SAT and ACT have the option to select which colleges you want to send your scores to even before you take the test. Lets say I take the December ACT with writing and I select it be sent to colleges before I even take the test, will the colleges still accept it since I technically sent it before I took the test even though its deadline is Jan 1st and ACT with writing scores take about four weeks to come.
The 4 free score reports are sent to the colleges automatically before you see your results, but the colleges will get the results earlier than you. The advantage is that you do not have to pay the extra fee’s to send them later. The disadvantage is that they are send blind and you will not see the results before they are sent so the colleges may get a low score you are not happy with. Yes, the colleges will accept these scores since they are official.
If the colleges state they will accept the December sitting, then you should be fine.