One of the most distinctive features of the SAT is Score Choice. This is an option whereby test takers can choose test scores to be sent to the colleges or universities that they have applied for. According to the College Board, SAT Score Choice is meant to ease the stress and pressure in taking the test. There are also hidden downsides to that so students should consider Score Choice carefully.
Without Score Choice, all scores will be sent by default. Colleges cannot withdraw test scores directly from the College Board without the consents of the takers but they do have the prerogative to decline applications if Score Choice is not in line with their admission policies. Some colleges require complete score reports: all scores from all tests.
Without Score Choice at the time of registration for the test, up to 4 score reports can be sent directly to your designated schools free of charge. Additional reports which are ordered later and those with Score Choice are subject to a fee. Also, by sending registration score reports, recipient colleges can have your SAT results as early as possible and they view this positively, which may well have a bearing on the outcome of your application.
There are many who believe that Score Choice can weaken your application. No one knows for sure if colleges can know if Score Choice was used. In any case, you shouldn’t risk assuming that they don’t. Theoretically, there’s no direct way schools will know if you used Score Choice but it’s obviously not difficult for them to find out indirectly. Furthermore, your own high school knows, and the majority of high schools would provide complete information to all concerned colleges.
The ‘safety net’ of Score Choice can induce complacency too. Anyway, if somehow you fumbled, you ought to know and just cancel the sitting, preferably at the test centre. Folks should prepare earnestly for their SAT’s instead of focusing on concealing poor scores. In Penang SAT Prep is always undertaken seriously – we know about ‘super-scoring’ by many colleges and we also know about cost.
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