When applying to colleges, submitting your SAT® score report with your admission application generally comes as a mandate. This is quite an easy task and can be done directly through your College Board® account. In this blog, we will discuss everything that you need to know about sending SAT scores to colleges.
To send the scores to the colleges of your choice, you have two options:
- If you choose to have the score report sent before the scores are released, you will have four free submissions.
- If you choose to send the score report after the SAT score release dates, you will have to pay a fee of $12. When considering this option, check if you qualify for fee waivers.
Sending SAT Scores
During your SAT registration, you might have already selected colleges and scholarship programs to send your scores to. If not, you can send your scores to colleges even after the SAT scores are officially released by College Board by following these steps:
- Sign in to your College Board account and go to the “Send SAT Scores” page.
- Search for the colleges you want to send your scores to by their name and code.
- Add the colleges to the recipient list and click on “Continue”.
- For each recipient, you have the option of sending all scores or some scores. Remember to read the score policies of colleges before sending the scores.
- Review your selections and select a payment method.
Before sending your scores, make sure to read our SAT scoring guide to learn how SAT scores are calculated and how different section scores contribute to your total score.
When should I send my SAT scores to colleges?
It is generally advised to refrain from sending your SAT score reports to colleges if you took the test during your junior year. Instead, use those scores to understand which areas you need to improve. Make an effective study plan, prepare for the SAT that you will take in your senior year, and after getting your target SAT score, send your score report to colleges.
How long do SAT scores take to send?
Once you receive your scores, it takes around one to two weeks to send your SAT score report to colleges. It also depends on how often colleges would like to receive new score reports from the College Board. However, if you opt for rushing your score reports, your scores will be sent to colleges within one to four business days.
So, what exactly is Rush Reporting? Rush reporting gives you the option to send SAT score reports to colleges faster than the regular delivery schedule. It costs $31 and you will be able to send your reports within one to four business days. This option is only available for already released scores and cannot be changed or canceled.
How can schools use the SAT score report?
Schools can analyze SAT Score Reports to understand the strengths and weaknesses of students in specific subjects and coursework. As score reports offer a benchmark to understand students’ achievement levels and college readiness, teachers can provide necessary guidance to help students overcome their weaknesses.
Let us now learn about some policies that colleges follow when you send in your SAT scores.
Single highest test date
Some colleges require you to send in your SAT scores from all the test dates so that they can record your highest total score, regardless of how recent it is.
All scores required for review
Other colleges will ask you to submit the score reports from every SAT test that you have taken. In this case, the colleges not only consider the highest section scores from multiple tests but also analyze your progress in each test attempt.
Do I have to send all my SAT scores to colleges?
It depends on the college that you are applying to. Some colleges ask you to send all SAT scores while others give you the option of score choice.
Can I choose to send only part of my SAT score?
No, you cannot send one section score from one test date and another section score from another test date. The entire SAT scores from one test date are sent to colleges. However, some colleges allow you to Superscore, letting you submit your highest section scores from multiple test dates.
How to find and send old SAT scores?
If you have graduated from high school and haven’t taken the SAT for a year, the College Board will archive your SAT scores. However, you can still request for your SAT archived scores to be sent to you or to universities, colleges, or scholarship programs. A score reporting fee of $31 and an additional retrieval fee of $12 are charged for this process. You can send in your requests by:
- Mail: Fill in the SAT Archived Score Report Order Form and send it along with the payment.
- Telephone: Contact customer care services with your test and payment information handy.
How do I know if a college received my SAT score?
If the college that you have applied to has a portal to check the status, there may be a chance to check if they received your scores. Otherwise, you can reach out to the college’s admission office for this information.
