What You Need to Know About Sending Your SAT Scores

If you’re planning to take the SAT®—or if you already have—you may be wondering whether you should send your scores. Because many colleges have adopted “test-optional” admissions policies, the answer will depend on your score and where you’re planning to apply.

You’re More Than Your Score

Colleges usually take a “holistic view” of your application. That means that they’ll look at everything together, not just the individual parts. Colleges that accept the SAT will usually look at your scores in context. That includes the rest of your application: your high school grades, letters of recommendation, activities, and essays. Colleges also look at your scores in the context of where you live and go to school. If your scores are above average compared to scores of other students in your school or district, it may help your chances─even if your scores are below average for that college.

If you’re still deciding whether to take the SAT, keep in mind that you have nothing to lose. Your scores can help you stand out on college applications… and keep your options open. Another thing to remember is that once you get your scores and you’re not confident they’re going to improve your chances, you don’t have to send them. That’s the great thing about “test optional.” The choice is yours.

If you’ve decided to send your scores, you can do so for free in certain circumstances. You’ll have the opportunity to select colleges and scholarship programs to send your score to when you register for the SAT on a weekend or take it in school on a school day. Many students prefer to wait until they get their scores—or until they’ve narrowed down their college lists—before making that decision.

You can go back later to send your scores with these simple steps:

1. Sign in to your College Board account.  Then go to the Send SAT Scores page. You might get a prompt about fee waivers. If you’re eligible, you’ll get free unlimited score reports. If the message doesn’t apply to you, ignore it.
2. Select institutions to send your scores and information to. Search for institutions by name or code. Click one or more institutions to add to the score recipient list. Then click Continue.
3. Send all your scores or only some of your scores to each recipient. If you’ve taken the SAT more than once, you can send only your best score. However, the institution you’re sending scores to might have a policy that requires you to send all your scores. As you select scores to send, review the policy requirements of the schools you selected. Then send them what they need.

Fun Fact: Some colleges “superscore,” which means they look at your best scores for the Reading and Writing and Math sections, even if they’re from different test days.

4. Review your order. Then check out.

The process works the same way regardless of whether you’re sending your scores to apply for colleges, scholarship programs, or military academies.

There are lots of other things you can do with your scores. Learn more here.