What You Need to Know About Sending ACT or SAT Test Scores

Sending ACT or SAT Test Scores

If you haven’t already done so, this week is an ideal time to send colleges your standardized test scores if you’re applying Early Action or Early Decision and your schools require official score reports. Some schools (we’re looking at you, Michigan) have historically been real sticklers for everything getting in by Nov. 1, so we recommend giving the testing agency at least 2 weeks to send the scores; that said, during the pandemic, many schools have been more flexible than usual, so make sure to check their websites to see if they have clear language around a grace period for test scores after the application deadline. 

Questions? We’ve got answers. Below are some of the questions we’ve asked most often at this time of year.

How do I send my test scores?

You must send your test scores directly from the testing agency — either the ACT or the College Board — to the colleges to which you’re applying. Once you log in, you’ll see “Send My Scores,” and can follow the steps they provide. 

But I thought my high school sends them?

Your high school will send your transcript and your letters of recommendation. You are responsible for sending your official score reports, if a college requires them. 

What is self-reporting? Should I do that?

Many schools now accept self-reported scores as official for the review process. This means that the scores you report on your application (or, sometimes, in a college’s portal) are used for your application review, and will be confirmed as accurate and when you matriculate to a college or university. We encourage students to take advantage of self-reporting wherever possible; first, it lowers the cost of applying (no fees for sending scores!), and second, it allows them to only reveal their highest subsection scores. With self-reporting, the college will not see a student’s lowest subsection scores until the student is already admitted. However, note that with self-reporting ACT scores, the student may not calculate and enter their own superscored composite score.

How do I know if a college accepts self-reported scores?

The college will clearly state this on their admissions website. If the information seems at all ambiguous, we recommend reaching out to the college directly.

How does superscoring work? 

Historically, it has been the colleges that do the superscoring; the student’s job is to send (or self-report) every test date that has a subsection that contributes to your superscore, and then the college will calculate the superscore if they participate in superscoring. 

This year, the ACT has released a new feature called a superscore report, wherein the ACT calculates the superscore for a student based on their highest subsection scores. This report includes the superscore, plus all of the results from the student’s single highest test date, and the test dates in which a student received their highest English, Reading, Math, and Science scores.

Students may choose to send this new report options to colleges that they know practice superscoring, and when they are happy with the full tests that will be reported along with it. Many students, however, may prefer to self-report everywhere possible, which will enable them to show only their highest subsections.

What if I’m taking the October ACT or November SAT? Can I use those tests for early deadlines?

Many schools will accept these tests as part of early applications, even though results come in after the deadlines. There is increased flexibility about this due to Covid-19 as well as the growing prevalence of self-reporting. Make sure to double-check the policies of your colleges of interest to confirm if they will take these exams, and, if so, if they need to be sent to them directly or if the college will accept a self-reported score as soon as you get it.  

Questions? We are always here to help. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact us.

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