Students have options when it comes to sending ACT scores to colleges. It's essential that students understand the ACT's score reporting policy before registering for and sending ACT scores to colleges. Here's the low-down on the ACT's policy.

• Each time a student takes the ACT, the scores for each test date are kept as separate records. If a student takes the ACT multiple times, he or she can select which test date scores to submit to colleges. However, students cannot pick and choose individual section scores from different test dates to create a new composite score or "super score."

• Students can select up to four colleges to send ACT scores to at the time of registration. These four score reports are included in the basic registration fee. However, if students utilize this option, they will not be able to view their scores before the score reports are sent to those four colleges. Note that students have until noon central time on the Thursday following the regularly scheduled Saturday test date to add, change, or cancel college score reports.

Because students can choose which set or sets of ACT scores to send to colleges, we recommend that students leave the college code selection portion blank at the time of registration and order score reports after they've seen all their ACT scores.

Though it's convenient to select up to four schools when a student registers for the ACT, students will not be able to view those scores before they are sent to colleges. If a student does not perform as desired on the test, he or she cannot prevent those scores from going to the colleges he or she selected at the time of registration (unless he or she makes a change before the Thursday deadline following the test date).

Though an additional cost is incurred if a student waits to send scores until after viewing them (either $12 or $16.50 per score report, depending on whether regular or priority processing is selected), the extra fees are worth it when you consider that the ACT is offered six times per year and that students often take it more than once. Many students find that their scores improve greatly from one test date to the next. Only when a student is satisfied with his or her test scores should the scores be sent. As always, keep an eye on application deadlines and requirements, and remember that it will take several weeks for score reports to arrive at colleges.

Related Topics

• Looking for ACT national test dates? Visit our ACT Test Dates page.
• Ready to register your child for the ACT? Visit our ACT Registration page.
• Want to learn more about the score reports? Visit our ACT Scoring page.

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