College Board is sharing e-mail with colleges

KD94025
Mon, 04 Feb 2013 16:55:43 +0000

1) When you register your child for something, read the instructions. (I say this, because the opt-in question is actually fairly well marked when you complete the testing registration). Contrary to what many posters are implying, if you do NOT opt in, your email and child’s test scores will NOT be released. Also, NOTE THAT THIS APPLIES WHEN REGISTERING FOR THE PSAT, AS WELL.

2) Consider creating a separate college email address just for the college search purpose. Ironically, we could tell which test generated communications (both paper and email) by the way our last name was spelled. (Last name had no space or capital letters for SAT, but did for ACT).

3) Consider it a compliment. Mostly, the emails are sent because your child actually scored well. Although there are literally thousands of schools, not all of them will elect to communicate with you. They typically are targeting a student whose scores “fit” their preferred profile.

4) If you really don’t want to handle the emails, while you wait for the College Board to process your request to not receive any more emails, create an email filter and just shove “college” emails into a folder. Peruse at will. Ignore at will. Delete at will.

Best of luck in the search process.