Expert advice from real admissions officers and college counselors

Issue #1

Score Choice offers a solution to a problem imagined by students, but in reality isn't really much of a problem. Colleges and universities routinely only use a student's highest test scores, whether by section or sitting, in considering a student for admission. For that reason, I generally encourage students to submit all their scores. I might recommend Score Choice if the college allows it and it would help relieve a student's severe test anxiety. It is very important that students who do use Score Choice know and adhere to the college's requirements. It is also crucial, once scores are available, that students remember to release scores to schools in a timely fashion. If a student forgets this latter step, it could have very serious consequences.

My advice to students is send all of your scores. Most colleges will only consider your best scores so you are not disadvantaged in any way by releasing them all. In fact, many colleges prefer to see all of your scores, so this is a good strategy. The best part for you is that it is simple. You don't have to think about which scores to send to which colleges and when to do it. Applying to college is stressful enough, so take advantage of this one small way to remove a bit of pressure from the experience. If you feel very strongly that you wish to control what colleges see and when, then by all means release only those scores that you wish. After all, those scores are yours. Just stay on top of it so you don't disadvantage yourself by forgetting and missing important deadlines.

Tread carefully! You know it is a complicated issue when the College Board website has a twenty-page list of college Score Choice policies. In general, knowing how the college uses SAT scores will help you determine how to use Score Choice. If a college uses scores from your single highest test date, then Score Choice might make sense for that school. If the college accepts the highest section of a test from multiple testing dates, you will need to report more of your test scores to benefit. Be aware of schools that have an "All Scores Required" policy. These schools will want to see ALL your test scores, no matter what. When in doubt, err on the side of sending all scores. I believe that if your full score history would keep you out of a school, that school is not a good match for you in the first place.

Like many schools, we prefer that a student send all scores so that we may pull the highest sections to create the highest composite score, regardless of test date. At Gonzaga, this process can greatly benefit students in both admissions and for merit scholarships. Furthermore, students should not be fearful of colleges and universities seeing their lower scores. We are not looking for reasons to penalize applicants in the admissions process! Rather, we are trying to gather as much information as possible about the student's college preparation, and we greatly appreciate the growth reflected in score increases.

Students interested in using Score Choice will need to research colleges' Score Choice policies. One collateral effect may be that students will learn more about a college's other admissions requirements and be in a better position to determine if the college is indeed a good fit, especially if the research is done early in the admissions process. Students should bear in mind, however, that many colleges take a holistic approach to admissions and like to see a student's entire test history. Such a history can indicate a student's tenacity, consistency, and relative strengths.

Use of Score Choice and the importance of SAT scores vary greatly by college. Know what each school on your list looks for in its applicants. Don't assume! But the most important thing to keep in mind is that you are not just your scores. Be confident about the value of your overall high school and life experiences. Don't try to game the system too much by analyzing too deeply.