Test scores on college applications

[Innisfree]

Dd hates standardized tests.

She has taken 2 AP classes, but chose not to take the test in one. She had not felt like the class was a good fit, didn't enjoy it, and was just generally having mental health and stress issues at the time. She did get an A in the class.

How would you address this on college applications? The health issues are not being mentioned, unless dd chooses to in her essay. She did take the other AP test, and did well, so that one is listed on the transcript. Would you just not mention the test she chose not to take, or say she decided not to take it? Will the omission be glaring?

Additionally, she took the SAT for the first time in the spring of her sophomore year, and then decided against going to a four year university, so she didn't want to repeat the test. Her scores were fine for the community college program she wanted to do. They're fine for most universities, too, but not stellar. Fast forward to fall semester of her senior year, when she decided she did want to go to  a four year school after all. She took the SAT one more time, verbal went down, math stayed the same. No time to do more. Is it all right to just report the better score on her transcript, or do we need to include both? 

I am addressing her changing goals in my counselor letter, fwiw. I'm debating whether to mention that she just hates and gets stressed by high stakes tests, but inclined to leave that out.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

2 hours ago, Innisfree said:

Dd hates standardized tests.

She has taken 2 AP classes, but chose not to take the test in one. She had not felt like the class was a good fit, didn't enjoy it, and was just generally having mental health and stress issues at the time. She did get an A in the class.

How would you address this on college applications? The health issues are not being mentioned, unless dd chooses to in her essay. She did take the other AP test, and did well, so that one is listed on the transcript. Would you just not mention the test she chose not to take, or say she decided not to take it? Will the omission be glaring?

Additionally, she took the SAT for the first time in the spring of her sophomore year, and then decided against going to a four year university, so she didn't want to repeat the test. Her scores were fine for the community college program she wanted to do. They're fine for most universities, too, but not stellar. Fast forward to fall semester of her senior year, when she decided she did want to go to  a four year school after all. She took the SAT one more time, verbal went down, math stayed the same. No time to do more. Is it all right to just report the better score on her transcript, or do we need to include both? 

I am addressing her changing goals in my counselor letter, fwiw. I'm debating whether to mention that she just hates and gets stressed by high stakes tests, but inclined to leave that out.

Is she applying to schools that are highly competitive?  Or is she interested in colleges that take most applicants?  If the latter, these questions aren't so critical. 

SAT - It will depend on the way that the application asks about test scores.  In general, colleges tend to either look at the best sitting or "superscore" so that they take the best section score across exams.  That said, it's typical for the college to require official score reports, which will include both tests unless you use Score Choice to select which one they see.  Score Choice doesn't let you select by section, only by test date.  Since her high section scores are split across two tests, I wouldn't suggest Score Choice.

I would not talk about how she hates high stakes tests.  I would be concerned that would be seen as indicating an area she would struggle with in college.  Instead I would highlight the areas where she is strong.  So if she has good interpersonal skills, or does great research projects, or is a committed volunteer, address that.

AP scores are self-reported.  Many students don't report the scores of tests they didn't do well on. 

[Innisfree]

One of her top choices is highly competitive, but others are less so. 

If I just don't mention the AP she didn't take, then, it sounds like that might give the impression that she took it and did badly. That sounds worse than not taking it, maybe.

[RootAnn]

Check to see if any of the colleges require you to submit both SAT scores. Since the math scores are the same on both, I would just report the earlier SAT if none of them require reporting all of the tests.

I would remove the one AP score from her transcript & leave the classes listed as AP (assuming they were CB-approved classes). That is consistent & the colleges likely won't ask for AP scores separately until she is ready to enroll. (I can't remember if the Common App had an AP score section or not.) Then, she can send the AP report with the one score. If it comes up, she can just say she didn't take them.