my area, just to see where I would get in. I think I might have missed the deadline to send in the scores though.
I’m starting to freak out. What should I do? I don’t want to jump to conclusions and assume this is an irreversible mistake, a horrible situation, and a bunch of application money down the drain. I need some guidance.
Contact admission at each school ASAP and find out what you need to do. For the Cal States, it may be too late since acceptances for many schools are already out. For the UC’s, they may understand since majority of these schools have not posted acceptances but since you are a month late, how knows??? Have you checked the portals for each school to see if they are requesting your SAT scores? Admissions will be the only ones to tell you if you are too late.
I sent in my scores to all the colleges on my list through the College Board just now. I’ve gotten emails from two of the states and one UC (I think) warning about the deadline. I have no idea how I missed them.
I’m so nervous right now. Is this all I can do? I’m afraid to check.
Email or call admissions on Monday. Find out what they say, since no one on CC can tell you everything will be alright or not. You need to hear it from them.
I also saw something similar on the CSULB website and SFSU website which had January deadlines.
Only way to know for sure is call on Monday. Also check each schools portal for your application status.
I know that Berkeley assesses applicants based on their self-reported scores if official scores have not arrived come decision making time, but they still expect you to officially send them by the end of January at the LATEST. Im sorry, but it might not be good news. Then again, you need to ask the UC’s themselves to be sure of the consequences.
Keep in mind that appeals are always an option. You can definitely make a viable case.
@alexphan202020 - thanks Alex. I just don’t know what my appeal would be. That I simply forgot? That I was overwhelmed with some other things in my life and it just went over my head? Or maybe that I was unaware * everyone * has to send their official scores in via the college board, not just the people who forgot to list the scores on the applications themselves - this is the truth, although I’m worried it’s going to make me look even worse (everyone else seemed to know this piece of information). I sent my scores yesterday just in case, but I’m worried February is way too late to make an appeal.
@Abcde11
First of all, to address your last statement, appeals don’t start until after you get your decisions, so there’s still time for that. Now in regards to the content of your appeal, you could argue that you paid x amount of dollars – I believe it’s 70 for each UC – to have your application thoroughly reviewed and assessed. While the blame is certainly on your shoulders for not following the UC guidelines, you shouldn’t be denied from every college you applied to on the basis of just official test scores alone, without having a chance to appeal and make your case. If this technical mistake was the sole reason you were rejected from all the colleges you applied, I’m sure the UC’s will understand your situation.
Then again, did you call the UC’s in person? There’s a small but still feasible possibility that they might take your late reports.
I haven’t called yet, but I did send in my scores through the college board as soon as I realized my mistake (I didn’t receive any sort of error message).
I’ll try calling them on Monday. Do you think UC’s are stricter on deadlines than CSU’s?
@Abcde11 Yea I really suggest that you call for clarification.
As far as comparing the strictness between the two systems goes, I’m not quite sure. I didn’t apply to CSU’s, but I know UC’s want applicants meeting their deadline since there are a lot of applications they have to review.
I’m actually curious about this though. You should update us when you call =)
Call each CSU and each UC. For CSU there is a possibility that if your eligibility index is high (look on csu mentor to calculate eligibility index) maybe some of the CSUs would consider acceptance? But FYI, all of the acceptance letters to all of the CSU applicants have been sent out, so it would have to take a very high eligibility index to try to squeeze in there. For UCs you might have a better chance since the acceptances have not been all decided yet. And yes, you can use the reason that you didn’t know that you had to send the scores from CB in addition to self reporting the scores. (and that you missed their email reminder to have the scores sent).
As for most likely answer…CSUs will likely say too bad, too late. UCs might still consider your application with your scores. Private schools will be the most lenient and would probably still consider you. A high eligibility index is your only leverage against the CSU in negotiating to squeeze in. So calculate that now and compare them with the EIs that are accepted to your CSUs. And send off emails to admissions of each CSU today stating what happened, your CSU GPA, your SATs, and your EI and your major and ask if they will still consider you.
@YoHoYoHo - I’ll do that. I’m still freaking out a little though. You say that all the acceptance letters have been sent for the CSU’s? What exactly is an eligibility index? What email should I use to contact the CSU’s, and do they tend to answer questions from students?
OP, not all CSU acceptances have gone out yet. But that doesn’t mean they will accept late scores from you. If all else fails, there are five CSU campuses that are still accepting applications for Fall 2015. I assume you could still send in scores to those campuses along with an application and be considered for admission. You need to get on CSU Mentor and figure out your eligibility index and other information - it’s all spelled out there.
For CSUs, it is assumed that a computer program does the admissions and rejections. It does this by calculating an eligibility index. The eligibility index is calculated from your CSU weighted GPA and your SAT or ACT score. The computer program presumably takes all of the people applying for a campus, say SDSU, then by major, say English, then takes the EI for each applicant, figures out how many acceptances they will need to send out for that major (based on historical data), and basically ranks the students based on EI, and then does a cut off. Those above the cut off line are accepted. A CSU like SJSU basically lists what EI you need for each major that you are applying for. This is on the EI page of CSU Mentor.
Some campuses have fewer kids applying than positions available, so they would definitely still be accepting applications as poster above says. Some campuses are much more popular, such as SDSU, so you need basically a higher EI to get accepted here. The point of all of this is that if your EI is high, you may have more leverage to get in, or more leverage to ask if you can be included even if the deadline has passed.
And really, you don’t know where to send an email? Each of the CSUs that you applied to has a website. On this website is an admissions page. There is a contact email and phone number on this admissions page. If you are asking me how to email an admissions officer, then frankly, I’m going to guess that your EI is on the lower side. The admissions office for the CSUs always responded promptly when we emailed them.
I would email them today, and them call each of them tomorrow.
Eligibility index using SAT scores:
(CSU GPA x800) + (SAT Math + Critical Reading). Did you look at the SJSU link I posted? It states if you contact admissions prior to the SAT deadline they are willing to work you with due to some unforessen circumstances. If it is past the deadline, they cannot help and your application will be withdrawn. Hopefully, these schools will give you some leeway, but unfortunately you are learning the hard way that you as a soon to be College student, will need to take responsiblity about deadlines, assignments etc… No one is going to hold your hand anymore.