Just got the info from Western Academic TS (formerly RMTS) and it looks like they are offering both SAT and ACT for 9 graders. In the previous years only ACT was recommended but I guess the change is due to the fact that SAT now offers "score choice".
We are kind of lost as what to do at this point. I was thinking ACT till I got the new info. DS has taken SAT in 6th grade, both SAT and ACT in 7th rade and SAT in 8th grade.
While Collegeboard allows score choice, many universities still want to see all scores.
He will be taking PSAT in October for practice. There is already one SAT Reasoning score on his record, from 8th grade, that we asked Collegeboard to keep.
What would you do?

I Tend to believe that score choice will be honored. seems like SAT Would be a good way to track progress. If there are no additional benifits then maybe not to bother. whatever u pick good luck grinity

You mean that you have a feeling that over the next few years all colleges will be allowing score choice?
As of today Georgetown, Penn, Stanford - to name just a few, want to see all scores.

I just did some checking. Only Northwestern and Western talent searches offer it for 9th graders. CTY and Duke do not.

Thanks for checking! Then what was all the hubub about? Of course, if you saved last years scores, I don't think that this years will be worse. Let us hope anyway.

Does ACT always allow score choice?

Hummm
Grinity

Some schools will look at SAT scores from all attempts, but they will also have the age at which they were taken (difference between 13-y-o and 17-y-o). The ACT does allow score choice, and schools don't ask for all of them (just went through that last year with DC17).

Hi Ania,

Some of top colleges do require all SAT scores or strongly encourage you to do so. As a result, having too many SAT scores in student's record may not be a good thing. Yale and Stanford requires all scores. Princeton strongly suggest that you send in all scores (whatever that means). Harvard and MIT are okay with score choice. The policy for Cal-Tech is unknown.

Another thing to consider is that the SAT scores are sent to high schools where they are put on official HS transcript (at least that is the case for my kids). So colleges will still see them even you use score choice.

I am not sure about the benefit of taking SAT before the student is fully ready especially the kid had already done so in middle school. If you just want your son to have more practice, you can buy a book.

Following is a URL to policy of individual colleges on score choice (compiled by college board).

http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/sat-score-use-practices-list.pdf

That is exactly what I am worried about. There already is one SAT there from his 8th grade that we asked to be kept.

Do you know how it is in the case of ACT? Will Stanford, for example, like to see all ACT scores as well? How long do they stay on ACT official record?

What do you mean by this? Can you explain please?

ACT is not popular in west cost so few students here took it. I don't have direct experience with it. My understanding is that ACT always allows score choice which becomes a competitive advantage in the mind of students. SAT offers score choice now is more a response to ACT's market share gain (I was told by a college application insider).

For the case of Stanford, yes, it requires all scores for SAT and ACT. I get this from its website.

"SAT Reasoning Test or ACT

Stanford requires either the SAT Reasoning Test with Writing or the ACT with Writing to be considered for admission. Please note: Applicants are required to report all SAT and ACT test scores. Your official test results must reach Stanford no later than November 1 for Restrictive Early Action, January 1 for Regular Decision."


My suggestion is that you should ignore score choice. There are universities that don't care about how many times the tests were taken. There are also schools trying to find a reason (any reason) to reject a student. If a student can get 2400 in one shot, it will be the best. :-)

Of course it is best to get 2400 in one shot, however unlikely it is
One more question - does ACT keep all of the HS scores on file or does it only keep the most recent, the highest?

At this point I am thinking to end Talent Search quest for my oldest. Mostly, because I am afraid of having too many scores on his record. It is also very unlikely that he will want to proceed with CTY summer course, so the scores will not be needed.
He will take PSAT next month (school allows anyone that pays to take it) just for practice.

Chenchuan - what grade is your oldest daughter in?

Did someone say perfect 2400 on SAT!

My sister sent me this article earlier in the summer:
Perfect 2400 on SAT

Yowsa!

yeah! Real perfect 2400 scores are pretty rare. Around 300 every year. Then there are also super-scored 2400, combined highest section score of different sittings. Don't know how many of them each year.

Ania, my older daughter is already in college. My younger one is a HS senior this year, in the middle of college application right now. For some reason, I had the impression that your oldest son is also a senior, may be I remembered wrong.

As for your question about ACT, I would think that they keep all the scores (not sure about the score before high school), you may want to call them just to make sure. CTY summer camps are more suitable for middle school kids. For high school kids who are interested in math, there are a number of more serious camps such as PROMYS, Canada/USA Mathcamp, SUMac, etc. They usually require entry test (fairly difficult) which weeds out anyone who are not serious.

My oldest (now jr) did not do talent search past 8th grade. But I think my 9th grader will take one of the tests this yr to keep "in the swing of it". Maybe even both--we'll see.

Ania--for your son who is so close to perfect scores, it might be good to give it another shot.

Okay, this thread has me a little worried now. WATS/RMATS had told us that scores from middle school would not be part of dd's SAT or ACT record -- as if she had never taken it. She took the SAT last year shortly after her 10th bd as a 6th grader. While she didn't bomb it (scored on par with the avg 6th grader in our talent search region who took the SAT), she certainly didn't do "well" by college admission standards.

She is registered to take both the SAT and ACT this year as a 7th grader. For her, practice really reduces anxiety which will be a good thing when she needs the scores.

From what you all are saying, though, it sounds like should she be applying to some competitive colleges at age 16, they will see her SAT scores from when she was 10. Is that correct? Also, does her record record age as well as grade in that dd is very young for grade?

no, they shouldn't appear when testing through talent search -- unless you specifically request that they retain the scores (that's my understanding).

Cricket2 - everything through and including 8th grade is not permanent, so test to your heart content.
After eight grade it becomes a little tricky. Both ACT and SAT have a "score choice" policy now BUT some colleges still want to see all scores. Go figure.
We have decided not to pursue ACT/SAT any more till son will be ready for college entrance. While I know that his scores would be good, I don't think that it is wise to have too many of them.
I know that practice would be good Cym, but I worry that he will have to take it 2-3 times in the future anyway .
PSAT for practice last Saturday (the score will not count for anything nor be included anywhere) Yep, practice alleviates fear. He is not bothered by any standardized tests at this point.