We are in a similar situation as Kayak24. The question is to retake subject tests in December or not depending on November scores. The CB should not have “promised” November 17 if they cann’t deliver. It is frustrating for those of us waiting…There is a very small window of time to sign up for December testing, so I keep scolling the CB site for DD.
If DD doesn’t hit good scores, she will just drop the few schools requiring subject tests off her list. Her 35 ACT is good enough for anywhere not asking for SAT subject tests.
@kayak24 I’ve read alot of threads, here and elsewhere, but not one had any info pertaining to a weekend score release/posted. And two people posted on the November 2017 thread here on CC today, both said they talked to the CB today about weekend score releases and both people were given different answers. One yes and one no.
@sekere62 The CB didn’t promise to release scores on 11/17, but between the dates of 11/17 to 11/23, for the multiple choice portion of the test. With the essay by 1//28, if the essay portion was taken.
@Kayak24 I hope things will be easier with your S20. Looks like my S20’s college search has finished before it began. I tried to talk with him this week about some college tours but he said, “Why bother I already know where I’m going to college, I’m going to UT Dallas.” I explained that he didn’t need to go there just because S18 is going there but he assured me that wasn’t his reason. He said he made up his mind while he was at computer camp at UTD last summer. He’ll be an auto admit so no worries there and it certainly will be convient to have two kids at the same school:-)
@1822mom, re: CSUs, we have heard really good things about SDSU’s newish Honors College, which has its own Honors Dorm and a 2-year residency requirement, as well as a required study abroad component. Some kids we know who attended the info session last year were very impressed by it. Also, it and the other CSUs generously grant AP credit for scores of 3 and above, up to a max of 30 units, I think…
@sekere62 , I think half the problem is that we are technically “waiting” from the time our kids take the test (or, in some cases, from the time our kids got scores that weren’t what we had hoped). So by the time the release date is here, we’ve been on the edge of our seats for quite some time. Those of us who were in camp ACT weren’t impressed with College Board’s improvement in processing time to release scores (and certainly not when they miss their goal).
Like @sushiritto says, they do promise a “window” but so does ACT (I think?) and an awful lot of reports have come out about SAT not making the scores available (check Twitter for tons of vents from many people); therefore, I think they have not done a good job over at CB at meeting their promoted deadlines. Then again, I’m not a fan of the College Board in general (who has also hit delays with my CSS Profile uploads and who I feel runs a racket on the market anyway).
I was told by CB that they do release scores over the weekend, but I certainly won’t be holding my breath on that. 8-| If this was six months ago, no big deal. But there is a lot on the line for many of these kids come November. There’s nothing good about being notified a week and half before the final test date that your scores weren’t up to par.
Like @sekere62 says, my D (too) may just have to hold tight to her 35 ACT and hope for the best.
@Kayak24 maybe encourage your S20 to test early? My kids take the SAT March of 10th grad and Oct of 11th. Having scores early really helped keep the stress down.
My D took two subject tests, Literature and Japanese. She got a 700 on the Literature, which she’s going to send to USCw, but she got a 610 on the Japanese. I know that the language tests are heavily skewed by native speakers taking them, and she’s just a white girl who’s had 3.5 years of Japanese at school, but that’s not a great score percentile wise. I don’t know if she should send that score to USC or not. If she doesn’t, I don’t know if USC will accept the December scores, and she can’t really find another subject test she feels confident in taking. What should we do?
Update: Pitt letter was just acceptance to school and Honors College with notice that D’s file will be reviewed by the Scholarship Committee and she will receive written notification separately if applicable.
BUT - she texted me and her SAT scores were released! This time with a 221 SI so she is DONE and has her confirming score for NMF. #:-S Thank you all for listening to my venting today. Again.
Can’t tell you how relieved I am that this does not have to hang over our heads all weekend! =D>
@3scoutsmom , I could not agree more. D took the ACT in Sept of 11th grade, got a 35 composite, and we thought we were DONE with standardized testing. I was so grateful because her classmates really struggled junior year trying to take the tests during a rigorous year and I felt really bad for them. But then we were notified that D was a potential National Merit Semifinalist (which we did not expect since she had never taken an SAT) and we mistakenly put off testing for a Confirming Score. Why take an SAT if you may not need it, and what about the colleges that require full testing history? We didn’t want to soil the 35 ACT grade with an unnecessary SAT test that was very likely going to be much lower.
Sept rolled around and she was officially named a NMSF. We did not anticipate the Confirming Score to be a huge problem since she had a 221 Selection Index on the PSAT, but for some reason something went wrong on the October test (still not sure if it was a gridding error or just lack of practice or prowess at the SAT versus ACT) which brought us to where we were today (waiting for the Nov score after losing all confidence).
Anyway…D20 and D21 will be testing early if this Momma can help it!
@SC Anteater does the college require SAT subject matter tests or recommend them? If just recommend, I wouldn’t send anything under the theory that just sending one looks odd. If required and this college is a top choice, I’d seriously consider finding a subject test that I could do well on with studying. It’s a drag, I know. What’s everyone else’s opinion?
So do I understand correctly. You take PSAT and if you hit a certain cutoff (by state) your are then a NMSF. You then have to take the SAT and score at other cutoff/confirming score and then you have to fill out an application when you may or may not be named a NMF, and some NMF are paid out of a national pot and others are paid by a university and still others are paid by the company a parent works for?
Just read D’s letter for her acceptance to Temple - full tuition + 4K stipend (Presidential). The letter is in the online portal & is dated 11/14 - has it been sitting there for 3 days & we didn’t notice? Aack - anyway, celebrating now!
@labegg, that’s pretty much the gist of it. I’ll clarify a few things, though.
You don’t have to wait to take the SAT for confirming score until after you find out you are NMSF; there is a fairly large time window, going back to 10th or even 9th grade, I think. D took the SAT around the same time as 11th grade PSAT, knowing she had a shot at NMSF. Study once, take both tests, all done.
Approximately 15k of the 16k NMSFs make NMF. Most of those who don’t move on either have discipline issues, poor grades, or they don’t bother to fill out the application because they aren’t applying to any colleges that give big NMF money and just don’t want to mess with it.
It’s also possible to be NMF and not get any money at all. This will happen with my D if she matriculates at a Canadian university.
