Why oh WHY does SAT take so LONG?

[brendafromtenn]

  We have been ACT people for a long time. But dc #3 decided to take the new SAT this June and it is taking SOOOOO long to get the scores, as compared to the ACT.  (By the way, he LOVED the SAT compared to the ACT.  But he is a math guy)

 

Does anyone know why it takes SAT so much longer to get the scores out than ACT?

 

Just wondering.....

 

Blessings,

 

Brenda 

[EKS]

Is this a new problem with the new version?  When my son took the physics subject test a few years ago (which I realize might be different), the score was available in about a week.

[wapiti]

Yep, I believe that's a new problem with the new SAT.  Like so many things, it does not inspire confidence in CB.  One gets the feeling that there is a lot of monkeying around with percentiles and such.

[brendafromtenn]

Must be a new problem then.  DS took the test on June the 4th and we were told the scores won't be ready til July 21st.

[JeanM]

Must be a new problem then.  DS took the test on June the 4th and we were told the scores won't be ready til July 21st.

 

Yes, it started with the new SAT. We're also waiting for SAT subject test scores from June. I'm hoping that this is temporary and next year the scores may come out faster.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

My impression is that CB is in over their head at the moment.

 

One thing to watch out for if you have students applying to college this year.  For most of the 2015-16 school year there was not an option of getting a Rush Score Report.  So plan ahead on getting scores sent out.

 

One thing we did do was to strategically use the free reports for both the SAT and Subject Tests.  The score report for those include all past scores for both SAT and Subject Tests.  We were able to reduce the number of reports we paid for.

 

That score report doesn't include AP scores.  I had a block on the transcript with standardized test scores.  I included AP scores there.  DS used his one free AP report to send official scores to the college he is attending.

[wapiti]

On the topic of getting score reports to colleges, I happened to catch a thread over on CC discussing U of Chicago's new policy for next year to only require the official SAT score report after admittance.  It's an interesting idea.  I wonder how much $ the CB would lose if other schools followed suit.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

On the topic of getting score reports to colleges, I happened to catch a thread over on CC discussing U of Chicago's new policy for next year to only require the official SAT score report after admittance. It's an interesting idea. I wonder how much $ the CB would lose if other schools followed suit.

I had wondered why the Common App wasn't set up to receive and forward scores to member institutions. That would have helped a lot.

[quark]

One thing to watch out for if you have students applying to college this year. For most of the 2015-16 school year there was not an option of getting a Rush Score Report. So plan ahead on getting scores sent out.

 

One thing we did do was to strategically use the free reports for both the SAT and Subject Tests. The score report for those include all past scores for both SAT and Subject Tests. We were able to reduce the number of reports we paid for.

Hope this doesn't sound silly. Does this mean that we can send scores in much earlier? If DS completes applications in say October, should he also send scores then?

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Hope this doesn't sound silly. Does this mean that we can send scores in much earlier? If DS completes applications in say October, should he also send scores then?

 

First, I'm pretty sure there are no silly questions.

 

Timing of sending scores depends a little on the college.  DS1 used his free reports mostly for academies that had a summer seminar program.  The summer app also acts as a preliminary application for admission.  So there was an app for the score to be correlated with.

 

I would say that as soon as there in some kind of a student application number (either through Common App or directly through the school) you can go ahead and send scores.  But it also depends on where he's applying and when he's taking the exams.  

 

DS2 took one SAT in Nov of junior year.  He used those free scores for schools with summer programs that had winter application deadlines.  He took his last SAT in May of junior year.  He used his free scores for scholarships and a couple colleges he knew he would be applying to.  He will need to pay for reports for any other schools (unless he does another round of Subject Tests in the fall - a possibility since he took the Math 1 not Math 2 Subject Test).

 

So if your son has apps done by October and isn't taking more CB exams, then he could go ahead and send scores.  If he's taking October exams, he might use some of those free reports.  

 

It is a balancing act, between the cost of reports and the timeliness of free reports from subsequent tests.  The reports from the Nov exam may not be available until Dec, which is beyond most early action and early decision deadlines.

[brendafromtenn]

Thank you to everyone who answered my question.  Guess we will just sit tight and wait.  

 

Blessings,

 

Brenda

 

[quark]

Thanks so much Sebastian!