Sally_Rubenstone

Okay, seniors ... now that the ink is long dry on your acceptance letters and your enrollment-deposit checks have been cashed, it's time to 'fess up.

If you applied to colleges that do NOT honor "Score Choice" and which expect applicants to submit ALL test scores, did you comply with this policy? Or, instead, did you send in only your best scores, figuring that admission committees wouldn't be able to tell what was omitted?

And if you did send all scores ... even those that you weren't so proud of ... was it because you believe that honesty is the best policy or were you mostly just afraid of being caught?

drusba

I see that thus far there are no responses indicating that those who withheld scores have the sense God gave them by not confessing to it on a public message board which is likely viewed by college admissions personnel and for which anonymity is never guaranteed.

jgraider

Wouldn't colleges know if you used Score Choice?

cornetking222

^They do not know whether a student uses score choice. That's why some people choose to take the SAT like 5 times.

Sally_Rubenstone

Admittedly, I didn't expect a lot of students to confess to cheating on the test-submission policy, but I did think that a few might mention "friends" who did. Also, I was curious to know whether those who adhered to the rules did so largely because they feared being found out.

I do find that these policies are so confusing that even those students who want to play by the rules may have trouble determining just what the rules really are.

drusba

In my view, the anti-score choice policies adopted by many colleges is one of the worst displays of college "elitism" ever. They reacted anally to College Board's adoption of score-choice, like spoiled children who are suddenly deprived of something they claimed they never needed but when taken away they throw a fit. They all professed that they used only the highest scores for admission but their reaction demonstrates that to be the "big lie" -- if all they use is highest scores then why in the world are they insisting on getting all scores, unless it is because they do consider lower scores against you. They then spouted academic gobbily-gook explanations for why they were insisting on all scores and if you view the explanations you will see that many of the schools said the same thing showing that they got together and agreed on the bogus excuse they were going to put out before doing so.

They then topped off their childish fit by adopting vague and incomprehensible rules for what they meant by submitting all scores. Does the college mean all SAT scoeres only, does it also mean all SAT II scores, does it also mean all ACT scores, does it mean you have to submit SAT scores even if you submit ACT and vice versa, does it mean you have to send new scores if you have already sent scores once? No one can figure it out. It is like they were writing one of their college dissertations full of run-for-the-dictionary words that no one ever uses that only they can understand and they are proud of that because it keeps the lowly student (and his parents) confused and in his place, somewhere far beneath the elitist college administrator. Those that have an all scores policy should either drop it or come out and tell the truth -- that they have been lying when they say they use only your highest scores to determine admission.

papex

I took the SAT twice and 5 subject tests. I submitted all scores because I wanted the colleges to see the increase in my score: I did not think of it negatively (got an average score the first time) but rather that the increase in score would be impressive.
Apparently it worked.

Sally_Rubenstone

drusba--I'm not a big fan of the confusing and convoluted policies that govern score submission, but many of the colleges that are not honoring "Score Choice" cite the search for parity--not elitism--as the rationale behind this decision. (And you'll also note that the non-Score-Choice schools range from the most hyper-competitive to the obscure.)

The reason that many of these institutions claim to have rejected the Score Choice option is that they feel it benefits the well-heeled who have the resources to take standardized tests countless times and thus penalizes those who must depend on the two free test sessions they are allotted via fee waivers (or who otherwise can't afford multiple sittings, even if they're not waiver recipients).

So ... by requiring scores from ALL testings, the admission officials feel they can make a fairer comparison between those applicants who have had the opportunity to try, try again and those who have had only two chances to produce the results they must submit.

If I ruled the world, ALL applicants would take the SAT just twice ... once in the spring of junior year and once again (if they so choose) in the fall of senior year. Sure, there will be some inequities to this approach, as well. But, overall, it seems like the best way to make a crazy (and pricey) process a bit saner.

rocket6louise

I did. I only took the ACT once, no SAT and no SAT IIs. So I honored the rules

Beta_Fist

The first time I took it, I was sick to my stomach and had to leave the room several times to empty my stomach. I only spent a little more than half the time in the room, and even when I was working, I felt horrible. I sent that score in, even though it was pretty bad. I retook and sent that one in too. Yes, I followed the rules. Yes, I got accepted. No, I don't see a reason why someone would lie about his/her SAT scores.

Pepper03

So if my son takes it three times I need to report all those scores? Why should I have to pay $9.50 for each test for each college? No way. I didn't opt to send the four "free" ones because of course they don't let you get those freebies after you know the score.

If I didn't have to pay so much I wouldn't care.

What a racket-the more I find out the worse it gets.

DelfinoM

A score report can contain the scores of previous tests without paying extra.

Pepper03

Oh really-then I don't care about sending them all in. Thanks for the info-I didn't even know about this rule. I wonder if they even try and enforce it.

Honesto

I just finished my junior year, so I have another six months until I apply to colleges, but as far as I can see, I'm done with testing. I got a 34 on the ACT, a 2080 on the SAT (with no prep, but I don't want to give excuses) and over 700s on the subject tests I took. As of right now, I intend to send each of these scores, as I can't afford to retake any of the tests again (parents won't pay for me to take SAT again). And plus, I figure I may as well let the colleges get to know me as an applicant. I'd rather be seen as honest than as someone who is trying to game the system. If colleges choose to reject me because of my scores, so be it. At least I'm being completely truthful.

hotinpursuit

^
Why not just send the ACT and only the SAT II Subject Tests scores? Your ACT score is over 200 points better.