When to send ACT/SAT scores to college?

[Kimm in WA]

I didn't have my junior DS send scores to colleges when sitting for the test b/c I wanted to see which test he did better on and then choose which to send. Once I know this, should I send the score to the college now, or wait until he retakes it in the fall (senior year) to see if it's gone up?

 

Thanks,

Kimm

[newbie]

If they are good, I would send now. If he takes again in fall, they will accept the higher.

[Kimm in WA]

Thanks for your input.

 

I think his ACT scores are good and should send them. He took the SAT last week. Wait for SAT scores to compare or send ACT now?

[newbie]

That is a good question. I might wait. Usually the child has a good feel which they did better on.

 

DD knew how well she did. Although she scored higher.

[creekland]

I was cheap, so I had the companies send the scores right from my oldest's junior sitting of the SAT. He only took them once, so it was no big deal. However... he ended up not applying to 3 of the 4 schools we sent them to since he changed his mind about where he wanted to go :tongue_smilie:. A couple of those schools kept bugging him to apply though.

 

For the other two schools he did apply to I had him take the ACT in the fall of his senior year and just sent those directly from the test. He took the ACT instead of the SAT mainly for the diversity of the testing. We reported both scores to all schools he applied to (but self-report of the SAT to the later schools) and since he did well on both I believe it helped in the merit aid he received from them all.

 

I trusted that he was going to do well on them and he didn't disappoint me. I guess I'm just too cheap to wait and see the scores first, then pay to send them. With my middle son we're checking out schools earlier so he can send his junior scores to probable schools the free way too. He shouldn't need to take any test fall of his senior year.

 

Around here it's unusual for a senior to take the tests unless they need to up their junior scores for merit aid or whatever. Those that don't have scores sent at the sitting of the test have them sent when they send in their application for admission.

[Kimm in WA]

Creekland: you stated <<We reported both scores to all schools he applied to (but self-report of the SAT to the later schools) and since he did well on both I believe it helped in the merit aid he received from them all.>>

 

Did you mean both of his ACT scores were good so that helped his merit aid? or both the SAT AND ACT?

 

Thanks,

Kimm

[creekland]

Sorry about the lack of clarity. I meant both the SAT and ACT. He took each test once, but the SAT was taken before he had made up his mind on exactly where he wanted to apply so the 4 schools we sent the scores to were "best guesses" on our part. He only ended up applying to one of those four.

 

Once he had applied to the other two schools (self-reporting his SAT to them) he was on the border of "best" merit aid with his SAT score, so we opted to have him take the ACT to see if that would be over the border. It was. All three schools got his ACT score merely because it was free. Only the first school got his "officially sent" SAT, but all three got it unofficially (photocopies). They liked his unofficial score and gave verbal acceptances, but would have needed an official one sent had he not sent the ACT - just to be certain nothing had been doctored, etc.