Submitting SAT scores prior to submitting applications - help!

[mlktwins]

I feel like I am going to have so many stupid questions from now until November 1st.  Please forgive me!

I will be contacting the school directly, but want to understand the process first (if possible). 

My boys are applying to a school that does not allow self-reporting of SAT scores.  The website says, "If you choose to submit a test score, your official test results must be sent to us electronically from the testing agency and arrive by the application deadline."  That date is Nov. 1st for this school for early action.  This is one of my boys' 1st choice schools so important to me to get it right.

How long does it typically take for SAT scores to get to a school once ordered?  Is it done electronically or hardcopy?  What happens to the scores once the school gets them if the applicant hasn't submitted the application yet?

I'm just going to send their best scores, which happens to have their best score in both reading and math.  The website does not ask me to submit all the scores so I'm just sending the one.  They are both taking the test one more time on Saturday, but those results aren't available until Oct. 14th.

Thanks so much for any information you can provide :-)!!!

 

 

 

 

[Library Momma]

I never heard of a college that allows self reporting of test scores.  You would just need to log in to your students college board account and send the scores from there.  You pick which tests you want sent and which schools you want them sent to.  Then you pay the fee and submit.  I think they say it can take up to ten days but in my experience they have been received more quickly than that.  if you are in a bind you can pay for expedited service.

It is ok if the school receives the scores before you application.  they can link the two after the fact. Once you submit your application you create a portal for the school.  You can usually tell via the portal what documentation has been received and if anything is missing.

[mlktwins]

2 minutes ago, Library Momma said:

I never heard of a college that allows self reporting of test scores.  You would just need to log in to your students college board account and send the scores from there.  You pick which tests you want sent and which schools you want them sent to.  Then you pay the fee and submit.  I think they say it can take up to ten days but in my experience they have been received more quickly than that.  if you are in a bind you can pay for expedited service.

It is ok if the school receives the scores before you application.  they can link the two after the fact. Once you submit your application you create a portal for the school.  You can usually tell via the portal what documentation has been received and if anything is missing.

Thank you!  We aren't submitting apps prior to the last week of October so I just don't want to mess this up -- LOL.

Several of the schools they are applying to allow you to self report scores and only send to the school once accepted and if you plan to attend.  This school and 2 others are wanting them with the application.

 

[Library Momma]

Adding that I would personally pay the expedited rate on Oct 14th for a Nov 1st deadline just to be safe.  

[Arcadia]

2 hours ago, mlktwins said:

The website says, "If you choose to submit a test score, your official test results must be sent to us electronically from the testing agency and arrive by the application deadline."  That date is Nov. 1st for this school for early action.

 

How long does it typically take for SAT scores to get to a school once ordered?  Is it done electronically or hardcopy?

Electronically. Also check if you need to send the official AP score report and the SAT subject test report too. Usually it takes less than a week but the top up for expedited is I think $10 for SAT. 

[mlktwins]

12 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

Electronically. Also check if you need to send the official AP score report and the SAT subject test report too. Usually it takes less than a week but the top up for expedited is I think $10 for SAT. 

Thank you!  I just sent emails to 2 schools asking about the SAT and also whether they wanted official an AP, SAT Subject tests, and or CLEP scores also.

One school, that was test optional for homeschoolers during the pandemic, went back to requiring them for the 2023 applications.  This was added very recently to their website.

I may not survive this process 🤣🤣🤣!  

[Lilaclady]

One of the schools my dd is applying to states not to bother paying to expedite the scores as it does not affect the time they collate them. Check with the schools to see if it’s something they want. Most schools allow you to report better scores after the deadline as long as you have one in. 

[Sebastian (a lady)]

On 9/26/2022 at 4:01 PM, Arcadia said:

Electronically. Also check if you need to send the official AP score report and the SAT subject test report too. Usually it takes less than a week but the top up for expedited is I think $10 for SAT. 

If the student took SAT Subject Tests back when they were available, they were generally included in the SAT score report.

Most colleges are happy to see self reported AP scores. Usually students only need to send the AP score report to the college they will enroll at.

[Farrar]

On 9/26/2022 at 1:51 PM, Library Momma said:

I never heard of a college that allows self reporting of test scores. 

I'd actually say this is more common than schools that require you to send the scores now. Some require a score report to enroll though.

[EmilyGF]

On 10/1/2022 at 1:07 PM, Farrar said:

I'd actually say this is more common than schools that require you to send the scores now. Some require a score report to enroll though.

I was really skeptical about this, too, until my son showed me where it stated on the website that students were to self-report scores. This was at MIT, which requires scores.

[ScoutTN]

We had Dd’s scores sent, but several schools said that the scores reported on Dd’s umbrella school transcript would be fine, since the CB sent them. 

[mlktwins]

On 9/26/2022 at 1:43 PM, mlktwins said:

My boys are applying to a school that does not allow self-reporting of SAT scores.  The website says, "If you choose to submit a test score, your official test results must be sent to us electronically from the testing agency and arrive by the application deadline."  That date is Nov. 1st for this school for early action.  This is one of my boys' 1st choice schools so important to me to get it right.

 

So what how do I interpret this?

My quote from my OP and the school's response was: SAT scores are truly not required for admissions. They will not help or hurt a student’s application, so I do generally encourage people not to send them to JMU but send them to institutions that do require them.  That being said, they will get matched with their files even if they are sent a little prior to their application.  I would just suggest you not send them much before their actual applications to avoid confusion.

I mean, the website says they are due by the application deadline.  You can see from their response that JMU is the school.  All applications submitted are reviewed for potential merit aid based on academic performance.  I would think strong(in one case very strong) SAT scores would help with that???

 

[Farrar]

1 hour ago, mlktwins said:

So what how do I interpret this?

My quote from my OP and the school's response was: SAT scores are truly not required for admissions. They will not help or hurt a student’s application, so I do generally encourage people not to send them to JMU but send them to institutions that do require them.  That being said, they will get matched with their files even if they are sent a little prior to their application.  I would just suggest you not send them much before their actual applications to avoid confusion.

I mean, the website says they are due by the application deadline.  You can see from their response that JMU is the school.  All applications submitted are reviewed for potential merit aid based on academic performance.  I would think strong(in one case very strong) SAT scores would help with that???

 

If the scores are in the middle 50 and they don't take self-reported scores, then send them. It's that simple. A quick glance at JMU's CDS shows that year before last only about quarter of applicants submitted scores at all. I'm sure it went up a bit last year, but... I mean... that says truly not required pretty loud and clear. It's possible that they don't use SAT/ACT in determining merit aid. I don't know offhand. But not all schools do, especially now, especially if they don't place heavy emphasis on the tests in admissions.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

23 hours ago, mlktwins said:

So what how do I interpret this?

My quote from my OP and the school's response was: SAT scores are truly not required for admissions. They will not help or hurt a student’s application, so I do generally encourage people not to send them to JMU but send them to institutions that do require them.  That being said, they will get matched with their files even if they are sent a little prior to their application.  I would just suggest you not send them much before their actual applications to avoid confusion.

I mean, the website says they are due by the application deadline.  You can see from their response that JMU is the school.  All applications submitted are reviewed for potential merit aid based on academic performance.  I would think strong(in one case very strong) SAT scores would help with that???

 

I think you may be reading this as more complicated than it is.

Test scores are not required at JMU, even for homeschoolers. If you think the scores send a strong positive signal, they would have to be sent via an official score report to be considered as part of the admissions review. JMU doesn't have supplemental essays, and says the Common App personal statement is optional (which often means it's not read at all).

The Early Action deadline is Nov 1, which is less than 4 weeks away. So a score report ordered now would take a couple weeks to arrive, putting it comfortably in before the deadline but not too far in advance. (I think the caution not to send them much before the application is talking about scores sent months before the student applies, not days or weeks.)

[mlktwins]

19 hours ago, Sebastian (a lady) said:

I think you may be reading this as more complicated than it is.

Test scores are not required at JMU, even for homeschoolers. If you think the scores send a strong positive signal, they would have to be sent via an official score report to be considered as part of the admissions review. JMU doesn't have supplemental essays, and says the Common App personal statement is optional (which often means it's not read at all).

The Early Action deadline is Nov 1, which is less than 4 weeks away. So a score report ordered now would take a couple weeks to arrive, putting it comfortably in before the deadline but not too far in advance. (I think the caution not to send them much before the application is talking about scores sent months before the student applies, not days or weeks.)

Thank you.  Sent you a PM.