New way to report SAT scores to colleges

In March, the College Board, purveyors of the SAT, introduced a new method of score reporting called Score Choice.

According to the College Board, “Score Choice gives you the option to choose which scores (by test date for the SAT and by individual test for SAT Subject Tests) you send to colleges — at no additional cost. You can choose scores from one, several, or all SAT test dates. Score Choice is optional, and if you choose not to use it, all of your scores will be sent automatically.”

Colleges and scholarship programs set their own score-use policies. Most colleges consider your best scores from the ones you send. If you are not sure what to send, check with the colleges where you’re applying.

Colleges and universities will only receive the scores that students send them. All students are encouraged to follow the score-reporting requirements of each college to which they apply. A comprehensive list of participating colleges and universities’ score-use practices is available on www.collegeboard.com.

If students elect Score Choice and take the SAT a second or third time and score higher than their previous total, they can send these new scores to colleges – in accordance with a college’s score-use practice.

Conversely, if the most recent test score is lower than the previous test date, they can choose not to send these scores to colleges if that complies with the college’s score-use practice.

Facts about Score Choice:

Scores from an entire SAT test will be sent – scores of individual sections from different test dates cannot be selected independently for sending.

Students can send any or all scores to a college on a single report – it will not cost more to send one, multiple or all test scores.

Score Choice is optional, and if a student does not actively decide to use it, all of his or her scores will be sent automatically at the time of ordering a score report. Students should still feel comfortable sending all scores, since most colleges consider a student’s best score. If students are unsure of which scores to send, it is recommended that they send all of their scores.

Bottom line – it is probably smarter NOT to send scores to colleges from the first SAT sitting. If the scores are strong they can be sent later, for free at the time of the next test registration or for a fee if not taking the test again. If the scores are not as high as had hoped, they have not been seen by colleges and students maintain control.

Lee Bierer is an independent college adviser based in Charlotte. Send questions to: lee@collegeadmissionsstrategies.com;