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Choosing which SAT Scores are Sent to Schools - Helpful or Not?

by Gregg on 03-02-2009 01:17 PM - last edited on 03-02-2009 01:18 PM

The College Board recently introduced "Score Choice," a new policy that allows students to select which SAT scores they want to send to schools.  At first, the new policy sounds like a great move on behalf of the College Board and a win-win situation for all students who can afford to take the test multiple times, right?  Well, take a closer look at how this new policy has caused a lot of controversy in the world of higher education. 

 

First, let's be sure you understand the actual policy change.  In the simplest of terms, here's a description of the "old" policy:  until now, seniors applying to colleges which require SAT scores have had no choice but to send all of their scores.  That is, if a student took the SATs three different times, the College Board would send the college all three Critical Reading scores, all three Math scores, and all three Writing scores.  More often than not, colleges mix and match the student's scores, counting the highest score in each section towards their admissions decision. 

 

And now for the "new" policy:  beginning with the Class of 2010, students may now select which set of scores they would like to send to the colleges.  For example, if a student takes the March, June, and October scores, a student can decide to send all of their March scores along with all of their October scores.  In turn, the college will see two Critical Reading scores, two Math scores, and two Writing scores.  Again, the college will mix and match the scores to the student's benefit.  If the student happens to score lower on the June exam in each of the three sections, he or she never has to send along those scores. 

 

While this new policy will hopefully reduce a student's anxiety about the SAT knowing that they don't have to send a particular set of scores, the most controversial component of this new policy is that some families cannot afford to take the SATs multiple times.  While most families can afford the $45 fee to take the test once, students taking the test four times will have to shell out nearly $200-money that could be used to pay the family's household expenses. 

 

What do you think?  Will the new reporting policy for the SATs help or hurt your child?

 

 

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Message Edited by Gregg on 03-02-2009 01:18 PM

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